Problem 1

What is the value of

Solution

Problem 2
A box contains a collection of triangular and square tiles. There are
tiles in the box,
containing
edges total. How many square tiles are there in the box?

Solution

Problem 3
Ann made a 3-step staircase using 18 toothpicks as shown in the figure. How many
toothpicks does she need to add to complete a 5-step staircase?

Solution

Problem 4
Pablo, Sofia, and Mia got some candy eggs at a party. Pablo had three times as many eggs
as Sofia, and Sofia had twice as many eggs as Mia. Pablo decides to give some of his eggs
to Sofia and Mia so that all three will have the same number of eggs. What fraction of his
eggs should Pablo give to Sofia?

Solution

Problem 5
Mr. Patrick teaches math to
students. He was grading tests and found that when he
graded everyone's test except Payton's, the average grade for the class was . After he
graded Payton's test, the test average became . What was Payton's score on the test?

Solution

Problem 6
The sum of two positive numbers is
number to the smaller number?

times their difference. What is the ratio of the larger

Solution

Problem 7
How many terms are there in the arithmetic sequence

, . . .,

Solution

Problem 8
Two years ago Pete was three times as old as his cousin Claire. Two years before that,
Pete was four times as old as Claire. In how many years will the ratio of their ages be : ?

Solution

Problem 9
Two right circular cylinders have the same volume. The radius of the second cylinder
is
more than the radius of the first. What is the relationship between the heights of the
two cylinders?

Solution

Problem 10
How many rearrangements of
are there in which no two adjacent letters are also
adjacent letters in the alphabet? For example, no such rearrangements could include
either
or .

Solution

Problem 11
The ratio of the length to the width of a rectangle is : . If the rectangle has diagonal of
length , then the area may be expressed as
for some constant . What is ?

Solution

Problem 12
Points
is

and

are distinct points on the graph of

. What

Solution

Problem 13
Claudia has 12 coins, each of which is a 5-cent coin or a 10-cent coin. There are exactly 17
different values that can be obtained as combinations of one or more of her coins. How
many 10-cent coins does Claudia have?

Solution

Problem 14
The diagram below shows the circular face of a clock with radius
cm and a circular disk
with radius
cm externally tangent to the clock face at o'clock. The disk has an arrow
painted on it, initially pointing in the upward vertical direction. Let the disk roll clockwise
around the clock face. At what point on the clock face will the disk be tangent when the
arrow is next pointing in the upward vertical direction?

Solution

Problem 15
Consider the set of all fractions
where and are relatively prime positive integers. How
many of these fractions have the property that if both numerator and denominator are
increased by , the value of the fraction is increased by
?

Solution

Problem 16
If

, and

, what is the value of

Solution

Problem 17
A line that passes through the origin intersects both the line
line
the triangle?

Solution

and the

. The three lines create an equilateral triangle. What is the perimeter of

Problem 18
Hexadecimal (base-16) numbers are written using numeric digits through as well as the
letters through to represent
through . Among the first
positive integers,
there are whose hexadecimal representation contains only numeric digits. What is the
sum of the digits of ?

Solution

Problem 19
The isosceles right triangle
trisecting
intersect

has right angle at and area

at
and . What is the area of

. The rays
?

Solution

Problem 20
A rectangle with positive integer side lengths in
Which of the following numbers cannot equal

has area
?

and perimeter

NOTE: As it originally appeared in the AMC 10, this problem was stated incorrectly and had
no answer; it has been modified here to be solvable.
Solution

Problem 21
Tetrahedron
and

has

. What is the volume of the tetrahedron?

Solution

Problem 22
Eight people are sitting around a circular table, each holding a fair coin. All eight people flip
their coins and those who flip heads stand while those who flip tails remain seated. What is
the probability that no two adjacent people will stand?

Solution

Problem 23
The zeroes of the function
possible values of ?

are integers. What is the sum of the

Solution

Problem 24
For some positive integers , there is a quadrilateral
lengths, perimeter , right angles at and ,
different values of
are possible?

with positive integer side

, and
. How many

Solution

Problem 25
Let

be a square of side length . Two points are chosen independently at random on the

sides of
is

. The probability that the straight-line distance between the points is at least

, where , , and

are positive integers with

. What is

ANSWERS
1.

2. Let

be the amount of triangular tiles and

Triangles have
We have

edges and squares have

tiles total, so

We have
Solving gives,

edges, so we have a system of equations.

edges total, so
and

be the amount of square tiles.

