1998 AMC 12 Problems

30 problems · 75 minutes

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Timed

1:15:00

1.

Each of the sides of five congruent rectangles is labeled with an integer, as shown. These five rectangles are placed, without rotating or reflecting, in positions II through VV so that the labels on coincident sides are equal. Which of the rectangles is in position I?I?
AA
BB
CC
DD
EE
Answer: E
Concepts:logicedge matching
Small hint:
The rectangle in position IIII must match another rectangle on both vertical sides
Big hint:
After finding position IIII, match its left label to the right label of position II
Solution:
Position IIII needs both its left and right labels to occur as right and left labels, respectively, on two other rectangles. Only D,D, with side labels 77 and 4,4, permits both matches: EE has right label 7,7, and AA has left label 4.4. Hence position II contains E,E, so the correct answer is E.

2.

Letters A,A, B,B, C,C, and DD represent four different digits selected from 0,0, 1,1, 2,2, …,\ldots, 9.9. If A+BC+D\frac{A+B}{C+D} is an integer that is as large as possible, what is the value of A+B?A+B?
1313
1414
1515
1616
1717
Answer: E
Difficulty rating: 1100
Small hint:
Make the denominator as small as possible using distinct digits
Big hint:
The two smallest digits and the two largest digits are disjoint pairs
Solution:
The least positive denominator is 0+1=1,0+1=1, and the greatest numerator using two other digits is 8+9=17.8+9=17. Their ratio is the integer 17,17, which is plainly maximal. Thus A+B=17,A+B=17, and E is correct.

3.

If a,a, b,b, and cc are digits for which 7a2−48bc73 \begin{array}{r} 7a2\\ {}-48b\\ \hline c73 \end{array} then a+b+c=a+b+c=
1414
1515
1616
1717
1818
Answer: D
Difficulty rating: 1020
Small hint:
The units column must borrow from the tens column
Big hint:
Continue the borrowing through the tens and hundreds columns
Solution:
The units column gives 12−b=3,12-b=3, so b=9.b=9. In the tens column, a−1a-1 must borrow, and a−1+10−8=7,a-1+10-8=7, giving a=6.a=6. The hundreds column then gives 7−1−4=c=2.7-1-4=c=2. Therefore a+b+c=6+9+2=17,a+b+c=6+9+2=17, so D is correct.

4.

Define [a,b,c][a,b,c] to mean a+bc,\frac{a+b}{c}, where c≠0.c\ne0. What is the value of [[60,30,90],[2,1,3],[10,5,15]]? [[60,30,90],[2,1,3],[10,5,15]]?
00
0.50.5
11
1.51.5
22
Answer: E
Difficulty rating: 1070
Small hint:
Evaluate each of the three inner brackets first
Big hint:
All three inner brackets have the same value
Solution:
Each inner value is 1:1: 9090=1,33=1,\frac{90}{90}=1,\frac{3}{3}=1, and 1515=1.\frac{15}{15}=1. Thus the outer expression is [1,1,1]=1+11=2.[1,1,1]=\frac{1+1}{1}=2. The correct answer is E.

5.

If 21998−219972^{1998}-2^{1997} −21996+21995{}-2^{1996}+2^{1995} =k⋅21995,=k\cdot2^{1995}, what is the value of k?k?
11
22
33
44
55
Answer: C
Difficulty rating: 1160
Small hint:
Factor out the smallest power of 22
Big hint:
The remaining coefficient is 23−22−2+12^3-2^2-2+1
Solution:
Factoring gives 21995(8−4−2+1)=3⋅21995.2^{1995}(8-4-2+1)=3\cdot2^{1995}. Hence k=3,k=3, so C is correct.

6.

If 19981998 is written as a product of two positive integers whose difference is as small as possible, then the difference is
88
1515
1717
4747
9393
Answer: C
Difficulty rating: 1310
Small hint:
Factor 19981998 and look for divisors near its square root
Big hint:
The closest factor pair is formed from 3737 and the remaining factor
Solution:
Since 1998=2⋅33⋅37,1998=2\cdot3^3\cdot37, its factor pair nearest 1998\sqrt{1998} is 37⋅54.37\cdot54. Their difference is 54−37=17,54-37=17, so C is correct.

