46th ANNUAL

MASSACHUSETTS MATHEMATICS OLYMPIAD

2009 2010
A High School Competition Conducted by
THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION
OF MATHEMATICS LEAGUES (MAML)
And Sponsored by
THE ACTUARIES CLUB OF BOSTON
FIRST-LEVEL EXAMINATION
Thursday, October 22, 2009
SOLUTIONS

1.

The value of

Solution:

2.

52 42 + 32
3
is .
2
2
2
13 12 + 5
5
52 42 + 32
25 16 + 9
2i9 3
=
=
= .
2
2
2
13 12 + 5
169 144 + 25
2i25 5

The operation a b means a 2b b 2 a . Compute ( 4 3) ( 3 2 ) . The answer is 432.

Solution:

( 4 3) = 16 i 3 9 i 4 = 48 36 = 12 . ( 3 2 ) = 9 i 2 4 i3 = 18 12 = 6 .

(12 6 ) = 144 i 6 36 i12 = 864 432 = 432 .

3.

Toms drives 32,000 miles a year as a sales rep for an auto parts company. He wants to
buy a hybrid car to get better gas mileage (48 mpg!), but the model he wants costs $4200
more than its non-hybrid counterpart (32 mpg). If gas costs $3.00 per gallon, about how
long would it take Toms to recoup the higher cost of the hybrid? The answer is 50
months.
Solution: The hybrid car will use 666

2
gallons per year, at a cost of $2000 in gas,
3

whereas the non-hybrid car will use 1000 gallons per year, at a cost of $3000. The
difference in the cost of gas ($1000 per year) will be made up in 4.2 years, which is about
50 months.

4.

Given: ( 2 x + 5 ) varies directly as ( y + 3) and inversely as ( z 2 ) , and x = 5 when y = 2

2

and z = 7. Find x when y = 1 and z = 6. The answer is 1.

( y + 3)
( 2 x + 5) = k
( z 2)

25
15 = k k = 3 .
5

( y + 3)
( 2 x + 5) = 3
( z 2)

4
( 2 x + 5 ) = 3 2 x = 2 x = 1 .
4

Solution:

5.

The product of 99 and an integer k is 50x8x, where x represents a digit in the five-digit
product. Find the integer k. The answer is 513.
Solution: If 50x8x is divisible by 99, it is divisible by 9, so its digits must sum to a
multiple of 9. This means that x must equal 7.

6.

50797
= 513 .
99

If 63( x ) = 36( x+ 6) , then x(10 ) ( x + 2 )(10 ) = pq(12) . Find the base 10 sum p + q. The answer

is 8.
Solution:

63( x ) = 36( x + 6) 6 x + 3 = 3 ( x + 6 ) + 6 6 x + 3 = 3x + 24 x = 7 .

( 7 i 9 )10 = 6310 = 5 (12 ) + 3 = 5312 p + q = 8 .

7.

The five-digit number ABCDE has only even digits, such that A cannot be zero and the
other digits may repeat. The four-digit number FGHJ has only odd digits, which may also
repeat. How many ways can these numbers be configured so that ABCDE is twice FGHJ?

The answer is 0.
Solution: The largest four-digit number with odd digits is 9999. Since twice 9999 is
19,998, any five-digit number ABCDE must have A = 1.

8.

In right ABC, AC BC , AC = 192, and BC = 56 . PD is the perpendicular bisector of

1
AB , where P AB, and D AC . Compute PD. The answer is 29 .
6
Solution: ABC is a 72425 triangle with hypotenuse 200. ADP is a similar triangle

whose long leg has length PA = 100 (half the hypotenuse of ABC). The length of the
short leg of ADP is therefore PD =

7
700
1
= 29 .
(100 ) =
24
24
6

9.

Find the sum of all the integers in the following list (which omits multiples of 4):

1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, , 75, 77, 78, 79. The answer is 2400.

Solution: The sum of the first 79 positive integers is (after the method of Gauss)
39 ( 80 ) + 40 = 3160 . The sum of the first 19 multiples of 4 is 9 ( 80 ) + 40 = 760 .
Subtracting this sum from the first sum leaves 2400.
10. If P ( x + 3) = x 2 + 7 x + 4 , and P ( x ) = ax 2 + bx + c , find the ordered triple (a, b, c). The

answer is (1, 1, 8).