, so the answer is

Alternate Solution

If all of the tiles were triangles, there would be

edges. This is not enough, so there need
to be some squares. Trading a triangle for a square results in one additional edge each
time, so we must trade out

triangles for squares. Answer:

3.

We can see that a -step staircase requires toothpicks and a -step staircase requires
toothpicks. Thus, to go from a -step to -step staircase, additional toothpicks are needed
and to go from a -step to -step staircase, additional toothpicks are needed. Applying this
pattern, to go from a -step to -step staircase,
additional toothpicks are needed and to
go from a -step to -step staircase,
additional toothpicks are needed. Our answer
is
4. Assign a variable to the number of eggs Mia has, say . Then, because we are given
that Sofia has twice the number of eggs Mia has, Sofia has
eggs, and Pablo, having
three times the number of eggs as Sofia, has
eggs.

For them to all have the same number of eggs, they must each
have

eggs. This means Pablo must give

eggs to Mia and a

eggs to Sofia, so the answer is

5. If the average of the first

peoples' scores was , then the sum of all of their tests
is
. When Payton's score was added, the sum of all of the scores
became

. So, Payton's score must be

Alternate Solution

The average of a set of numbers is the value we get if we evenly distribute the total across
all entries. So assume that the first
students each scored . If Payton also scored an
, the average would still be . In order to increase the overall average to , we need to
add one more point to all of the scores, including Payton's. This means we need to add a
total of

6. Let

more points, so Payton needs

be the bigger number and

be the smaller.

Solving gives

, so the answer is

7. Solution

, so the amount of terms in the sequence

as in the sequence , , ,
, , .
In this sequence, the terms are the multiples of
of in .

going up to

, and there are

However, one more must be added to include the first term. So, the answer is
Solution 2

is the same

multiples

.
Solution 3

Using the formula for arithmetic sequence's nth term, we see

that

8. This problem can be converted to a system of equations. Let

and be Claire's current age.
The first statement can be written as
written as

be Pete's current age

. The second statement can be

To solve the system of equations:

Let

be the number of years until Pete is twice as old as Claire.

The answer is

9. Let the radius of the first cylinder be and the radius of the second cylinder be . Also,
let the height of the first cylinder be
and the height of the second cylinder be . We are

told

Substituting the first equation into the second and dividing

both sides by , we get

Therefore,
10. The first thing one would want to do is see a possible value that works and then stem off
of it. For example, if we start with an , we can only place a or next to it. Unfortunately,
after that step, we can't do too much, since:
is not allowed because of the

, and

is not allowed because of the

We get the same problem if we start with a , since a

causing it to be adjacent to an or .

will have to end up in the middle,

If we start with a , the next letter would have to be a , and since we can put an next to it
and then a after that, this configuration works. The same approach applies if we start with
a .
So the solution must be the two solutions that were allowed, one starting from a
other with a , giving us:

11. Let the rectangle have length

Pythagorean Theorem), we have

is

and width
, and so

. Then by

and the

triangles (or the

. Hence, the area of the rectangle

, so the answer is

12. Since points on the graph make the equation true, substitute
then solve to find and .

in to the equation and

There are only two solutions to the equation, so one of them is the value of
is . The order does not matter because of the absolute value sign.

and the other

The answer is
13. Solution #1

Let Claudia have 5-cent coins and

10-cent coins. It is easily observed that any
multiple of between and
inclusive can be obtained by a
combination of coins. Thus,
combinations can be made, so
. But the
answer is not because we are asked for the number of 10-cent coins, which
is
Solution #2

Since the coins are 5-cent and 10-cent, all possible values that can be made will be
multiples of To have exactly
different multiples of we will need to make up to
cents. If all twelve coins were 5-cent coins, we will have
cents possible. Each trade of a
5-cent coin for a 10-cent coin will gain cents, and as we need to gain
cents, the answer
is
14. Solution 1

The circumference of the clock is twice that of the disk. So, a quarter way around the clock
(3:00), the point halfway around the disk will be tangent. The arrow will point to the left. We
can see the disk made a 75% rotation from 12 to 3, and 3 is 75% of 4, so it would make
100% rotation from 12 to 4. The answer is

Solution 2

The rotation factor of the arrow is the sum of the rates of the regular rotation of the arrow
(360 every 360 rotation = 1) and the rotation of the disk around the clock with twice the
circumference (360 every 180 = 2). Thus, the rotation factor of the arrow is 3, and so our
answer corresponds to 360/3 = 120, which is 4 o' clock.

