Maths Olympiad Prep

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, 2024

Algebra Difficulty 2.7 Junior Find the answer Canada

Five different integers are selected from 11 to 66 and one integer is placed into each of
the five squares shown.

The integers are placed so that the sum of the three integers in the
vertical column is 77, and the sum
of the three integers in the horizontal row is 1111. Which integer does not appear in any
square?

Pick one

Solution

The three different integers selected from 11 to 66 and whose sum is 77 must be the integers 11, 22, 44. Thus, the vertical column contains the
integers 11, 22, 44
in some order.

(Can you see why no other combination of three of the given integers has
a sum of 77?)

The three different integers selected from 11 to 66 and whose sum is 1111 must be 11, 44, 66
or 22, 44, 55
or 22, 33, 66.

If the integers in the horizontal row are 11, 44, 66, then there are two integers in common
with those in the vertical column, namely 11 and 44.

Since there have to be five different integers used in the squares, then
there cannot be two integers in common between the two lists, and so
11, 44, 66
cannot appear in the horizontal row.

Similarly, 22, 44, 55
cannot appear in the horizontal row.

Thus, the horizontal row must contain the integers 22, 33, 66
with 22 appearing in the centre
square since it is the integer in common between the two lists.

The integer not appearing in any square is 55.

The figure shows a possible arrangement of the integers.

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Source: CEMC, University of Waterloo, licensed CC-BY-NC-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.