Solution: Let y = x + 3 . Then, x = y 3 . Therefore,
P ( x + 3) = P ( y 3 + 3) = ( y 3)2 + 7( y 3) + 4 = y 2 + y 8 . Thus, P ( y ) = y 2 + y 8 , or,
equivalently, P ( x ) = x 2 + x 8 ( a,b,c ) = (1,1, 8 )

11. Given the following array, name the third number in the 20th row. (Note: 11 is the
second number in the third row.) The answer is 727.

3
9 11
19 21 23
33 35 37 39

1
5
13
25
41

7
15 17
27 29 31
43 45 47 49

Solution: The number of numbers in each row follows the sequence 1, 3, 5, 7, . In 19

rows, therefore, there are 1 + 3 + 5 + + 37 = 361 numbers, of which the last is 721 (the
361st odd number). The next three odd numbers are 723, 725, and 727.

12. In the figure below, AB = 12 3 , and the area of ABC is 90 3 . Find cot CBD . The
3
.
5

answer is

Solution: If AB = 12 3 and the area of ABC is 90 3 , then the height of ABC is 15.

Thus, in right ACE below, CE = 15 and AE = 15 3 , so that BE = 3 3 . Therefore,

cot CBD = cot CBE =

3 3
3
=
.
15
5

30
A

E
D

13. An octahedral die has eight faces, numbered 1 through 8. Ayesha rolls a fair octahedral
die three times. What is the probability that the number on the third roll is the product of
the numbers from the first two rolls? The answer is

5
.
128

Solution: Three rolls of a die produce 512 outcomes: (1, 1, 1), (1, 1, 2), (1, 1, 3), etc.
Of these outcomes, how many are such that the product of the first two rolls equals the
third? The following table lists all the possible ordered triples that meet this criterion.
(1, 1, 1)

(1, 2, 2)

(2, 1, 2)

(1, 3, 3)

(3, 1, 3)

(1, 4, 4)

(2, 2, 4)

(4, 1, 4)

(1, 5, 5)

(5, 5, 1)

(1, 6, 6)

(2, 3, 6)

(3, 2, 6)

(6, 1, 6)

(1, 7, 7)

(7, 1, 1)

(1, 8, 8)

(2, 4, 8)

(4, 2, 8)

(8, 1, 8)

14. Let f be a function defined for all real numbers with the property that

f ( 3 x ) = f ( 3 + x ) . Suppose that f has 6 roots. Find the sum of the roots. The answer
is 18.
Solution: If 3 + x0 is a solution, then 3 x0 is also a solution. Therefore, the average

value of the roots is 3. And 3 i 6 = 18 .

15. Find the positive integral values of x and y such that x + 2 y = 20 , and 13x + 11y is a
multiple of 17. The answer is (8, 6).
Solution: The positive integral solutions to x + 2 y = 20 are (2, 9), (4, 8), (6, 7), (8, 6),

(10, 5), (12, 4), (14, 3), (16, 2), and (18, 1). The first of these ordered pairs, when
substituted into 13x + 11y , produces 125, which is not a multiple of 17. Each successive
ordered pair increases the sum 13 x + 11 y by 15. A multiple of 17 is achieved with the
ordered pair (8, 6).

16. Find the numerical value of the 21st term of the geometric sequence whose first three
terms are (1 + i ) , (1 i ) , ( 2i ) . The answer is
20

Solution:

16

(1 + i )
(1 i )

20

16

( 2i )

1
.
230

10
2
= (1 + i ) = 1 + 2i + i 2 10 = [ 2i ] = 210 i i10 = 210 .

10

8
2
= (1 i ) = 1 2i + i 2 = [ 2i ] = 28 i i 8 = 28 .

= 26 i i 6 = 26

Thus, the terms are 210 , 28 , 26 , . The 21st term of this sequence is 230 =

1
.
230

 . The
17. Equilateral triangle ABC is inscribed in a circle. D is a point on minor arc BC
length of chord BD is 3 inches and the length of chord DC is 5 inches. How long is AD
(in inches)? The answer is 8.
Solution: In the figure, the lengths of the sides of the

A
1

triangle are given by s. According to Ptolemys theorem ,

3s + 5s = ( AD ) s , so that AD = 8.

Alternatively, we may recognize that, as inscribed angles,

m BDA = m CDA = 60 , and then use the Law of

B
3

Cosines with BCD and ACD .