7.

If N>1,N\gt1, then NNN333= \sqrt[3]{N\sqrt[3]{N\sqrt[3]{N}}}=
N127N^{\frac{1}{27}}
N19N^{\frac{1}{9}}
N13N^{\frac{1}{3}}
N1327N^{\frac{13}{27}}
NN
Answer: D
Difficulty rating: 1280
Small hint:
Start with the innermost cube root and convert it to an exponent
Big hint:
At each outer level, add 11 to the exponent and divide by 33
Solution:
The innermost radical is N13.N^{\frac{1}{3}}. The next is (N⋅N13)13=N49.(N\cdot N^{\frac{1}{3}})^{\frac{1}{3}}=N^{\frac{4}{9}}. The outermost is (N⋅N49)13=N1327.(N\cdot N^{\frac{4}{9}})^{\frac{1}{3}}=N^{\frac{13}{27}}. Thus D is correct.

8.

A square with sides of length 11 is divided into two congruent trapezoids and a pentagon, which have equal areas, by joining the center of the square with points on three of the sides, as shown. Find x,x, the length of the longer parallel side of each trapezoid.
35\frac35
23\frac23
34\frac34
56\frac56
78\frac78
Answer: D
Difficulty rating: 1540
Small hint:
Each of the three regions has area 13\frac{1}{3}
Big hint:
A trapezoid has height 12\frac{1}{2} and parallel sides xx and 12\frac{1}{2}
Solution:
Each trapezoid has area 13.\frac{1}{3}. Its height is 12,\frac{1}{2}, and its parallel sides have lengths xx and 12.\frac{1}{2}. Therefore 12⋅12(x+12)=13, \frac12\cdot\frac12\left(x+\frac12\right)=\frac13, which gives x=56.x=\frac{5}{6}. Thus D is correct.

9.

A speaker talked for sixty minutes to a full auditorium. Twenty percent of the audience heard the entire talk and ten percent slept through the entire talk. Half of the remainder heard one third of the talk and the other half heard two thirds of the talk. What was the average number of minutes of the talk heard by members of the audience?
2424
2727
3030
3333
3636
Answer: D
Difficulty rating: 1180
Small hint:
The two halves of the remainder are each 35%35\% of the audience
Big hint:
Weight the heard times 60,0,20,60,0,20, and 4040 by their audience fractions
Solution:
The average is 0.20(60)+0.10(0)0.20(60)+0.10(0) +0.35(20)+0.35(40)+0.35(20)+0.35(40) =12+7+14=33=12+7+14=33 minutes. Thus D is correct.

10.

A large square is divided into a small square surrounded by four congruent rectangles as shown. The perimeter of each of the congruent rectangles is 14.14. What is the area of the large square?
4949
6464
100100
121121
196196
Answer: A
Difficulty rating: 1200
Small hint:
Let the sides of one rectangle be xx and yy
Big hint:
The side length of the large square is x+yx+y
Solution:
If a rectangle has sides x,y,x,y, then 2x+2y=14,2x+2y=14, so x+y=7.x+y=7. The large square has side x+y,x+y, hence area 72=49.7^2=49. The correct answer is A.

11.

Let RR be a rectangle. How many circles in the plane of RR have a diameter both of whose endpoints are vertices of R?R?
11
22
44
55
66
Answer: D
Difficulty rating: 1310
Small hint:
There are six unordered pairs of rectangle vertices
Big hint:
The two diagonals determine the same circle
Solution:
The four sides determine four distinct diameter circles. The two diagonals are equal and share a midpoint, so they determine the same fifth circle. Hence there are 5,5, and D is correct.

12.

