1987 AMC 12 Problem 13

Attempt Problem 13 of the 1987 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 1987 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

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

13.

A long piece of paper 55 cm wide is made into a roll for cash registers by wrapping it 600600 times around a cardboard tube of diameter 22 cm, forming a roll 1010 cm in diameter. Approximate the length of the paper in meters. (Pretend the paper forms 600600 concentric circles with diameters evenly spaced from 22 cm to 1010 cm.)
36π36\pi
45π45\pi
60π60\pi
72π72\pi
90π90\pi
Answer: A
Concepts:arithmetic sequencecircumferenceunit conversion
Small hint:
The 600600 diameters form an arithmetic sequence
Big hint:
Use the average diameter to find the sum of all 600600 circumferences
Solution:
The average of the first and last diameters is 2+102=6 cm. \frac{2+10}{2}=6\text{ cm}. Hence the total length is approximately 600(6π)=3600π600(6\pi)=3600\pi cm, or 36π36\pi meters.
Thus the correct answer is A.
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