Solution 3

The arrow travels a path of radius 30 (20 from the interior clock and 10 from the radius of
the disk itself). We note that 1 complete rotation of 360 degrees is needed for the arrow to
appear up again, so therefore, the disk must travel its circumference before the arrow goes
up. Its circumference is
, so that is
traveled on a
arrow path. This is a ratio of
1/3, so the angle it carves is 120 degrees, which leads us to the correct answer of 4 o'
clock.
15. Solution 1

You can create the equation

Cross multiplying and combining like terms gives

This can be factored into

and

must be positive, so

and

, so

This leaves the factor pairs:

and

and
.

must be relatively prime.

and

are not relatively prime, so this doesn't work.

gives

and

. This doesn't work.

gives

and

. This does work.

We found one valid solution so the answer is

Solution 2

The condition required is

Observe that

and

But we can't stop here because

gives

and

so

is at most

By multiplying by
and simplifying we can rewrite the condition as
.
Since and are integer, this only has solutions for
. However, only the first
yields a that is relative prime to .
There is only one valid solution so the answer is

16. Note that we can add the two equations to yield the equation

Moving terms gives the equation

We can also subtract the two equations to yield the equation

Moving terms gives the equation

Because

we can divide both sides of the equation by

Substituting this into the equation for

to yield the equation

that we derived earlier gives

17. Solution 1

Since the triangle is equilateral and one of the sides is a vertical line, the other two sides will
have opposite slopes. The slope of the other given line is

so the third must be

Since this third line passes through the origin, its equation is simply
two vertices of the triangle, plug in
to both the other equations.

. To find

We now have the coordinates of two vertices,

and

of one side is the distance between the y-coordinates, or

The perimeter of the triangle is thus

. The length
.

, so the answer is

Solution 2

Draw a line from the y-intercept of the equation

perpendicular to the line
x=1. There is a square of side length 1 inscribed in the equilateral triangle. The problems
becomes reduced to finding the perimeter of a equilateral triangle with a square of side
length 1 inscribed in it. The side length is 2
and rationalizing, you get

+ 1. After multiplying the side length by 3

18. Solution

Notice that
is
in hexadecimal. We will proceed by constructing numbers that
consist of only numeric digits in hexadecimal.
The first digit could be
or and the second two could be any digit
,
giving
combinations. However, this includes
so this number must be
diminished by Therefore, there are
valid corresponding to those
positive
integers less than
that consist of only numeric digits. (Notice that
in
hexadecimal.) Finally, our answer is
19. Solution

can be split into a

by dropping a perpendicular from
intersects
.

right triangle and a

right triangle
to side
. Let be where that perpendicular

Because the side lengths of a

,
.

right triangle are in ratio

Because the side lengths of a

right triangle are in ratio

and

Setting the two equations for

equal to each other,

Solving gives

The area of

is congruent to

, so their areas are equal.

A triangle's area can be written as the sum of the figures that make it up,
so
.

Solving gives

, so the answer is

Solution 2

The area of

is

altitude to hypotenuse
clear that
isosceles

, and so the leg length of

,

is

Thus, the

, has length
by
right triangles. Now, it is
, and so by the Exterior Angle Theorem,
is an

triangle. Thus,

by the Half-

Angle formula, and so the area of

is

. The answer is

thus
20. Solution

Let the rectangle's length and width be

Then

and . Its area is

. Factoring, this is

Looking at the answer choices, only

or would be .
So the answer is

and the perimeter is

cannot be written this way, because then either

21. Solution 1

Let the midpoint of

Theorem
tetrahedron
triangle

yield
tetrahedron,

be

. We have

, and so by the Pythagorean

and
. Because the altitude from of
passes touches plane
on
, it is also an altitude of
. The area of triangle
is, by Heron's Formula, given by

, so

Substituting
and performing huge (but manageable) computations
. Thus, if is the length of the altitude from of the
. Our answer is thus
and so our answer is

Solution 2

Drop altitudes of triangle

and triangle
down from and , respectively. Both
will hit the same point; let this point be . Because both triangle
and triangle
are 3-4-5 triangles,
Because

.
, it follows that the

is a

right triangle, which means

, which means that planes
and
are
perpendicular to each other. Now, we can treat
as the base of the tetrahedron
and
as the height. Thus, the desired volume is
which is answer

