Logical Thinking

1. There are 28 red chopsticks, 14 blue chopsticks 20 green chopsticks. At least how
many chopsticks should be picked up to ensure there are 3 pairs of non-red
chopsticks?
2. In a project, A needs 5 hours to finish. B needs 6 hours to finish. A,B and C need 2
hours to finish. How many hours does C need to finish this project?
3. Wing’s brother‘s age this year minus 3, multiply 6, add 7 and is divided by 5. The result
will be 11. How old is Wing’s brother this year.
4. There are some chickens and pigs in a cage and the number of chickens is 9 times the
number of pigs. They have 220 legs in total. How many pig(s) is/are there?
5. A ferry travels from A to B. It takes 10 hours to travel downstream and 18 hours to
travel back. It is known that the water flows at the rate of 4 km/hr. Find the distance
between A and B in km?
Arithmetic
6. Find the value of:
2
.
4
3− 4
5− 2
3+9
7. Find the value of:
1 1 1 1 1
+ + + ⋯+ + .
4 12 24 144 180
8. Find the value of:
13 + 23 + 33 + ⋯ + 103 .
9. Find the value of:
522 − 192 × 3
10. Find the value of:
1234 × 4566 − 1233 × 4567
Number Theory
11. How many positive simplified proper fraction(s) with denominator 720 is/are there?
12. Find the sum of all positive factors of 720
13. A 4-digit number has a remainder 4 when divided by 5, the same number has a
remainder 6 when divided by 7 and it has a remainder 7 when divided by 9. What is
the smallest possible value of this number?
14. Define the operation symbol 𝑎 ⊗ 𝑏 = 𝑎 × 𝑏 + (𝑎 + 1) × (𝑏 + 1), find the value of
12 ⊗ (5 ⊗ 6).
15. Find the unit digit of:
23 + 33 + 43 + 123 + 133 + 143 + ⋯ + 923 + 933 + 943
Geometry
16. It is known that the lengths of 2 sides of a right-angled triangle are 10 and 24 and the
length of all sides are integers. Find the area of this triangle.
17. How many degrees is the interior angle of a regular 40-sided polygon greater than its
exterior angle?
18. How many rectangle(s) is / are there in the figure below?

19. A square is formed by 600 rectangles that are 2𝑐𝑚 × 3𝑐𝑚. Find the difference
between total perimeter of original 250 rectangles and perimeter of new square in
cm.
20. There is a cuboid. When the length increases 4 cm, the volume will be increased by
800 cubic centimeters. When the width increases 10 cm, the volume will be increased
by 1000 cubic centimeters. When the height increases 6 cm, the volume will be
increased by 1200 cubic centimeters. How many cubic centimeter/s is the volume of
the cuboid?
Combinatorics
21. 16 teams join a competition. Only top 10 of the teams can be promoted to the Semi-
Final. How many different advancement(s) is/are there?
22. Numbers are drawn from 150 integers 80 to 229. At least how many number(s) is/are
drawn at random to ensure that there are two numbers whose sum is 250?
23. Choose 3 digits from 0 to 9 to form 3-digit numbers. How many odd number(s)
greater than 433 is/are there? (The repetition of digits is not allowed)
24. How many different way(s) is/are there to line up 5 identical black cups, 4 identical
blue cups, 3 identical red cups and 2 identical yellow cups in a row from left to right?
25. A flight of stairs has 12 steps. Alice can go up for 1 step, 2 steps or 3 steps each time.
The 8th step and the 9th step cannot be stepped on as they are broken. How many
way(s) is/are there for Alice to go up the stairs?
Logical Thinking
1. There are 28 red chopsticks, 14 blue chopsticks 20 green chopsticks. At least how
many chopsticks should be picked up to ensure there are 3 pairs of non-red chopsticks?
Answer: 35
Solution:
28 𝑟𝑒𝑑 + 3 𝑏𝑙𝑢𝑒 + 3 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑛 + 1 𝑏𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑟 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑛 = 35
2. In a project, A needs 5 hours to finish. B needs 6 hours to finish. A,B and C need 2
hours to finish. How many hours does C need to finish this project?
Answer: 7.5
Solution:
The amount of work the can be finish every hour is
1
𝐴=
5
1
𝐵=
6
1
𝐴+𝐵+𝐶 =
2

1 1 1 15 − 6 − 5 4 1
𝐶= − − = = =
2 5 6 30 30 7.5
Which means C can finish in 7.5 hours
3. Wing’s brother‘s age this year minus 3, multiply 6, add 7 and is divided by 5. The result
will be 11. How old is Wing’s brother this year.
Answer: 11
Solution:
Working backward
11 × 5 = 55 − 7 = 48, 48 ÷ 6 = 8, 8 + 3 = 11