How many different prime numbers are factors of NN if log⁡2(log⁡3(log⁡5(log⁡7N)))=11? \log_2(\log_3(\log_5(\log_7N)))=11?
11
22
33
44
77
Answer: A
Difficulty rating: 1360
Small hint:
Undo the logarithms one at a time, starting with base 22
Big hint:
The final expression for NN is a power of 77
Solution:
Successively exponentiating gives N=7 5 3 211. N=7^{\,5^{\,3^{\,2^{11}}}}. Thus 77 is the only prime factor of N,N, so the correct answer is A.

13.

Walter rolls four standard six-sided dice and finds that the product of the numbers on the upper faces is 144.144. Which of the following could not be the sum of the upper four faces?
1414
1515
1616
1717
1818
Answer: E
Difficulty rating: 1700
Small hint:
Factor 144=24⋅32144=2^4\cdot3^2 using four factors from 11 through 66
Big hint:
Separate the cases with zero, one, or two faces showing 66
Solution:
Valid rolls include (4,4,3,3)(4,4,3,3) with sum 14,14, (6,4,3,2)(6,4,3,2) with sum 15,15, (6,6,2,2)(6,6,2,2) with sum 16,16, and (6,6,4,1)(6,6,4,1) with sum 17.17. If two 66s occur, the other two faces have product 44 and sum at most 5,5, giving total at most 17;17; the cases with fewer 66s also cannot total 1818 while retaining product 144.144. Thus 1818 is impossible, and E is correct.

14.

A parabola has vertex at (4,−5)(4,-5) and has two xx-intercepts, one positive and one negative. If this parabola is the graph of y=ax2+bx+c,y=ax^2+bx+c, which of a,a, b,b, and cc must be positive?
only aa
only bb
only cc
aa and bb only
none
Answer: A
Difficulty rating: 1360
Small hint:
The vertex lies below two intercepts, so determine the opening direction
Big hint:
Use the signs of the roots’ product and of −b2a=4-\frac{b}{2a}=4
Solution:
The parabola opens upward, so a>0.a\gt0. Its roots have opposite signs, so ca<0\frac{c}{a}\lt0 and hence c<0.c\lt0. Also −b2a=4>0,-\frac{b}{2a}=4\gt0, so b<0.b\lt0. Therefore only aa must be positive, and A is correct.

15.

A regular hexagon and an equilateral triangle have equal areas. What is the ratio of the length of a side of the triangle to the length of a side of the hexagon?
3\sqrt3
22
6\sqrt6
33
66
Answer: C
Difficulty rating: 1360
Small hint:
Partition the regular hexagon into six equilateral triangles
Big hint:
Equilateral-triangle area is proportional to the square of its side
Solution:
A regular hexagon of side ss is six equilateral triangles of side s.s. An equal-area equilateral triangle of side tt therefore satisfies t2=6s2,t^2=6s^2, so ts=6.\frac{t}{s}=\sqrt6. The correct answer is C.

16.

The figure shown is the union of a circle and two semicircles of diameters aa and b,b, all of whose centers are collinear. The ratio of the area of the shaded region to that of the unshaded region is
ab\sqrt{\frac ab}
ab\frac ab
a2b2\frac{a^2}{b^2}
a+b2b\frac{a+b}{2b}
a2+2abb2+2ab\frac{a^2+2ab}{b^2+2ab}
Answer: B
Difficulty rating: 1800
Small hint:
Express each region using the large semicircle and one small semicircle
Big hint:
Both resulting areas factor a common multiple of a+ba+b
Solution:
The shaded area is π2(a+b2)2+π2(a2)2−π2(b2)2=πa(a+b)4. \begin{aligned} &\frac{\pi}{2}\left(\frac{a+b}{2}\right)^2 +\frac{\pi}{2}\left(\frac a2\right)^2\\ &\qquad-\frac{\pi}{2}\left(\frac b2\right)^2 =\frac{\pi a(a+b)}4. \end{aligned} Similarly, the unshaded area is πb(a+b)4.\frac{\pi b(a+b)}{4}. Their ratio is ab,\frac{a}{b}, so B is correct.

17.

