2017-2018-Part Ii

The Alberta High School Mathematics Competition
Part II, February 7th , 2018
Problem 1
The difference of two positive integers is 18. When we divide the larger of the two positive integers by the smaller,
the quotient and remainder are equal. Find all the possible pairs of positive integers.
Solution:
Let x be the smaller of the two numbers. The larger number is x + 18. If q denotes the quotient of the division, then the
remainder is also q. The long division of x + 18 by x gives
x + 18 = q x + q ⇒ q x + q − x − 18 = 0.
Then
q x + q − x − 1 = 17 ⇒ (q − 1)(x + 1) = 17.
Since 17 is prime, and q < x (as the remainder is smaller than the quotient), we have
q − 1 = 1, x + 1 = 17
thus x = 16. Hence there is only one pair of positive integers having the requested property, 16 and 34.
Problem 2
Let Z be the set of integers and f : Z → Z a function such that
f ( f (x) + y) = x + f (y), for any integers x and y.
Show that f (x + y) = f (x) + f (y) for any integers x and y.

Solution:
Setting y = 0 in the given relation, we get that f ( f (x)) = x + f (0) for any x ∈ Z. Therefore, if f (0) = a we have f ( f (x)) = x + a.
Then,
f (x + f (y)) = f ( f ( f (x) + y)) = f (x) + y + a .
Interchanging x, y in the given relation, we also have
f (x + f (y)) = f (x) + y .
The last two relations give a = 0, and therefore f ( f (x)) = x. Next, replacing x by f (x) in the given relation, and using f ( f (x)) = x
we get
f (x + y) = f (x) + f (y) .
Problem 3
Prove that the numbers 26n and 26n + 2n have the same number of digits, for any non-negative integer n.
Solution:
Assume by contradiction that 26n and 26n + 2n do not have the same number of digits. If 26n has m digits then 26n < 10m ≤
26n + 2n with m > n and hence 13n < 2m−n 5m ≤ 13n + 1. Hence 2m−n 5m = 13n + 1 and ³since
´ 13
n
³ +´ 1 ≡ 2(mod 4), one obtains
n n
m − n = 1. Therefore, n should be a solution of the equation 2 · 5n+1 = 13n + 1 ⇐⇒ 10 = 15 + 13 5 . It is clear that n = 0, 1, 2
³ ´n ³ ´3
are not solutions of this equation and also any n ≥ 3 either, since 13
5 ≥ 13
5 > 10 for n ≥ 3.
Notice: We may justify that the remainder obtained when 13n + 1 is divided by 4 is 2, without using congruences. Indeed,
since 13, 132 , 133 and in general 13n are all of the form 4k + 1 where k is a positive integer, 13n + 1 is of the form 4k + 2 .
Problem 4
A collection of items weighing 3, 4 or 5 kg has a total weight of 120 kg. Prove that there is a subcollection of the
items weighing exactly 60 kg.
Solution:
We have non-negative integers a, b, c so that 3a + 4b + 5c = 120. We wish to find a triple (a 1 , b 1 , c 1 ) of nonnegative integers
satisfying a 1 ≤ a, b 1 ≤ b, c 1 ≤ c so that 3a 1 + 4b 1 + 5c 1 = 60.
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First note: If a ≥ 20 then we can use a 1 = 20, b 1 = c 1 = 0. Thus we can assume from now on that a ≤ 19. Similarly we can
assume that b ≤ 14 and c ≤ 11. Thus we get
120 − 4b − 5c 120 − 56 − 55
a= ≥ = 3,
3 3
120 − 3a − 5c 120 − 57 − 55
b= ≥ = 2,
4 4
120 − 3a − 4b 120 − 57 − 56 7
c= ≥ = ,
5 5 5
and since c is an integer we get c ≥ 2.
From 3a + 4b + 5c = 120 we know that a and c have the same parity. Thus we have four cases.
• If a, b, c are all even, then we choose a 1 = a/2, b 1 = b/2, c 1 = c/2.

• If a and c are even while b is odd, then we claim that
a +4 b −3 c
µ ¶
(a 1 , b 1 , c 1 ) = , ,
2 2 2
works. These choices are all integers, and
3(a + 4) 4(b − 3) 5c
3a 1 + 4b 1 + 5c 1 = + + = 60,
2 2 2
so we need only observe that (i) since a is even and a ≥ 3, we know that a ≥ 4, and thus (a + 4)/2 ≤ a; (ii) since b is odd
and b ≥ 2, we know that b ≥ 3 and thus (b − 3)/2 ≥ 0.
• If a and c are odd while b is even, we use
a −1 b +2 c −1
µ ¶
(a 1 , b 1 , c 1 ) = , , .
2 2 2
Again these are nonnegative integers and 3a 1 + 4b 1 + 5c 1 = 60, and b ≥ 2 implies that b 1 ≤ b.
• If a, b and c are all odd, we use
a +3 b −1 c −1
µ ¶
(a 1 , b 1 , c 1 ) = , , .
2 2 2
Again these are nonnegative integers and 3a 1 + 4b 1 + 5c 1 = 60, and a ≥ 3 implies that a 1 ≤ a.
This finishes the proof.
Problem 5
Triangle ABC has angle B AC = 80◦ and angle AC B = 40◦ . D is a point on the ray BC beyond C so that C D =
AB + BC +C A. Find the angle ADB.
Solution:
A
80◦ G
40◦
B C E D
Let E be on C D such that AC = C E . Since 4AC E is isosceles CAE = C E A = 20◦ . Take G on AE such that AG = AB. Since
4ABG is isosceles,
180◦ − (80◦ + 20◦ )
AGB
= = 40◦ .
2
Now, the quadrilateral ABCG is cyclic ( AGB
= AC B = 40◦ ) and hence BGC
= B AC = 80◦ and ACG
= ABG = 40◦ , so BCG
=
40◦ + 40◦ = 80◦ . Thus 4GBC is isosceles. Also, since GBC
=G AC = 20◦ , 4BGE is isosceles. Therefore, BC = BG = GE and
= 1 C
AE = AB + BC = E D and thus 4AE D is isosceles, with ADB E A = 10◦ . 2
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The Alberta High School Mathematics Competition

Part II, February 7th , 2018

f ( f (x) + y) = x + f (y), for any integers x and y.

Show that f (x + y) = f (x) + f (y) for any integers x and y.

• If a, b, c are all even, then we choose a 1 = a/2, b 1 = b/2, c 1 = c/2.

works. These choices are all integers, and

This finishes the proof.

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