BATCH : PRE-RMO/IOQM : CLASS - X 26-02-2022

PRE-RMO/IOQM CAREER FOUNDATION

SESSION 2021-22
SCREENING TEST

Time: 75 Min. Date : 26-02-2022 Maximum Marks: 41

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
1. This paper consist of 12 questions which is divided into 3 sections.
Section A : Q. No. 1 to Q. No. 3 (2 Marks each)
Section B : Q. No. 4 to Q. 8 (3 Marks each)
Section C : Q. No. 9 to Q. 12 (5 Marks each)
2. There is no negative marking.
3. The answer to each question is either a single digit or a two digit number. All answers must
be marked using two digits.
4. Answer all the questions.

1. Let rectangle ABCD be such that AB = CD = 8 and BC = AD = 5. Construct four squares

such that the sides of the rectangle are the diagonals of the squares. What is the sum of the areas
of the regions that are in only one of the four squares?
Ans. 80
Sol. We see that the overlapping area is a square. We let the length of the diagonal of the square be
x. We have x = 4 + 4 – 5 = 3, so the area of the small square is 4.5. The area of the 1 squares
not counting overlaps is 82 + 52 = 89. But since this counts the overlapped square twice, and
we want to find the area of the non-overlapping parts, we have the answer be 89 – 2·4.5= 80.
2. What is the smallest positive integer n which cannot be written in any of the following forms?
 n =1 + 2 + ..... + k for a positive integer k.
 n = pk for a prime number p and integer k.
 n = p + 1 for a prime number p.
Ans. 22
Sol. Consider 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 16, 17, 19 are in the form pk. So we are left with 6, 10,
12, 14, 15, 18, 20, 21, 22, ...
Next, 6, 12, 14, 18, 20 are in the form p + 1, so we are left with 10, 15, 21, 22, ...
Finally, 10, 15, 21 are in the form n = 1 + 2 + ...... + k, so we are left with 22, ...
Since 22 = 2 · 11 is not a prime power, 22 – 1 = 21 is not prime, and 1 + 2 + ...... + 6 =
21 < 22 < 28 = 1 + 2 + ...... + 7, 22 is the smallest number not in the three forms, as desired.

Your Hard Work Leads to Strong Foundation

 BATCH : PRE-RMO/IOQM : CLASS - X 26-02-2022

3. The function f(x) = x2 + (2a + 3)x + (a2 + 1) only has real zeroes. Suppose the smallest possible
p
value of a can be written in the form , where p, q are relatively prime integers. Find
q
|p| + |q|
Ans. 17
Sol. Notice that for f(x) to have real zeroes, the discriminant needs to be nonnegative. This requites,
in turn, that (2a + 3)2 – 4(a2 + 1) = 4a2 + 12a + 9 – 4a2 – 4 = 12a + 5. But this requires,
5
that a  . Our answer is hence | 17 |.
12
4. Each of the vertices of a 10-sided regular polygon is labeled with a positive digit from 1 to 9,
inclusive. If the sum of the labels of any four consecutive vertices is constant, what is the greatest
possible sum of all of the distinct digits used.
Ans. 17
Sol. Suppose that the labels are a1, a2, ....., a10 in that order. For five consecutive labels a1, a2, a3,
a4, a5, we have that
a 1 + a 2 + a 3 + a 4 = a 2 + a 3 + a 4 + a 5,
so a1 = a5.
Hence, for any five consecutive vertices, the first label is equal to the last label. Continuing this
pattern, a1 = a5 = a9 = a3 = a7 = a1 = ..... (note that vertices a9, a10, a1, a2, a3 are consecutive).
As well, a2 = a6 = a10 = a4 = a8 = a2 = ...... = ......
a1 = a3 = a5 = a7 = a9
a2 = a4 = a6 = a8 = a10
Therefore, there are at most two distinct digits used. The greatest possible sum occurs when the
digits are as large as possible, so they are equal to 8 and 9 (in some order). Hence, our answer
is 8 + 9 = 17.
5. How many three-digit positive integers satisfy the condition that any two consecutive digits differ
by exactly one?
Ans. 32
Sol. If the first digit of such a number is a then the three digits (in order) are either
(a, a + 1, a + 2), (a, a + 1, a), (a, a – 1, a – 2) or (a, a – 1, a). For each one of these possibilities
we have to count how many ways we can choose a between 1 and 9 so that the second and
third digits are between 0 and 9. It is easy to check that the possible values for a in the fours
cases are
(a, a + 1, a + 2) : 1  a  7, (a, a + 1, a) : 1  a  8
(a, a – 1, a – 2) : 2  a  9, (a, a – 1, a) : 1  a  9.
Altogether this gives 7 + 8 + 8+ 9 = 32 possibilities.