Let f(x)f(x) be a function with the two properties:
(a) for any two real numbers xx and y,y, f(x+y)=x+f(y),f(x+y)=x+f(y), and
(b) f(0)=2.f(0)=2.
What is the value of f(1998)?f(1998)?
00
22
19961996
19981998
20002000
Answer: E
Difficulty rating: 1240
Small hint:
Set y=0y=0 in the functional equation
Big hint:
The two properties determine f(x)f(x) directly for every real xx
Solution:
Taking y=0y=0 gives f(x)=x+f(0)=x+2.f(x)=x+f(0)=x+2. Hence f(1998)=2000,f(1998)=2000, so E is correct.

18.

A right circular cone of volume A,A, a right circular cylinder of volume M,M, and a sphere of volume CC all have the same radius, and the common height of the cone and the cylinder is equal to the diameter of the sphere. Then
A−M+C=0A-M+C=0
A+M=CA+M=C
2A=M+C2A=M+C
A2−M2+C2=0A^2-M^2+C^2=0
2A+2M=3C2A+2M=3C
Answer: A
Difficulty rating: 1360
Small hint:
Let the common radius be rr, so the cone and cylinder height is 2r2r
Big hint:
Write all three volumes as multiples of πr3\pi r^3
Solution:
The volumes are A=23πr3,A=\frac23\pi r^3, M=2πr3,M=2\pi r^3, and C=43πr3.C=\frac43\pi r^3. Therefore A−M+CA-M+C =(23−2+43)πr3=0,=(\frac{2}{3}-2+\frac{4}{3})\pi r^3=0, so A is correct.

19.

How many triangles have area 1010 and vertices at (−5,0),(-5,0), (5,0),(5,0), and (5cos⁡θ,5sin⁡θ)(5\cos\theta,5\sin\theta) for some angle θ?\theta?
00
22
44
66
88
Answer: C
Difficulty rating: 1570
Small hint:
The fixed base has length 1010, and the third vertex has height ∣5sin⁡θ∣|5\sin\theta|
Big hint:
Count the distinct points on the circle satisfying the resulting sine equation
Solution:
The area is 12(10)∣5sin⁡θ∣=25∣sin⁡θ∣.\frac12(10)|5\sin\theta|=25|\sin\theta|. Thus ∣sin⁡θ∣=25.|\sin\theta|=\frac{2}{5}. There are four corresponding points on the circle, and each gives a distinct triangle. Hence the answer is 4,4, making C correct.

20.

Three cards, each with a positive integer written on it, are lying face-down on a table. Casey, Stacy, and Tracy are told that
(a) the numbers are all different,
(b) they sum to 13,13, and
(c) they are in increasing order, left to right.
First, Casey looks at the number on the leftmost card and says, “I don’t have enough information to determine the other two numbers.” Then Tracy looks at the number on the rightmost card and says, “I don’t have enough information to determine the other two numbers.” Finally, Stacy looks at the number on the middle card and says, “I don’t have enough information to determine the other two numbers.” Assume that each person knows that the other two reason perfectly and hears their comments. What number is on the middle card?
22
33
44
55
There is not enough information to determine the number.
Answer: C
Difficulty rating: 2190
Small hint:
List all increasing positive triples with sum 1313
Big hint:
Eliminate triples in the order of the three statements, using what each speaker has learned
Solution:
The eight triples are (1,2,10),(1,3,9),(1,4,8),(1,5,7),(2,3,8),(2,4,7),(2,5,6),(3,4,6). \begin{gathered} (1,2,10),(1,3,9),\\ (1,4,8),(1,5,7),\\ (2,3,8),(2,4,7),\\ (2,5,6),(3,4,6). \end{gathered} Casey’s statement excludes (3,4,6).(3,4,6). With that known, Tracy’s statement excludes rightmost values 10,9,10,9, and 6.6. The remaining triples are (1,4,8),(2,3,8)(1,4,8),(2,3,8) and (1,5,7),(2,4,7).(1,5,7),(2,4,7). A middle value 33 or 55 would now identify the triple, so Stacy’s statement forces the middle value 4.4. Thus C is correct.

21.

