Maths Olympiad Prep

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Combinatorics Difficulty 5.6 AIME, harder Prove it New Zealand

Problem:

A school offers three subjects: Mathematics, Art and Science. At least 80%80\% of students study both Mathematics and Art. At least 80%80\% of students study both Mathematics and Science. Prove that at least 80%80\% of students who study both Art and Science, also study Mathematics.

Solution

Solution:

Let nn be the total number of students. Let xx be the number of students that study all three subjects. Let aa be the number of students that study Maths and Art but not Science. Let bb be the number of students that study Maths and Science but not Art. Let cc be the number of students that study Art and Science but not Maths.

So a,b,c,x,na, b, c, x, n are non-negative real numbers with

 na+b+c+x\cdot\ n \geq a + b + c + x (total number of students).

 x+a0.8×n\cdot\ x + a \geq 0.8 \times n (studying both Mathematics and Art),

 x+b0.8×n\cdot\ x + b \geq 0.8 \times n (studying both Mathematics and Science).

Adding all these together gives us 2x+a+b1.6×n2x + a + b \geq 1.6 \times n and since na+b+c+xn \geq a + b + c + x we get:

2x+a+b1.6×(a+b+c+x).2x + a + b \geq 1.6 \times (a + b + c + x).

Finally multiply both sides by 0.50.5 and rearrange to get:

x0.8×(x+c)+0.3×(a+b)0.8×(x+c).x \geq 0.8 \times (x + c) + 0.3 \times (a + b) \geq 0.8 \times (x + c).

Therefore xx+c0.8\frac{x}{x + c} \geq 0.8 as required.

First note that if x0.8nx \geq 0.8n then xx+cxn0.8\frac{x}{x + c} \geq \frac{x}{n} \geq 0.8.

Otherwise we have x<0.8nx < 0.8n and so n>5x4n > \frac{5x}{4}. Hence

xx+c=x(a+b+c+x)(a+x)(b+x)+2x \frac{x}{x + c} = \frac{x}{(a + b + c + x) - (a + x) - (b + x) + 2x}
xn0.8n0.8n+2x \geq \frac{x}{n - 0.8n - 0.8n + 2x}
=x2x0.6n = \frac{x}{2x - 0.6n}
>x2x0.6×5x4 > \frac{x}{2x - 0.6 \times \frac{5x}{4}}
=0.8. = 0.8.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.