C
5

In BCD , s 2 = 32 + 52 235cos (120 ) = 9 + 25 + 15 = 49 , so that s = 7. Then, in

ACD , we have s 2 = 49 = 52 + ( AD ) 25 ( AD ) cos ( 60 ) , which, upon rearrangement,
2

becomes the quadratic ( AD ) 5 ( AD ) 24 , which has roots 3 and 8. The former is, of
2

course, extraneous.

Ptolemys theorem states that in a cyclic quadrilateral, the sum of the products of the lengths of the pairs of
opposite sides equals the product of the lengths of the diagonals.

18. Two values of x make the following statement true. Find the absolute value of their
difference. The answer is

3
8

( log 5) ( log

125

9 ) + log 2 3 x + log x 2 = 0

Solution. Using the change-of-base rules for logarithms:

log 5

log 3 5 =

log 3

log125 9 =

1
2

log 5
log 5
.
=2
1
log
3
log 3
2

log 32 2 log 3
4
. So log 3 5 ( log125 9 ) = .
=
3
3
log 5
3log 5

log 2 3 x =

1
3

log 2
log x
log x
, and log x 2 =
. So the original equation becomes:
=
log x
log 2 3log 2

4 log 2 log x + ( log x ) + 3 ( log 2 )

4 log x log 2
+
+
=0
= 0.
3 3log 2 log x
3log 2 log x
2

The numerator of this last fraction is a quadratic that factors to

( log x + 3log 2 )( log x + log 2 ) .

log x = 3log 2 x =

Thus:

1
1
, and log x = log 2 x = .
8
2

The positive difference of these two values of x is

3
.
8

19. The positive difference between the square of the arithmetic mean of two numbers and
the square of their geometric mean is 36. Find the positive difference between the
arithmetic mean of their squares and the square of their arithmetic mean. The answer is
36.
Solution. Let x and y be the two numbers, and let x > y. Then, the first of the above
conditions produces
x+ y

2
2

xy

x 2 + 2 xy + y 2
xy = 36 x 2 + 2 xy + y 2 4 xy = 144 . This simplifies
4

to ( x y ) = 144 x y = 12 , because of the requirement that x > y.

2

The second of the above conditions produces

( x y) .
x 2 + y 2 x 2 + 2 xy + y 2
2 x 2 + 2 y 2 x 2 2 xy y 2
, which simplifies to

2
4
4
4
2

Because x y =12, this last expression equals 36.

20. In ABC , A is at (2, 4), B is at (8, 12), and C is at (16, 6). Find the coordinates (x, y) of
point K on the segment AB so that the ratio of the area of BKC to the area of ABC
34 52
is 1:5. The answer is , .
5 5
Solution. ABC is an isosceles right triangle of leg length 10 and area 50. Therefore,

we want K to be located on AB such that KB =

4
4

34 52
2 + ( 8 2 ) , 4 + (12 4 ) = , .
5
5

5 5

1
AB . The coordinates of K are given by
5

21. The country of Halfway issues coins in denominations of 8, 9, and 10 halfmarks, the unit
of currency. What is the largest number of halfmarks that cannot be expressed with these
coins? The answer is 31.
Solution. We want to find a string of eight consecutive numbers of halfmarks that can be
expressed with these denominations. Once we have that string, we can express the next
eight by increasing by adding one halfmark coin to each of the first eight numbers. Each
new string of eight can be expressed in a similar manner.
Obviously, we can express 8, 9, and 10 halfmarks with these coins. We can also express
16, 18, and 20 by using two of each coin, but also 17 (by using an 8 and a 9) and 19 (by
using a 9 and a 10). Likewise, we can express 2430 halfmarksnotice the pattern?
and then 3240. This last is actually a string of nine, so 31 is the largest unexpressable
number.
22. Let AB9 and CD9 be non-negative two-digit integers in base 9 (A and C may be zero),
such that ( AB ) ( CD ) ( AB ) ( CD ) = 6189 . For a particular solution ( A1 , B1 , C1 , D1 ) ,
2

let k1 = A1 + B1 + C1 + D1 . Find the sum (in base 9) of all ki . The answer is 44.

