1971 AMC 12 Problem 1

Attempt Problem 1 of the 1971 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 1971 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

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

1.

The number of digits in the number N=212×58N=2^{12}\times5^8 is:
99
1010
1111
1212
2020
Answer: B
Concepts:exponentplace valuepairing and grouping
Small hint:
Pair as many factors of 22 and 55 as possible
Big hint:
Rewrite the number as 24⋅1082^4\cdot10^8
Solution:
We have 21258=24(2858)2^{12}5^8=2^4(2^85^8) and 16⋅108=1,600,000,000,16\cdot10^8=1{,}600{,}000{,}000, which has 1010 digits.
Therefore, the correct answer is B.
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