MT

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MT

UK
UKMT

United Kingdom
Mathematics Trust

Intermediate Mathematical Challenge

Solutions 2023
© 2022 UK Mathematics Trust

For reasons of space, these solutions are necessarily brief.

There are more in-depth, extended solutions available on the UKMT website,
which include some exercises for further investigation:
www.ukmt.org.uk

1. D Both 21 and 45 are multiples of 3. Also, both 16 and 28 are multiples of 4. However, 34 is
neither a multiple of 3, nor a multiple of 4.
√
2. A By Pythagoras’ Theorem, the length, in cm, of the third side of the triangle is 52 − 42 = 3.
So the area, in cm2 , of the triangle is 21 × 4 × 3 = 6.
3. B 1 − (2 − (3 − 4 − (5 − 6))) = 1 − (2 − (3 − 4 − (−1))) = 1 − (2 − (3 − 4 + 1)) = 1 − 2 = −1.
4. D The diagram shows that a triangle whose area is one quarter of that of the square
may be divided into four congruent triangles, one of which is the shaded triangle.
1 1 1
So the required fraction is × = .
4 4 16

5. B It is given that 13 + 23 + 33 + 43 = 10𝑛 . So 10𝑛 = 1 + 8 + 27 + 64 = 100 = 10 × 10 = 102 .

Hence 𝑛 = 2.
6. E To draw a 𝑛 by 𝑛 square grid requires (𝑛 + 1) horizontal lines and (𝑛 + 1) vertical lines.
So, in total, 2(𝑛 + 1) lines are required.
0.015
7. B 0.015% of 60 million = × 60 000 000 = 0.015 × 600 000 = 15 × 600 = 9000.
100
p√ √
8. E We are given that 𝑥 = 3. Therefore 𝑥 = 32 = 9. So 𝑥 = 92 = 81.
9. B Let the one further number be 𝑥. The table below shows possible values of 𝑥 and the corresponding
list of Merryn’s numbers, written in ascending order.
Range of 𝑥 Merryn’s list
𝑥≤0 𝑥, 0, 2, 2, 3
0<𝑥≤2 0, 𝑥, 2, 2, 3
2<𝑥≤3 0, 2, 2, 𝑥, 3
𝑥>3 0, 2, 2, 3, 𝑥
In each case, the middle of Merryn’s numbers is 2. So, whatever the value of the one further
number, the median of the numbers is 2.
10. D There is only one two-digit power of 6, namely 36, so 1 down is 36. Also, there is only one
four-digit power of 5, namely 3125. Therefore 1 across is 3125. There are two four-digit powers
of 4, namely 1024 and 4096. However, we know from 1 down that the units digit of 2 across is 6,
so 2 across is 4096. Hence the only two digits which do not appear in the completed crossnumber
are 7 and 8. Their sum is 15.
11. B After giving away one sixth of the jam and then one thirteenth of the remaining jam, Jill was left
12 5 60 10
with twelve thirteenths of five sixths of the original weight of jam. Now × = = .
13 6 78 13
So ten thirteenths of the original weight of jam was 1 kg. Hence Jill had 1.3 kg of jam in the jar
at the start.
12. E The four angles at point 𝑆 include an interior angle of each of an 𝑄 𝑃
equilateral triangle, a square and a regular pentagon. These are 60◦ , 90◦
and 108◦ respectively. As the sum of the angles which meet at a point 𝑇
is 360◦ , ∠𝑇 𝑆𝑊 is (360 − (60 + 90 + 108)) ◦ = 102◦ . 𝑅 𝑆
The equilateral triangle and the square have side 𝑃𝑆 in common and the
square and the regular pentagon have side 𝑅𝑆 in common, so the triangle, 𝑈 𝑊
square and pentagon have equal side-lengths. Therefore 𝑆𝑊 = 𝑆𝑇 and
hence triangle 𝑆𝑊𝑇 is isosceles. 𝑉
So ∠𝑊𝑇 𝑆 = ∠𝑇𝑊 𝑆 = 21 (180 − 102) ◦ = 39◦ .

13. A The mean of 𝑝 and 𝑞 is 13. Therefore 𝑝 + 𝑞 = 2 × 13 = 26. Similarly, 𝑞 + 𝑟 = 2 × 16 = 32 and

𝑟 + 𝑝 = 2 × 7 = 14. Adding these three equations gives 2𝑝 + 2𝑞 + 2𝑟 = 26 + 32 + 14 = 72.
𝑝 + 𝑞 + 𝑟 36
Hence 𝑝 + 𝑞 + 𝑟 = 36. So the mean of 𝑝, 𝑞 and 𝑟 is = = 12.
3 3
14. C The diagram on the left shows regular octagon 𝑃𝑄𝑅𝑆𝑇𝑈𝑉𝑊 and 𝑃 𝑊
the shaded rectangles, 𝑃𝑄𝑇𝑈 and 𝑅𝑆𝑉𝑊. The right-hand diagram 𝑄 𝑉 2 cm
shows how the four unshaded triangles fit together to form a square 2 cm
of side-length 2 cm. So the total area of these four triangles is 𝑅 𝑈
4 cm2 . 𝑆 𝑇