4. There are some chickens and pigs in a cage and the number of chickens is 9 times the
number of pigs. They have 220 legs in total. How many pig(s) is/are there?
Answer: 10
Solution:
Let 𝑐 = 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑝 = 𝑝𝑖𝑔
𝑐 = 9𝑝
2𝑐 + 4𝑝 = 220
2(9𝑝) + 4𝑝 = 220
18𝑝 + 4𝑝 = 220
22𝑝 = 220
 𝑝 = 10
5. A ferry travels from A to B. It takes 10 hours to travel downstream and 18 hours to
travel back. It is known that the water flows at the rate of 4 km/hr. Find the distance
between A and B in km?
Answer: 180
Solution:
Let 𝑥 = 𝑏𝑜𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑑 = 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐴 𝑡𝑜 𝐵
𝑑
𝐷𝑜𝑤𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 = 𝑥 + 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 = 𝑥 + 4 =
10
𝑑
𝑈𝑝𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 = 𝑥 − 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 = 𝑥 − 4 =
18
𝑑 𝑑 9𝑑 − 5𝑑 4𝑑
8= − = =
10 18 90 90
8 × 90
𝑑= = 180
4
Arithmetic
6. Find the value of:
2
.
4
3− 4
5− 2
3+9
Answer: 218/211
Solution:
2 2 2 2 2 2 218
= = = = = =
4 4 4 4 116 211 211
3− 4 3− 4 3− 36 3 − 109 3 − 109 109
5− 2 5 − 29 5 − 29 29
3+9 9
7. Find the value of:
1 1 1 1 1
+ + + ⋯+ + .
4 12 24 144 180
Answer: 9/20
Solution:
1 1 1 1 1 1
( + + +⋯+ + )
2 2 6 12 72 90
1 1 1 1 1 1
( + + …+ + )
2 1×2 2×3 3×4 8 × 9 9 × 10
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
= ( − + − + − +⋯+ − + − )
2 1 2 2 3 3 4 8 9 9 10
1 1 1 1 9 9
= ( − )= ( )=
2 1 10 2 10 20
8. Find the value of:
13 + 23 + 33 + ⋯ + 103 .
Answer: 3025
Solution:
2
𝑛(𝑛 + 1)
( )
2
10 × 11 2
( ) = 552 = 3025
2
9. Find the value of:
522 − 192 × 3
Answer: 2128
Solution:
522 − 64 × 9 = 522 − 82 × 32 = 522 − 242
(52 − 24)(52 + 24) = 28 × 76 = 2128
10. Find the value of:
1234 × 4566 − 1233 × 4567
Answer: 3333
Solution:
Let 𝑎 = 1234 𝑏 = 4567
= 𝑎(𝑏 − 1) − (𝑎 − 1)𝑏
= 𝑎𝑏 − 𝑎 − 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏
= 𝑏−𝑎
= 4567 − 1234 = 3333
Number Theory
11. How many positive simplified proper fraction(s) with denominator 720 is/are there?
Answer: 192
Solution:
720 = 24 × 32 × 5
Using Euler’s Totient Theorem:
2−1 3−1 5−1
24 × 32 × 5 ( × × ) = 23 × 3 × 2 × 4 = 192
2 3 5

12. Find the sum of all positive factors of 720

Answer: 2418
Solution:
720 = 24 × 32 × 5
(24 + 23 + 22 + 21 + 20 )(32 + 31 + 30 )(51 + 50 )
31 × 13 × 6 = 2418

13. A 4-digit number has a remainder 4 when divided by 5, the same number has a
remainder 6 when divided by 7 and it has a remainder 7 when divided by 9. What is
the smallest possible value of this number?
Answer: 1294
Solution:
4 𝑚𝑜𝑑 5 ≡ −1 𝑚𝑜𝑑 5
𝑥 ≡ {6 𝑚𝑜𝑑 7 ≡ −1 𝑚𝑜𝑑 7
7 𝑚𝑜𝑑 9
For the first 2 conditions
𝑥 ≡ −1 𝑚𝑜𝑑 𝐿𝐶𝑀 (5,7) ≡ −1 𝑚𝑜𝑑 35
Now we have:
−1 𝑚𝑜𝑑 35 ≡ 34 𝑚𝑜𝑑 35
𝑥≡{
7 𝑚𝑜𝑑 9 ≡ 7 + 9 × 3 𝑚𝑜𝑑 9 ≡ 34 𝑚𝑜𝑑 9
𝑥 ≡ 34 𝑚𝑜𝑑 𝐿𝐶𝑀 (35,9) ≡ 34 𝑚𝑜𝑑 315
𝑥 = 34
𝑥 = 315 × 4 + 34 = 1294
14. Define the operation symbol 𝑎 ⊗ 𝑏 = 𝑎 × 𝑏 + (𝑎 + 1) × (𝑏 + 1), find the value of
12 ⊗ (5 ⊗ 6).
Answer: 1813
Solution:
5 ⊗ 6 = 5 × 6 + 6 × 7 = 72
12 ⊗ 72 = 12 × 72 + 13 × 73 = 1813
15. Find the unit digit of:
23 + 33 + 43 + 123 + 133 + 143 + ⋯ + 923 + 933 + 943
Answer: 0
Solution:
Unit digit pattern of 2: 2,4,8,6
Unit digit pattern of 3: 3,9,7,1
Unit digit pattern of 4: 4,6
8+ 7 + 4 + 8 + 7 + 4 + ⋯+ 8+ 7 + 4
10(8 + 7 + 4) = 10 × 19 = 190; 0
Geometry
16. It is known that the lengths of 2 sides of a right-angled triangle are 10 and 24 and the
length of all sides are integers. Find the area of this triangle.
Answer: 120
Solution:
Note: The hypotenuse is always the longest side
Case 1: 24 as a hypotenuse
3𝑟𝑑 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 = √242 − 102 = √476
476 is not a perfect square (rejected)
Case 1: 24 as a leg
3𝑟𝑑 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 = √242 + 102 = 26 (𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑑)
10 × 24
𝐴= = 120
2
17. How many degrees is the interior angle of a regular 40-sided polygon greater than its
exterior angle?
Answer: 162
Solution:
First solving the exterior angle
360
=9
40
𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 = 180 − 9 = 171
171 − 9 = 162
18. How many rectangle(s) is / are there in the figure below?