Solution: Adding 1 to both sides of the equation and factoring, we get

(( AB ) 1) (CD 1) = 620
2

. In base 10, this is 6(92 ) + 2(9) = 504 = 23 32 71 , which has

4(3)(2) = 24 positive integer factors, or 12 factor pairs. Since one of the factors is
AB2 1, we are looking for a factor that is 1 less than a perfect square. The number 504
has five such factors: 3, 8, 24, 63, and 168.
Hence, in base 10, if ( AB ) 1 = 3, 8, 24, 63, or 168, AB = 2, 3, 5, 8, or 13. Of these,
2

we discover that 2 is too small a value for our needs. The remaining numbers, in base 9,
are 03, 05, 08, and 14. Correspondingly, if CD 1 = 168, 63, 21, 8, or 3, then CD = 169,
64, 22, 9, or 4. Of these, we discover that 169 is too large a value for our needs. Again,
the remaining numbers, in base 9, are 71, 24, 10, and 04.
Thus, (A, B, C, D) = (0, 3, 7, 1), (0, 5, 2, 4), (0, 8, 1, 0) and (1, 4, 0, 4), and the respective
values of k, in base 9, are 12, 12, 10, and 10, which add to 449.

23. Find the polynomial of least positive degree that, when divided by
2 x 2 + 3 x 2, 2 x 2 3 x + 1, or x 2 + x 2 , leaves a remainder of 5. Write your answer as a
polynomial of least degree with integer coefficients. The answer is 2x 3 + x 2 - 5x + 7 .

Solution. If P(x) denotes the polynomial of least degree that we seek, we have
2
( 2 x + 3 x 2 ) ( x a ) + 5
P ( x) =
. (Any pair of divisors would have worked here.)
2
( 2 x 3 x + 1) ( x b ) + 5
Equating the coefficients of x2, we have 2a + 3 = 2b 3 a b = 3 .
Equating the coefficients of x, we have 3a 2 = 3b + 1 a + b = 1 .
Solving this system, we have (a, b) = (1, 2), and
P ( x ) = ( 2 x 2 + 3x 2 ) ( x 1) + 5 = 2 x3 + x 2 5 x + 7 . We can verify that x 2 + x 2 is a
divisor of this polynomial.

24. Let ABC and A ' B ' C ' be equilateral triangles

with the same center such that the distance between
corresponding sides is 1 and each side of
A'B'C' = 3 . Let D, E , F , D ', E ', and F ' be
midpoints of the sides as pictured. A mosquito
flies along a straight path from D to E to F to D to
E ' to F ' to D ' to E ' . Find the length of the

mosquitos flight. The answer is 6 3 +

13
.
2

Solution. In trapezoid BB ' C ' C , m B ' BC = m C ' CB = 60 , so the lengths of the

sides of ABC are 3 3 . Thus, the paths represented by DE , EF , and FD are
midsegments whose combined length is

9 3
. Likewise, the paths represented by
2

E ' F ', F ' D ', and D ' E ' are midsegments whose
combined length is

3 3
. These six parts of the
2

path thus have a combined length of 6 3 . This

leaves DE ' . In the figure, D is at the origin, and

the other points are as shown. Applying the

distance formula, we have DE ' = 13 2 .

25. Consider the set S of all positive fractions whose denominator is 24 and whose numerator
is less than 26 and relatively prime with 24. How many nonempty subsets of this set
have the property that the sum of all its elements is a reduced fraction? The answer is
231.
1 5 7 11 13 17 19 23 25
Solution: S is the 9-element set , , , , , , , , .
24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24

S has 29 = 512 subsets, but those with an even number of elements will sum to

N
,
24

where N will be an even number and this is a reducible fraction. Therefore, we restrict

our attention to subsets with an odd number of elements. All 1-element subsets satisfy
the requirement. We must look closely at 3, 5, 7 and 9-element subsets.
N must be a sum of an odd number of elements from {1, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 25}
which is relatively prime with 24. Five of these numbers are of the form 3k + 1, that is,
they are 1 more than a multiple of 3. Call this set A = {1, 7, 13, 19, 25}.
Then, let B = {5, 11, 17, 23}, the set of numerators that are 2 more than a multiple of 3.

3-element subsets: Eliminate any that contain three elements from A (which add to a
multiple of 3) or three elements from B (which add to a multiple of 6).

9 5 4
= 84 10 4 = 70
3 3 3
5-element subsets: Eliminate any that contain four elements from A and one element from B
(which add to a multiple of 6) and any that contain one element from A and four elements from B
(which add to a multiple of 9).

9 5 4 5 4
= 126 20 5 = 121
5 4 1 1 4
7-element subsets: Eliminate any that contain five elements from A and two elements
from B (which add to a multiple of 9).

9 5 4
= 36 6 = 30
7 5 2
9-element subsets: There is only one, namely S itself. This set produces a reduced
fraction.
The total is 9 + 70 + 121 + 30 + 1 = 231