15. A A triangle with all sides the same length is an equilateral triangle, which has three equal interior
angles. So the triangle described does not exist.
A quadrilateral with all sides the same length is a rhombus, which has two pairs of equal interior
angles, or a square, which has four equal interior angles. So the quadrilateral described does not
exist.
However, it is possible for a pentagon to have all its sides the same length and yet have five
different interior angles.
To demonstrate this, the diagram shows four circles of equal radius. The
centre of each circle lies on the circumference of one or more of the
other circles. Four of the vertices of the pentagon shown are the centres
of the circles and the fifth vertex is the point of intersection of the two
circles on the left of the diagram. So the five sides of the pentagon
are equal in length. By varying the positions of the circles relative to
each other, the interior angles of the pentagon may be changed and
the diagram shows one configuration in which these interior angles are
different. It is left to the reader to draw such a configuration and to
check that the interior angles of the pentagon are indeed all different.
 An alternative solution.
The left-hand diagram shows isosceles triangle 𝐴𝐶𝐸 in which 𝐶 𝐶′
𝐴𝐸 has length 1, while 𝐴𝐶 and 𝐸𝐶 both have length 2. The
midpoints of 𝐴𝐶 and 𝐸𝐶 are 𝐵 and 𝐷 respectively. In the 1 1 1 1
right-hand diagram, 𝐵, 𝐶 and 𝐷 have been moved very slightly 𝐷 𝐵 𝐷′ 𝐵′
1 1 1 1
to positions denoted by 𝐵′, 𝐶 ′ and 𝐷 ′ such that 𝐴𝐵′, 𝐵′𝐶 ′, 𝐶 ′ 𝐷 ′
and 𝐷 ′ 𝐸 are all of length 1. Hence 𝐴𝐵′𝐶 ′ 𝐷 ′ 𝐸 is a pentagon 𝐸 1 𝐴 𝐸 1 𝐴
in which all of the sides have the same length. However, the
interior angles at 𝐴 and 𝐸 are now different from each other as
the former has increased and the latter decreased. Also, those at
𝐵′ and 𝐷 ′ are different from each other as the former is slightly
smaller than 180◦ and the latter slightly greater. Any change
in the interior angle at 𝐶 is very slight, so, as can be seen, the
interior angles of the pentagon are all different.

16. A Let the lengths, in cm, of the sides of the right-angled triangle be 𝑝, 𝑞 and 𝑟, where 𝑟 is the
length of the hypotenuse. The area of the right-angled triangle is 12 𝑝𝑞.
We are told that 𝑝 + 𝑞 + 𝑟 = 16 and 𝑝 2 + 𝑞 2 + 𝑟 2 = 98.
By Pythagoras’ Theorem, 𝑝 2 + 𝑞 2 = 𝑟 2 so 2𝑟 2 = 98. Hence 𝑟 = 7.
Therefore 𝑝 + 𝑞 = 16 − 7 = 9. So ( 𝑝 + 𝑞) 2 − ( 𝑝 2 + 𝑞 2 ) = 92 − 49 = 81 − 49 = 32.
Hence 𝑝 2 + 2𝑝𝑞 + 𝑞 2 − 𝑝 2 − 𝑞 2 = 32, so 𝑝𝑞 = 16.
Therefore the area of the right-angled triangle is 12 𝑝𝑞 = 12 × 16 = 8.
17. C First note that the perimeter of the rectangle is 2(2 + 3) = 10.
The diagram shows one of the four congruent triangles into which the rectangle is 𝑙 2
divided.
2 2 2
By Pythagoras’ √ Theorem, 𝑙 = 2 + 1.5 = 4 + 2.25 = 6.25. 1.5
Therefore 𝑙 = 6.25 = 2.5. So the perimeter of the rhombus is 4 × 2.5 = 10.
Hence the ratio of the two perimeters is 10 : 10 = 1 : 1.