Your Hard Work Leads to Strong Foundation

 BATCH : PRE-RMO/IOQM : CLASS - X 26-02-2022
6. The numbers {1, 2, ...,8} are placed in each of the cells in the magic square below such that
the number in each cell is distinct, and the sum of all numbers in each slanted row and each
column is the same. Compute the number of ways that the magic square can be filled out.

Ans. 8

1  2  ....  8
Sol. Note that the sum of the numbers in each row or column is  12.
3
Now note that 8 cannot be in a row with 3 cells and a column with 3 cells, since the only way
to express 4 as a sum of two distinct numbers is 1 + 3. So 8 must be in a row or column with
two cells, and there are 4 ways to satisfy this condition. Also note that this determines the position
of 4.
We further claim that similarly 7 must also be in a row or column with 2 cells. Note that the only
ways to express 5 as the sum of two numbers are 1 + 4 and 2 + 3. but since 4 is used because
of the 8 there is only one sum that works. So there are 2 ways to place 7, and this determines
the position of 5 as well.
Now we show that all 8 arrangements of 4, 5, 7, 8 create a unique arrangement of numbers.
Note that 1 must be in the same three-cell group as 8 and the same three-cell group as 5, which
uniquely determines 1, and that a similar argument can be made for 2, 3, 6. Thus there is a unique
arrangement of 1, 2, 3, 6 for each arrangement of 4, 5, 7, 8. Thus, there are 4 · 2 = 8 ways
to fill out the magic square.
7. Let ABC be a triangle with AB = 13, BC = 14, and AC = 15. Let P be a point on minor arc
AC of the circumcircle of ABC. Points D and E are on sides BC and AC, respectively, such
that PD bisects BPC and PE bisects APC. If AE = 5, find CD.
Ans. 06

PA AE 1
Sol. Note that   by the angle bisector theorem.
PC EC 2
By Ptolemy's on PABC,
13 · PC + 14 · PA = 15 · PB.

8·PA
Substituting, our first equation into our second, we obtain 40PA = 15PB, so PB = . Applying
3
14  CD PB 8 / 3 4
the angle bisector theorem again gives    , so CD = 6.
CD PC 2 3

Your Hard Work Leads to Strong Foundation

 BATCH : PRE-RMO/IOQM : CLASS - X 26-02-2022

A
P
5
13 E

10
14
B D C

8. A rectangular box measures a × b × c, where a, b, and c are integers and 1  a  b  c. The

volume and the surface area of the box are numerically equal. How many ordered triples
(a, b, c) are possible?
Ans. 10
Sol. abc = 2(ab + bc + ac) or (a – 2)bc = 2a(b + c)
Since ab, ac  be, we get abc  6bc. Thus a  6. From the second equation we see that
a > 2. Thus a  {3, 4, 5, 6}.
If a = 3 we need bc = 6(b + c)  (b – 6)(c – 6) = 36.
We get five roots {(3, 7, 42), (3, 8, 24), (3, 9, 18), (3, 10, 15), (3, 12, 12)}.
If a = 4 we need bc = 4(b + c)  (b – 4)(c – 4) = 16.
We get three roots {(4, 5, 20), (4, 6, 12), (4, 8, 8)}.
If a = 5 we need 3bc = 10(b + c), which is the same as
9bc = 30(b + c)  (3b – 10)(3c – 10) = 100.
We get only one root (corresponding to 100 = 5 · 20) (5, 5, 10).
If a = 6 we need 4bc = 12(b + c). Then (b – 3)(c – 3) = 9. We get one root (6, 6, 6).
Thus, there are 5 + 3 + 1 + 1 = 10 solutions.
9. Let [x] denote the greatest integer less than or equal to x, and let {x} denote the fractional part
1
of x (for example {1.5} = 0.5). If {n} = for postitive rational number n and
3

478
n 3  3n  6[n]2 
27
what are the last two digits of [n]5?
Ans. 25

1
Sol. We can write n = [n] + {n} = [n] + . We can substitute this into our equation to get
3
3
 1  1 2 478
 [n]    3  [n]    6[n] 
 3  3 27
Simple expansion gives us the cubic
3[n]3 – 15 [n]2 + 10 [n] – 5 = 0,
which simplifies to ([n] – 5)(3 [n]2 + 10) = 0 which gives us [n] = 5 since [n] is an integer.