In an hh-meter race, Sunny is exactly dd meters ahead of Windy when Sunny finishes the race. The next time they race, Sunny sportingly starts dd meters behind Windy, who is at the starting line. Both runners run at the same constant speed as they did in the first race. How many meters ahead is Sunny when Sunny finishes the second race?
dh\frac dh
00
d2h\frac{d^2}{h}
h2d\frac{h^2}{d}
d2h−d\frac{d^2}{h-d}
Answer: C
Concepts:ratesalgebra
Difficulty rating: 1630
Small hint:
Express Windy’s speed as a fraction of Sunny’s speed using the first race
Big hint:
In the second race Sunny travels h+dh+d meters before finishing
Solution:
If Sunny’s speed is r,r, Windy’s is r(h−d)h.\frac{r(h-d)}{h}. Sunny needs time h+dr\frac{h+d}{r} in the second race, during which Windy runs r(h−d)h⋅h+dr=h−d2h. \frac{r(h-d)}h\cdot\frac{h+d}{r} =h-\frac{d^2}{h}. Sunny finishes at position h,h, so the lead is d2h.\frac{d^2}{h}. Thus C is correct.

22.

What is the value of the expression 1log⁡2100!+1log⁡3100!+1log⁡4100!+⋯+1log⁡100100!? \begin{aligned} &\frac1{\log_2 100!}+\frac1{\log_3 100!}\\ &\quad+\frac1{\log_4 100!}+\cdots\\ &\qquad+\frac1{\log_{100}100!}? \end{aligned}
0.010.01
0.10.1
11
22
1010
Answer: C
Difficulty rating: 1630
Small hint:
Use the reciprocal identity 1log⁡bx=log⁡xb\frac{1}{\log_bx}=\log_xb
Big hint:
Combine the resulting logarithms of 2,3,…,1002,3,\ldots,100
Solution:
Each term equals log⁡100!b.\log_{100!}b. Therefore the sum is log⁡100!(2⋅3⋯100)=log⁡100!(100!)=1. \begin{aligned} &\log_{100!}(2\cdot3\cdots100)\\ &\qquad=\log_{100!}(100!)=1. \end{aligned} Thus C is correct.

23.

The graphs of x2+y2=4+12x+6yx^2+y^2=4+12x+6y and x2+y2=k+4x+12yx^2+y^2=k+4x+12y intersect when kk satisfies a≤k≤b,a\le k\le b, and for no other values of k.k. Find b−a.b-a.
55
6868
104104
140140
144144
Answer: D
Difficulty rating: 1860
Small hint:
Complete the square to find both circle centers and radii
Big hint:
Two circles intersect exactly when the center distance lies between the difference and sum of their radii
Solution:
The circles are (x−6)2+(y−3)2=49, (x-6)^2+(y-3)^2=49, (x−2)2+(y−6)2=k+40. (x-2)^2+(y-6)^2=k+40. Their centers are 55 units apart. With second radius r=k+40,r=\sqrt{k+40}, intersection requires ∣7−r∣≤5≤7+r,|7-r|\le5\le7+r, or 2≤r≤12.2\le r\le12. Thus −36≤k≤104,-36\le k\le104, and b−a=140.b-a=140. The correct answer is D.

24.

Call a 77-digit telephone number d1d2d3d_1d_2d_3-d4d5d6d7d_4d_5d_6d_7 memorable if the prefix sequence d1d2d3d_1d_2d_3 is exactly the same as either of the sequences d4d5d6d_4d_5d_6 or d5d6d7d_5d_6d_7 (possibly both). Assuming that each did_i can be any of the ten decimal digits 0,0, 1,1, 2,2, …,\ldots, 9,9, the number of different memorable telephone numbers is
19,81019{,}810
19,91019{,}910
19,99019{,}990
20,00020{,}000
20,10020{,}100
Answer: C
Difficulty rating: 1800
Small hint:
Count numbers satisfying each of the two matching conditions separately
Big hint:
If both matches hold, all seven digits are forced by one repeated digit
Solution:
Each matching condition gives 104=10,00010^4=10,000 numbers: choose the three prefix digits and the one unconstrained remaining digit. If both hold, then d1d2d3=d4d5d6=d5d6d7,d_1d_2d_3=d_4d_5d_6=d_5d_6d_7, forcing all digits equal, so there are 1010 overlaps. Inclusion-exclusion gives 10,000+10,000−10=19,990,10,000+10,000-10=19,990, so C is correct.

