Maths Olympiad Prep

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Problem 523

AMC 10/12, early questions
Algebra Difficulty 3.2 Prove it CEMC Euclid · Canada · 2024

In the diagram, rectangle ABCDABCD is divided into four smaller
rectangles by the lines PQPQ and
RSRS, which intersect at XX.

The areas of these smaller rectangles are, in some order, 22, 66, 33, and aa. What are the three possible values of
aa?
Suppose that the parabola with equation
y=x24tx+5t26ty = x^2 - 4tx + 5t^2 - 6t has two
distinct xx-intercepts. Determine
the value of tt for which the
distance between these xx-intercepts
is as large as possible.

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, then read the official solution and mark yourself. Be honest about it: the record is only any use to you if it is.

Next problem →

Official solution

Every multiple of 2121 is of
the form 21k21k for some integer kk.

For such a multiple to be between 10 000 and 100 000, we need 10000<21k<10000010\,000 < 21k < 100\,000 or $1000021\$\frac{10\,000}{21} < k <
10000021$.\frac{100\,000}{21}\$.

Since $1000021\$\frac{10\,000}{21} \approx
476.2and and 10000021\frac{100\,000}{21} \approx 4761.9and and k$ is an
integer, then 477k4761477 \leq k \leq 4761.
(Note that kk is greater than 476.2476.2 and is an integer, so must be at
least 477477; similarly, kk is at most 47614761.)

We also want the units digit of 21k21k
to be 11.

This means that the units digit of kk itself is 11, since the units digit of the product
of 2121 and kk is equal to units digit of kk because the units digit of 2121 is 11.

Therefore, the possible values of kk
are $481, 491, 501, ,\ldots, 4751,
4761$.

There are 429429 such values. To see
this, we can see that counting the integers in this list is the same as
counting the integers in the list $48, 49,
50, ,\ldots, 475, 476$. This list is equivalent to removing the
integers from 11 to 4747 from the list of integers from 11 to 476476, giving 47647=429476 - 47 = 429 integers.

Thus, M=429M = 429.
Solution 1:

We can partition the NN students
at Strickland S.S. into four groups:

aa students who are in the
physics club and are in the math club
bb students who are in the
physics club and are not in the math club
cc students who are not in
the physics club but are in the math club
dd students who are not in
the physics club and are not in the math club

In Math Club
Not in Math Club

In Physics Club
aa
bb

Not in Physics Club
cc
dd

From the given information, there are 25N\frac{2}{5}N students in the physics
club. In other words, $a+b =
25N$.\frac{2}{5}N\$.

Among the students in the physics club, twice as many are not in the
math club as are in the math club. This means that $b = 2325N=415N\frac{2}{3} \cdot \frac{2}{5}N = \frac{4}{15}Nand and a =
1325N=215N$.\frac{1}{3}\cdot \frac{2}{5}N = \frac{2}{15}N\$.

From the given information, there are 14N\frac{1}{4}N students in the math club.
In other words, $a + c =
14N$.\frac{1}{4}N\$.

Since a=215Na = \frac{2}{15}N, then $c = 14N215N=760N$.\frac{1}{4}N - \frac{2}{15}N = \frac{7}{60}N\$.

Since a+b+c+d=Na + b + c + d = N, then $d = N - a - b - c = N - 415N215N760N=2960N$.\frac{4}{15}N - \frac{2}{15}N - \frac{7}{60}N = \frac{29}{60}N\$.

Lastly, we know that $500 < N <
600$.

Since each of aa, bb, cc, and dd is an integer, then NN must be divisible by 60.

Therefore, N=540N = 540 and so the
number of students not in either club is $d =
2960\frac{29}{60} \cdot 540 = 261$.

Solution 2:

Since there are NN students at
Strickland S.S., then 25N\frac{2}{5}N
are in the physics club and 14N\frac{1}{4}N are in the math club.

Since each of 25N\frac{2}{5}N and
14N\frac{1}{4}N must be an integer,
then NN must be divisible by 55 and must be divisible by 44.

Since 55 and 44 share no common divisor larger than
11, then NN must be divisible by 54=205 \cdot 4 = 20.

Thus, we let N=20mN = 20m for some
positive integer mm.

In this case, 25N=8m\frac{2}{5}N = 8m
students are in the physics club and 14N=5m\frac{1}{4}N = 5m students are in the
math club.

Now, among the 8m8m students in the
physics club, twice as many are not in the math club as are in the math
club.

In other words, 13\frac{1}{3} of the
8m8m students in the physics club are
in the math club. This means that mm
must be divisible by 33, since 33 is a prime number and 88 is not divisible by 33.

Therefore, m=3km = 3k for some positive
integer kk, which means that N=20m=60kN = 20m = 60k and 25N=8m=24k\frac{2}{5}N = 8m = 24k and 14N=5m=15k\frac{1}{4}N = 5m = 15k.

Since 500<N<600500 < N < 600 and NN is a multiple of 60, then N=540N = 540, which means that k=9k = 9.

Thus, the number of students in the physics club is 24k=21624k = 216, of whom 13216=72\frac{1}{3} \cdot 216 = 72 are in the
math club and $23\$\frac{2}{3} \cdot 216=
144$ are not in the math club.

Also, the number of students in the math club is 15k=13515k = 135.

Finally, we know that

there are 540540 students at
the school,
7272 of whom are in both the
physics club and the math club,
144144 of whom are in the
physics club and not in the math club, and
13572=63135 - 72 = 63 are in the
math club and not in the physics club.

Therefore, the number of students in neither club is 5407214463=261540 - 72 - 144 - 63 = 261.

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