1961 AMC 12 Problem 20

Attempt Problem 20 of the 1961 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 1961 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

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

20.

The set of points satisfying the pair of inequalities y>2xy>2x and y>4−xy>4-x is contained entirely in quadrants:
I\mathrm{I} and II\mathrm{II}
II\mathrm{II} and III\mathrm{III}
I\mathrm{I} and III\mathrm{III}
III\mathrm{III} and IV\mathrm{IV}
I\mathrm{I} and IV\mathrm{IV}
Answer: A
Concepts:inequalitycoordinate geometry
Small hint:
Show that every feasible point has positive yy
Big hint:
Check whether feasible points can have either sign of xx
Solution:
If x≥0,x\ge0, then y>2x≥0.y>2x\ge0. If x<0,x<0, then y>4−x>0.y>4-x>0. Thus every feasible point is above the xx-axis, while both positive and negative xx-values occur. The region lies in quadrants I\mathrm{I} and II.\mathrm{II}.
Therefore, the correct answer is A.
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