25.

A piece of graph paper is folded once so that (0,2)(0,2) is matched with (4,0),(4,0), and (7,3)(7,3) is matched with (m,n).(m,n). Find m+n.m+n.
6.76.7
6.86.8
6.96.9
7.07.0
8.08.0
Answer: B
Difficulty rating: 2010
Small hint:
The crease is the perpendicular bisector of the segment joining (0,2)(0,2) and (4,0)(4,0)
Big hint:
Find the line y=2x−3y=2x-3, then reflect (7,3)(7,3) across it
Solution:
The crease passes through (2,1)(2,1) with slope 2,2, so it is y=2x−3.y=2x-3. The perpendicular through (7,3)(7,3) has slope −12-\frac{1}{2} and meets the crease at (195,235).(\frac{19}{5},\frac{23}{5}). This intersection is the midpoint of (7,3)(7,3) and (m,n),(m,n), giving m=35, n=315.m=\frac{3}{5},\ n=\frac{31}{5}. Hence m+n=345=6.8,m+n=\frac{34}{5}=6.8, so B is correct.

26.

In quadrilateral ABCD,ABCD, it is given that ∠A=120∘,\angle A=120^\circ, angles BB and DD are right angles, AB=13,AB=13, and AD=46.AD=46. Then AC=AC=
6060
6262
6464
6565
7272
Answer: B
Difficulty rating: 2010
Small hint:
The two right angles make ABCDABCD cyclic with ACAC as a diameter
Big hint:
Find BDBD in triangle ABDABD, then use the extended law of sines
Solution:
Because ∠B+∠D=180∘,\angle B+\angle D=180^\circ, the quadrilateral is cyclic, and ACAC is its diameter. In triangle ABD,ABD, BD2=132+462−2(13)(46)cos⁡120∘=2883=(313)2. \begin{aligned} BD^2&=13^2+46^2\\ &\quad-2(13)(46)\cos120^\circ\\ &=2883=(31\sqrt3)^2. \end{aligned} By the extended law of sines, AC=BDsin⁡120∘AC=\frac{BD}{\sin120^\circ} =31332=62.=\frac{31\sqrt3}{\frac{\sqrt3}{2}}=62. Thus B is correct.

27.

A 9×9×99\times9\times9 cube is composed of twenty-seven 3×3×33\times3\times3 cubes. The big cube is “tunneled” as follows: First, the six 3×3×33\times3\times3 cubes which make up the center of each face as well as the center 3×3×33\times3\times3 cube are removed as shown. Second, each of the twenty remaining 3×3×33\times3\times3 cubes is diminished in the same way. That is, the center facial unit cubes as well as each center cube are removed. The surface area of the final figure is
384384
729729
864864
10241024
10561056
Answer: E
Difficulty rating: 2290
Small hint:
After the first stage, classify the twenty remaining large subcubes as corner or edge cubes
Big hint:
For each second-stage tunnel, subtract exposed center squares and add the newly exposed tunnel walls
Solution:
After the first stage, 88 corner subcubes contribute 2727 exposed units each, and 1212 edge subcubes contribute 3636 each. Tunneling a corner subcube removes 33 exposed unit squares and adds 2424 tunnel-wall squares; tunneling an edge subcube removes 44 and also adds 24.24. Hence the final area is 8(27−3+24)+12(36−4+24)=384+672=1056. \begin{aligned} &8(27-3+24)\\ &\qquad+12(36-4+24)\\ &=384+672=1056. \end{aligned} Thus E is correct.

28.