Answer: 111
Solution:

6×7×2×3 5×6×2×3 5×6×1×2 2×3×2×3 1×2×2×3

+ + − −
4 4 4 4 4
63 + 45 + 15 − 9 − 3 = 111
19. A square is formed by 600 rectangles that are 2𝑐𝑚 × 3𝑐𝑚. Find the difference
between total perimeter of original 250 rectangles and perimeter of new square in
cm.
Answer: 5760
Solution:
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 = 6
𝐴𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒 = 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑙𝑒 × 600 = 6 × 600 = 3600

𝑆𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒 = √𝐴𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒 = √3600 = 60

𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 − 𝑃𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒 = 600 × 2(2 + 3) − 4 × 60 = 6000 − 240 = 5760
20. There is a cuboid. When the length increases 4 cm, the volume will be increased by
800 cubic centimeters. When the width increases 10 cm, the volume will be increased
by 1000 cubic centimeters. When the height increases 6 cm, the volume will be
increased by 1200 cubic centimeters. How many cubic centimeter/s is the volume of
the cuboid?
Answer: 2000
Solution:
𝑉𝑙′ 𝑉𝑤′ 𝑉ℎ′
𝑉=√ × ×
𝑙′ 𝑤′ ℎ′

800 1000 1200

𝑉=√ × × = √200 × 100 × 200 = √2 × 100 × 100 × 2 × 100
4 10 6
𝑉 = 2 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 2000
Combinatorics
21. 16 teams join a competition. Only top 10 of the teams can be promoted to the Semi-
Final. How many different advancement(s) is/are there?
Answer: 8008
Solution:
16! 16! 16 × 15 × 14 × 13 × 12 × 11 × 10!
16𝐶10 = = = = 8008
10! (16 − 10)! 10! 6! 10! × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1
22. Numbers are drawn from 150 integers 80 to 229. At least how many number(s) is/are
drawn at random to ensure that there are two numbers whose sum is 250?
Answer: 106
Solution:
250 − 80 = 170
(80,170) (81,169) (82,168) …
Only numbers from 80 to 170 have pairs
170 − 80 + 1
𝑃=⌊ ⌋ = 45 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑠
2
Worst-case scenario:
𝐼 − 𝑃 + 1 = 150 − 45 + 1 = 106
23. Choose 3 digits from 0 to 9 to form 3-digit numbers. How many odd number(s)
greater than 433 is/are there? (The repetition of digits is not allowed)
Answer: 201
Solution:
Case 1: 433-499
1 × 8 × 5 = 40
Remove 401,403,405,407,409,413,415,417,419,421,423,425,427,429,431
40 − 15 = 25
Case 2: 600-699 and 800-899
2 × 8 × 5 = 80
80
Case 3: 500-599, 700-799 and 900-999
3 × 8 × 4 = 96
96
25 + 80 + 96 = 201
24. How many different way(s) is/are there to line up 5 identical black cups, 4 identical
blue cups, 3 identical red cups and 2 identical yellow cups in a row from left to right?
Answer: 2522520
Solution:
(5 + 4 + 3 + 2)! 14! 14 × 13 × 12 × 11 × 10 × 9 × 8 × 7 × 6 × 5!
= =
5! 4! 3! 2! 5! 4! 3! 2! 5! × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 × 3 × 2 × 1 × 2 × 1
= 2522520
25. A flight of stairs has 12 steps. Alice can go up for 1 step, 2 steps or 3 steps each time.
The 8th step and the 9th step cannot be stepped on as they are broken. How many
way(s) is/are there for Alice to go up the stairs?
Answer: 88
Solution:
1st Step 1
2nd Step 2
3rd Step 4
4th Step 7
5th Step 13
6th Step 24
7th Step 44
8th Step 0
9th Step 0
10th Step 44
11th Step 44
12th Step 88