22. Solution 1
We will count how many valid standing arrangements there are (counting rotations as
distinct), and divide by
at the end. We casework on how many people are
standing.
Case

people are standing. This yields

Case

person is standing. This yields

Case
people are standing. This yields
people cannot be next to each other.

arrangement.
arrangements.

arrangements, because the two

Case
people are standing. Then the people must be arranged in stand-sit-stand-sitstand-sit-stand-sit fashion, yielding possible arrangements.
More difficult is:
Case
people are standing. First, choose the location of the first person standing (
choices). Next, choose of the remaining people in the remaining legal seats to stand,
amounting to arrangements considering that these two people cannot stand next to each
other. However, we have to divide by because there are ways to choose the first person
given any three. This yields

Summing gives

arrangements for Case

and so our probability is

Solution 2
We will count how many valid standing arrangements there are counting rotations as
distinct and divide by
at the end. Line up all people linearly. In order for no two people

standing to be adjacent, we will place a sitting person to the right of each standing person.
In effect, each standing person requires spaces and the standing people are separated by
sitting people. We just need to determine the number of combinations of pairs and singles
and the problem becomes very similar to pirates and gold aka stars and bars aka ball and
urn.

If there are

standing, there are

are

ways to place them. For

there

ways. etc. Summing, we

get

ways.

Now we consider that the far right person can be standing as well, so we

have

ways

Together we have

, and so our probability is

23. Solution 1

By Vieta's Formula,

is the sum of the integral zeros of the function, and so

is integral.

Because the zeros are integral, the discriminant of the function,

, is a perfect
square, say . Then adding 16 to both sides and completing the square yields
Hence
and
et
Listing all possible
affect
),
to

and

, so our answer is

; then,
and so
pairs (not counting transpositions because this does not
, yields
. These sum
.

Solution 2

Let

and

be the integer zeroes of the quadratic.

L
.

Since the coefficent of the

or

term is , the quadratic can be written as

.

By comparing this with

and

Plugging the first equation in the second,

gives
.
This can be factored as

.
. Rearranging

These factors can be:

We want the number of distinct

.
, and these factors gives

So the answer is
24. Solution

Let
and
be positive integers. Drop a perpendicular from
to
to show that, using the Pythagorean Theorem, that
Simplifying
yields
, so
. Thus, is one more than a perfect square.
The perimeter
must be less than 2015. Simple
calculations demonstrate that
is valid, but
is
not. On the lower side,
does not work (because
), but
does work.
Hence, there are 31 valid (all such that
for
), and so our answer
is
25. Solution

Divide the boundary of the square into halves, thereby forming 8 segments. Without loss of
generality, let the first point be in the bottom-left segment. Then, it is easy to see that any
point in the 5 segments not bordering the bottom-left segment will be distance at least
apart from . Now, consider choosing the second point on the bottom-right segment. The
probability for it to be distance at least 0.5 apart from is
because of linearity
of the given probability. (Alternatively, one can set up a coordinate system and use
geometric probability.)

If the second point

is on the left-bottom segment, then if

is distance

away from the

left-bottom vertex, then must be at least

away from that same vertex.
Thus, using an averaging argument we find that the probability in this case is

(Alternatively, one can equate the problem to finding all valid

that

, i.e.

is outside the unit circle with radius

with

such

Thus, averaging the probabilities gives

Our answer is

Solution 2

Let one point be chosen on a fixed side. Then the probability that the second point is
chosen on the same side is , on an adjacent side is
We discuss these three cases.

, and on the the opposite side is

Case 1: Two points are on the same side. Let the first point be and the second point be
in the -axis with
. Consider
a point on the unit square
on
the
-plane. The region
has the area of
. Therefore,
the probability that
is
.
Case 2: Two points are on two adjacent sides. Let the two sides be
on the x-axis
and
on the y-axis and let one point be
and the other point be
.
Then
and the distance between the two points is
. As in Case
1,
is a point on the unit square
. The area of the
region

is

and the area of its

complementary set inside the square (i.e.

is
. . Therefore, the probability that the distance between
least
is
.

and

)
is at

Case 3: Two points are on two opposite sides. In this case, the probability that the distance
between the two points is at least
is obviously .

Thus the probability that the probability that the distance between the two points is at
least
and

is given by
. Thus,

Therefore
and the answer is (a)