Your Hard Work Leads to Strong Foundation

 BATCH : PRE-RMO/IOQM : CLASS - X 26-02-2022
Thus [n]5 = 55 = 3125, wdiose last two digits are 25.
10. Six circles of radius 1 are packed within a square of side length l as shown. Adjacent circles
are tangent to each other, wliile the five outer circles are tangent to the sides of the square, it
a
l  c for positive integers a, b, c where b is not divisible bv the square of any prime, compute
b
a + b + c.

Ans. 27

Sol.

Connect the centers of the four circles not tangent to the bottom edge. We then have a rhombus
with side length 2. Let the diagonals of this rhombus be d1 and d2, with d1 horizontal and d2
vertical. By the Pythagorean Theorem.
2 2
 d1   d 2  2 2
 2    2   4  d1  d 2  16
   
Now, consider the isosceles triangle formed by the centers of the three bottommost squares Since
d2
the height of this isosceles triangle is , the side length of the square can be expressed as
2
3d 2
 2 . However, the length of the base of this triangle is d1, so the length uf the square can
2
3d 2
be expressed as d1 + 2. Then, d1  , so
2

13d 22 8
16  d12  d 22   d2 
4 13

Your Hard Work Leads to Strong Foundation

 BATCH : PRE-RMO/IOQM : CLASS - X 26-02-2022

12
and the side length of the square is  2 . The desired sum is 12 + 13 + 2 = 27.
13
11. Let a, b, c, and d be positive integers. If

a! c! 2
  ,
b! d ! 5
what is the largest possible value of a + b + c + d?
Ans. 34

2
Sol. Note that since  1 , we must have that a < b and c < d. Also, note that since this is the case,
5
a! c! 1
the fractions and will both be of the form for some positive integer n > 1. This is
b! d! n
because all factors of a! will cancel with factors of b! and all factors of c! will cancel with factors
of d!.

1 1 2
Note that by letting   , we have
p q 5
2pq – 5p – 5q = 0  4pq – 10p + 10q + 25 = 25  (2p – 5)(2q – 5) = 25.

a! c! 1 1
We have that and aree and in some order. It should be clear that in order to maximize
b! d! p q

a c p 1 q 1
a + b + c + d, we should let and be and in some order. Now, we want
b d p q
to make p and q as far away as possible in order to give us the maximum value of p + q. This
is accomplished with 2p – 5=1 and 2q – 5 = 25, which gives us p = 3 and q = 15. This gives
a c 2 14
us that and aree and in some order, so our answer is 2 + 3 + 14 + 15 = 34.
b d 3 15
12. There are M polynomials P(x) such that, for all real values of x.
(x3 + x2 – 4x – 4) · P(x) = (x – 4) · P(x2),
and the leading coefficient of P(x) is an integer with an absolute value of at most 5. Suppose
the sum of all possible values of P(3) is N. What is M + N?
Ans. 11
Sol. We can factor x3 + x2 – 4x – 4 as follows:
x2(x + 1) – 4(x + 1)
(x2 – 4) (x + 1)
(x + 2) (x – 2) (x + 1)
Therefore, (x + 2)(x – 2)(x + 1) · P{x) = (x – 4) · P(x2).
Plugging in x = ±2, we get 0 = P(4). Therefore. P(x) = Q(x)(x – 4) for some polynomial Q(x).
Substituting this back into our equation, we get:
(x + 2)(x – 2)(x + 1)(x – 4) · Q(x) = (x – 4)(x2 – 4) · Q(x2)
Cancelling the common factors on both sides, we get:
(x + 1) · Q(x) = Q(x2)

Your Hard Work Leads to Strong Foundation

 BATCH : PRE-RMO/IOQM : CLASS - X 26-02-2022
Plugging in x = –1 tells us that 0 = Q(1). Therefore. Q(x) = (x – 1)R(x) for some polynomial
R(x). Substituting this back and cancelling common factors, we get:
R(x) = R(x2)
Since this relation must hold for all real x and because the degree of R(x2) is double the degree
of R(x), we must have R(x) be a constant polynomial. Let R(x) = a for some real number a.
Retracing our steps:
P(x) = a(x – 4)(x – 1)
The leading coefficient in P(x) is a, so a can be any integer from –5 to 5, inclusive. This counts
the zero polynomial as well. Therefore, M = 11.
We also have that P(3) = –2a, but the sum of the integers from –5 to 5. inclusive is 0.
Therefore, N = 0, so M + N= 11.

Your Hard Work Leads to Strong Foundation