In triangle ABC,ABC, angle CC is a right angle and CB>CA.CB\gt CA. Point DD is located on BC‾\overline{BC} so that angle CADCAD is twice angle DAB.DAB. If ACAD=23,\frac{AC}{AD}=\frac{2}{3}, then CDBD=mn,\frac{CD}{BD}=\frac{m}{n}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers. Find m+n.m+n.
1010
1414
1818
2222
2626
Answer: B
Difficulty rating: 2290
Small hint:
Let ∠DAB=α\angle DAB=\alpha, so ∠CAB=3α\angle CAB=3\alpha and cos⁡2α=ACAD\cos2\alpha=\frac{AC}{AD}
Big hint:
Set AC=1AC=1 and express CDCD and CBCB using tan⁡2α\tan2\alpha and tan⁡3α\tan3\alpha
Solution:
Let ∠DAB=α.\angle DAB=\alpha. Since ACAD=cos⁡2α=23,\frac{AC}{AD}=\cos2\alpha=\frac{2}{3}, the identity for cos⁡2α\cos2\alpha gives tan⁡α=15.\tan\alpha=\frac{1}{\sqrt5}. Taking AC=1,AC=1, CD=tan⁡2α=52,CB=tan⁡3α=755. \begin{aligned} CD&=\tan2\alpha=\frac{\sqrt5}{2},\\ CB&=\tan3\alpha=\frac{7\sqrt5}{5}. \end{aligned} Thus BD=CB−CD=9510,BD=CB-CD=\frac{9\sqrt5}{10}, and CDBD=59.\frac{CD}{BD}=\frac{5}{9}. Therefore m+n=14,m+n=14, so B is correct.

29.

A point (x,y)(x,y) in the plane is called a lattice point if both xx and yy are integers. The area of the largest square that contains exactly three lattice points in its interior is closest to
4.04.0
4.24.2
4.54.5
5.05.0
5.65.6
Answer: D
Difficulty rating: 2520
Small hint:
Three collinear interior lattice points force a fourth, so use a smallest noncollinear lattice triangle
Big hint:
At a maximal square, opposite sides are pinned by nearby lattice points; compare their separation
Solution:
It suffices to enclose the three noncollinear lattice points (0,0),(0,1),(1,0).(0,0),(0,1),(1,0). In a maximal placement, two opposite sides are pinned by neighboring lattice points; the greatest possible separation is the distance 5\sqrt5 between parallel lines through (1,1)(1,1) and (0,−1).(0,-1). Hence the area is at most 5.5. This is attained by the square bounded by y=2x+2,y=2x−3,2y+x=3,2y+x=−2. \begin{aligned} y&=2x+2,\\ y&=2x-3,\\ 2y+x&=3,\\ 2y+x&=-2. \end{aligned} Its area is 55 and exactly the three stated lattice points lie inside. Thus D is correct.

30.

For each positive integer n,n, let an=(n+9)!(n−1)!. a_n=\frac{(n+9)!}{(n-1)!}. Let kk denote the smallest positive integer for which the rightmost nonzero digit of aka_k is odd. The rightmost nonzero digit of aka_k is
11
33
55
77
99
Answer: E
Small hint:
Write an=n(n+1)⋯(n+9)a_n=n(n+1)\cdots(n+9) and compare its powers of 22 and 55
Big hint:
An odd rightmost nonzero digit first becomes possible when the ten-term block contains 575^7
Solution:
The five even terms in any ten consecutive integers contribute at least 28.2^8. Thus the rightmost nonzero digit can be odd only when the block contains at least eight factors of 5,5, first possible when it contains 57=78125.5^7=78125. For n=57−9,n=5^7-9, the block has v2=9v_2=9 and v5=8,v_5=8, so the digit remains even. For n=57−8=78117,n=5^7-8=78117, both valuations are 8.8. Cancelling 28582^8 5^8 and multiplying the remaining odd unit digits gives 7⋅9⋅1⋅3⋅9⋅3⋅1⋅1⋅3≡9(mod10). \begin{aligned} &7\cdot9\cdot1\cdot3\cdot9\cdot3\\ &\qquad\cdot1\cdot1\cdot3 \equiv9\pmod{10}. \end{aligned} Hence the first odd rightmost nonzero digit is 9,9, and E is correct.
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