Maths Olympiad Prep

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, 2023

Algebra Difficulty 3.0 AMC 10/12 Prove it Canada

A game is played in which each throw of a ball lands in one of
two holes: the closer hole or the farther hole. A throw landing in the
closer hole scores 2 points, while a throw landing in the farther hole
scores 5 points. A player’s total score is equal to the sum of the
scores on their throws.

Jasmin had 3 throws that each scored 2
points and 4 throws that each scored 5 points. What was Jasmin’s total
score?
Sam had twice as many throws that scored
2 points as throws that scored 5 points. If Sam’s total score was 3636 points, how many throws did Sam
take?
Tia had tt throws that each scored 2 points and
ff throws that each scored 5 points.
If Tia’s total score was 37 points, determine all possible ordered pairs
(t,f)(t,f).
The game is changed so that each throw
scores 6 or 21 points instead of 22
or 55. Explain whether or not it is
possible to have a total score of 182182 points.

Solution

Jasmin’s total score was $32+45=6+20$\$3\cdot2 + 4\cdot5=6+20\$ or 26 points.
Suppose that Sam had nn
throws that each scored 5 points; then Sam had 2n2n throws that each scored 2
points.

Since Sam’s total score was 36 points, then 5n+22n=365\cdot n+2\cdot2n=36 or 9n=369n=36, and so n=4n=4.

In total, Sam took n+2n=3nn+2n=3n throws,
which is 34=123\cdot4=12
throws.
Since Tia’s total score was 37 points, then 2t+5f=372t+5f=37.

Since 2t2t is even for all integer
values of tt, then 5f5f must be odd since their sum is 37
(which is odd).

The value of 5f5f is odd exactly when
ff is odd.

When f=1f=1, we get 2t+5=372t+5=37 or 2t=322t=32, and so t=16t=16.

When f=3f=3, we get 2t+15=372t+15=37 or 2t=222t=22, and so t=11t=11.

When f=5f=5, we get 2t+25=372t+25=37 or 2t=122t=12, and so t=6t=6.

When f=7f=7, we get 2t+35=372t+35=37 or 2t=22t=2, and so t=1t=1.

When f9f\geq 9, 5f455f\geq45 and so 2t+5f>372t+5f>37.

The possible ordered pairs (t,f)(t,f)
are (16,1)(16,1), (11,3)(11,3), (6,5)(6,5), and (1,7)(1,7).
If aa throws each score 6
points and bb throws each score 21
points, then 6a+21b6a+21b or 3(2a+7b)3(2a+7b) points are scored.

Since aa and bb are non-negative integers, then 2a+7b2a+7b is a non-negative integer, and so
the total number of points scored, 3(2a+7b)3(2a+7b), is a multiple of 3.

Since 182 is not a multiple of 3, then it is not possible to have a
total score of 182 points.

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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.