Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /198 of 213

, 2026

Number theory Difficulty 4.6 AIME Find the answer Canada

Each of P4RP4R, 7QS7QS and TU1TU1 is a positive three-digit integer.
The sum of P4RP4R and 7QS7QS is equal to TU1TU1, as shown.  ⁣ ⁣ ⁣P ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣4 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣R ⁣ ⁣ ⁣+ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣7 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣Q ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣S ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣T ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣U ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣1 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣\begin{array}{ccccc} &&\!\!\!P\!\!\!&\!\!\!4\!\!\!&\!\!\!R\!\!\! \\ + &&\!\!\!7\!\!\!&\!\!\!Q\!\!\!&\!\!\!S\!\!\! \\ \hline &&\!\!\!T\!\!\!&\!\!\!U\!\!\!&\!\!\!1\!\!\! \end{array} If each of PP,
QQ, RR, SS, TT, and UU represents a different digit from the
list 00, 22, 33, 55, 88, 99, what is the value of UU?

Pick one

Solution

Since P4RP4R is a three-digit
integer, then P0P\neq0.  ⁣ ⁣ ⁣P ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣4 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣R ⁣ ⁣ ⁣+ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣7 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣Q ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣S ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣T ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣U ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣1 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣\begin{array}{ccccc} &&\!\!\!P\!\!\!&\!\!4\!\!&\!\!\!R\!\!\! \\ + &&\!\!\!7\!\!\!&\!\!\!Q\!\!\!&\!\!\!S\!\!\! \\ \hline &&\!\!\!T\!\!\!&\!\!U\!\!\!&\!\!\!1\!\!\! \end{array} If P>2P>2,
then P+7>9P+7>9 and so T>9T>9. In this case, TU1TU1 would be a four-digit integer which
is not possible, and so P=2P=2.

In the hundreds column P+7=2+7=9P+7=2+7=9.

So, there can be no carry from the tens column to the hundreds column
for the same reason as just described, and thus T=9T=9. The remaining digits are 00, 33, 55, 88.

The ones (units) digit of the sum is 11, and so the only possibilities for
RR and SS are 33 and 88, in some order.

Since 3+8=113+8=11, there is a carry of
11 from the ones column to the tens
column.

Thus, the sum in the tens column is 1+4+Q=5+Q1+4+Q=5+Q.

Since there is no carry from the tens column to the hundreds column,
then 5+Q=U5+Q=U, which gives Q=0Q=0 and U=5U=5.

The two possible sums are shown below.

$ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣2 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣4 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣3 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣+ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣7 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣0 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣8 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣9 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣5 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣1 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣\begin{array}{ccccc} &&\!\!\!2\!\!\!&\!\!4\!\!&\!\!\!3\!\!\! \\ + &&\!\!\!7\!\!\!&\!\!\!0\!\!\!&\!\!\!8\!\!\! \\ \hline &&\!\!\!9\!\!\!&\!\!\!5\!\!\!&\!\!\!1\!\!\! \end{array}$   
 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣2 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣4 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣8 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣+ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣7 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣0 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣3 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣9 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣5 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣1 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣\begin{array}{ccccc} &&\!\!\!2\!\!\!&\!\!4\!\!&\!\!\!8\!\!\! \\ + &&\!\!\!7\!\!\!&\!\!\!0\!\!\!&\!\!\!3\!\!\! \\ \hline &&\!\!\!9\!\!\!&\!\!\!5\!\!\!&\!\!\!1\!\!\! \end{array}

Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track puts 2,444 problems in a working order, from Junior Challenge level to the IMO shortlist.

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