1957 AMC 12 Problem 16

Attempt Problem 16 of the 1957 AMC 12 below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 1957 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

16.

Goldfish are sold at 1515 cents each. The rectangular coordinate graph showing the cost of 11 to 1212 goldfish is:
a straight line segment
a set of horizontal parallel line segments
a set of vertical parallel line segments
a finite set of distinct points
a straight line
Answer: D
Concepts:data and graph interpretationfunctioncounting integers in a range
Small hint:
Decide whether the number of fish varies continuously or only through whole numbers
Big hint:
There is one cost point for each integer count from 11 through 1212
Solution:
The rule c=15nc=15n is linear, but the number nn of goldfish can only be one of the twelve integers 1,2,…,12.1,2,\ldots,12. The graph therefore consists of twelve distinct points, not an entire line or segment.
Thus, the correct answer is D.
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