18. B Let 𝑛2 be a square which is 4 greater than a prime, 𝑝.

Then 𝑛2 = 𝑝 + 4. So 𝑝 = 𝑛2 − 4 = (𝑛 + 2)(𝑛 − 2).
However, as 𝑝 is prime, its only factors are 𝑝 and 1. So 𝑛 + 2 = 𝑝 and 𝑛 − 2 = 1.
Hence 𝑛 = 3 and therefore 𝑝 = 3 + 2 = 5.
So the only square which is 4 greater than a prime is 32 = 9. It is 4 greater than 5, which is prime.
19. E Multiplying the numerator and denominator by 𝑛 + 3:

𝑛 𝑛(𝑛 + 3) 𝑛2 + 3𝑛 𝑛2 + 3𝑛
= = 2 = 2 .
𝑛+2 (𝑛 + 1)(𝑛 + 3) − (𝑛 + 2) 𝑛 + 4𝑛 + 3 − 𝑛 − 2 𝑛 + 3𝑛 + 1
𝑛+1−
𝑛+3
Therefore the difference between the numerator and denominator of the simplified fraction is 1.
20. B There are 36 different equally likely possible outcomes (𝑎, 𝑏) for the two dice. The number of
these which involve only 1, 2, 4, 5 or 6 is 5 × 5 = 25. So there are just eleven involving a 3, one
1
of which is (3, 3). So the probability that both are 3, given that at least one is 3, is .
11
21. A As the semicircles intersect on the hypotenuse of the triangle, the shaded area, in square units, is
the sum of the areas of the two semicircles minus the area of the right-angled triangle, that is
1 1 1 25𝜋
𝜋 × 32 + 𝜋 × 42 − × 6 × 8 = − 24.
2 2 2 2
22. E Adding both equations gives: 1000𝑥 + 1000𝑦 = 5000. So 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 5.
Subtracting the first equation from the second gives: 954𝑥 − 954𝑦 = 954. Therefore 𝑥 − 𝑦 = 1.
Hence 𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 = (𝑥 + 𝑦)(𝑥 − 𝑦) = 5 × 1 = 5.
23. D The product of the positive integers from 1 to 9 inclusive is 1 × 2 × 3 × 4 × 5 × 6 × 7 × 8 × 9.
As the product of prime factors, this product is 2 × 3 × 22 × 5 × 2 × 3 × 7 × 23 × 32 = 27 × 34 × 5 × 7.
Therefore, for the product of six of the integers to be a square, it is necessary to discard 5, 7 and
an odd power of 2 smaller than 10, that is 2 or 8.
Let 𝑝 < 𝑞. Then, discarding 8 gives 𝑝 2 = 24 × 34 . So 𝑝 = 22 × 32 = 4 × 9 = 36.
Similarly, discarding 2 gives 𝑞 2 = 26 × 34 . Therefore 𝑞 = 23 × 32 = 8 × 9 = 72.
Hence 𝑝 + 𝑞 = 36 + 72 = 108.
𝑃𝑉 𝑑 𝑇𝑋 𝑎
24. C The gradient of 𝑉𝑄 is − = − . The gradient of 𝑋𝑄 is − =− .
𝑄𝑃 𝑏 𝑄𝑇 𝑏−𝑐
𝑑 𝑎
Therefore, for 𝑄, 𝑋 and 𝑉 to lie on a straight line, it is necessary that = .
𝑏 𝑏−𝑐
𝑎𝑏 + 𝑐𝑑 𝑎 𝑐
Hence 𝑎𝑏 = 𝑏𝑑 − 𝑐𝑑, which simplifies to = 1. This in turn simplifies to + = 1.
𝑏𝑑 𝑑 𝑏
25. D Let the centre of the large circle and the point
𝑟2
where the two smaller circles touch be 𝑂 and
𝑅 3
𝑅 respectively. Let the radii of the two smaller 𝑃 𝑄 𝑃 𝑅
circles be 𝑟 1 and 𝑟 2 , where 𝑟 1 ≥ 𝑟 2 . Then the 𝑟1 + 𝑟2 𝑟1 − 𝑟2
𝑂
radius of the large circle is 𝑟 1 + 𝑟 2 . Consider 𝑂
triangle 𝑂𝑃𝑅: 𝑃𝑅 = 21 𝑃𝑄 = 3; 𝑂𝑃 = 𝑟 1 + 𝑟 2 𝑟1
and 𝑂𝑅 = 𝑟 1 + 𝑟 2 − 2𝑟 2 = 𝑟 1 − 𝑟 2 .
Therefore, by Pythagoras’ Theorem, (𝑟 1 + 𝑟 2 ) 2 = (𝑟 1 − 𝑟 2 ) 2 + 32 .
9
So 𝑟 12 + 2𝑟 1𝑟 2 + 𝑟 22 = 𝑟 12 − 2𝑟 1𝑟 2 + 𝑟 22 + 9. Hence 𝑟 1𝑟 2 = .
4
9 9𝜋
Now the area of the shaded region is 𝜋(𝑟 1 + 𝑟 2 ) − 𝜋𝑟 1 − 𝜋𝑟 22 = 𝜋(2𝑟 1𝑟 2 ) = 𝜋 × 2 × =
2 2 .
4 2
(Note that the listed possible solutions show that the answer is a value independent of how the
diagram is configured. So a simpler method is to consider the case when PQ is a diameter of the
large circle and the two small circles each have diameters of length 3. It is left to the reader to
check that this configuration gives the same answer as does the general solution above.)