2008 largest one, x = 3. 3 Ans.
MATHCOUNTS STATE COMPETITION
SPRINT ROUND
1. Tomato soup is selling for 24¢ a
can. At this price how many whole
cans can be bought for $1.00?
100 4 1
4  4  4 Ans.
24 24 6 100 + 100 + 99 + 98 = 400 – 3 =
2. The lowest price on a jacket tag was
$4. This is the sale price, calculated
by taking 75% off of the original
price. We are asked to find the
original price.
3 5. How many integers between 100
75% =
4 factors? Only those that have 88 as
The sale price of the jacket is
3 1
1  of the original price.
4 4
Let x be the original price of the
jacket.
1
x4
4 6. One-half of a road construction
x = 16
So the jacket originally cost $16 or
$16.00 Ans.
3. What is the greatest number of
interior right angles a convex
octagon can have?
What is the sum of the angles in a
convex octagon? The answer is
180 × (n – 2) where n is the number
of sides. So, the total number of
degrees in the octagon is
180 × (8 – 2) = 180 × 6 = 1080
degrees.
A convex polygon has all its interior
angles less than 180 degrees. Let
x = the largest number of 90 degree
angles we can have.
1080  90 x
Then  180
8 x
This equation means that the
average length of the non-90 degree
angles is less than 180.
1080 – 90x < 1440 – 180x
90 x < 1440 – 1080 = 320
x<4
Since we are asked to find the
4. The mean of 5 quiz scores is 95%.
The scores of four of them are
100%, 100%, 99% and 98%. So
what is the score on the last one?
If the mean is 95% then the sum of
the scores on all 5 exams is
95 × 5 = 475
The sum of the four known scores is
397.
475 – 397 = 78
(No wonder Tamara, uh, happened
to, uh, lose that one!!!)
78 Ans.
and 300 have both 11 and 8 as
a factor.
Let’s count by 88s: 88, 176, 264,
352…
We quickly see that only 2 integers
fall between 100 and 300.
2 Ans.
project is completed by 6 workers in
12 days. Working at the same rate,
what is the smallest number of
workers needed to finish the rest of
the project in exactly four days?
If 6 workers complete one-half of the
project in 12 days then the 6
1 1
workers complete  of
2  12 24
the project in 1 day and one worker
1 1
completes  of the
24  6 144
project in a single day.
Half of the project is done. That
1 72
means there is  of the
2 144
project to go and this must be
completed in 4 days.
18
Therefore, of the project must
144
be completed each day and we
need 18 workers. 18 Ans.
7. The trisectors of angles B and C of
scalene triangle ABC meet at points
 P and Q, as shown. 10. A silo is a right circular cylinder
topped by a right circular cone.
Both the cylinder and the cone have
the same radius. The height of the
silo is 27 meters and the base of the
silo is 10 meters. The height of the
cone is half the height of the
Angle A is 39º and angle QBP is cylinder. So what’s the volume of
14º. We are asked to find the the silo?
measure of angle BPC. Since the height of the cone is half
A scalene triangle is one that has 3 the height of the cylinder, the height
unequal sides. Since angle QBP is
14º and the trisectors of angles B
1
of the cone is the height of the
and C meet at points P and Q, angle 3
1 silo or 9 meters making the height of
QBP is of angle B. the cylinder 18 meters.
3 Vcyl =
14 × 3 = 42 2
The sum of the three angles in  10 
triangle ABC is 180 degrees.
r 2 h      18  450
2
Therefore, angle C =
2
180 – (39 + 42) = 1 2 1  10 
180 – 81 = 99 Vcone = r h      9 
Again, knowing using our trisector
3 3 2
information, angle BCP must be 75
1 75  450  525 Ans.
of 99 or 33 degrees.
3
11. How many non-negative real values
Angle PBC is 14º.
Therefore, angle BPC = of x result in 144  3 x being an
180 – (33 + 14) =
180 – 47 = 133 Ans. integer? If x were 0, then 144
3
= 0. And if x = 144 then
8. What non-zero, real value of x
satisfies 144  3 x = 0. There are 11 more
5x 
4
 10 x  ?
3
values of 3 x , which when
4 3
625x = 1000x subtracted from 144 will give us a
4 3
25x = 40x value that is a square.
4 3
5x = 8x 11 + 1 + 1 = 13 Ans.
5x = 8
8 1
x= Ans. 12. Jim’s stride is 2 feet.
5 2
2
9. If a clock loses 5 seconds every 12 Jeffrey’s stride is 2 feet. We are
minutes, how many minutes will it 3
lose in a 24 hour period? asked to find the ratio of Jim’s
There are 5 12-minute intervals in 1 strides to Jeffrey’s if they both walk
hour or 5 × 24 = 120 12-minute one mile. Jim takes
intervals in a day. 5280 5280 5280  2
120 × 5 = 600 seconds    1056  2 
But remember that we were asked
1 5 5
2
for minutes. 2 2
600 2112 strides. Jeffrey takes
 10 Ans.
60
 5280 5280 5280  3
   660  3 
2 8 8 the number we started with?
2
3 3
1980 strides.
2112 528 176 16
   Ans.
1980 495 165 15
13. Kelly drove north for 12 miles and
then east for 9 miles at an average
rate of 42 miles per hour. Brenda
left from the same location and went
directly to the same place at an
average of 45 miles per hour. That
looks like a right triangle!
And it’s a 9, 12, 15 right triangle at
that.
Kelly drove 9 + 12 = 21 miles at 42
mph which means it took her 30
minutes.
Brenda drove 15 miles at 45 mph
which means she spent 20 minutes
driving there. So how many minutes
earlier did Brenda get there?
30 – 20 = 10 Ans.
14. A bag contains 21 marbles that are
either blue or red. There are twice
as many red marbles as blue ones
and we are asked to find the
probability that if we pick two
marbles, with no replacement, that
one marble is red and one is blue.
There are 14 red marbles and 7
blue ones. The probability of
choosing the blue marble first and
then the red marble is:
7 14 1 7 7
   
21 20 3 10 30
The probability of choosing the red
marble first and then the blue
7 area of the shaded triangle to the
marble is also
.
30
7 7 14 7
   Ans.
30 30 30 15
15. The integers from 1 through 15 are
written in numerical order going
clockwise around a circle. Every
third number is removed until the
only number left is 11. So what was
First we can’t even consider starting
counting with 3, 6, 9, 12 or 15
because 11 would get removed
immediately (i.e., if we start at 3, we
then remove 5, 8, 11 and we’d be
done). That leaves starting with 1,
2, 4, 5, 7 8, 10, 11, 13 and 14. Let’s
try 1 as the start and see what
happens. (Removed numbers will
be in bold.)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
1 2 4 5 7 8 10 11 13 14
1 2 5 7 10 11 14
1 2 5 7 10 11 14
2 5 10 11
2 5 11 and we’re out. Now 2.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
1 2 3 5 6 8 9 11 12 14 15
2 3 6 8 11 No good. Now 4.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
1 2 3 4 5 7 8 10 11 No good. Now
5.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 11 12 14 15
2 3 5 6 9 11 14 15
3 5 9 11 15
3 9 11 Urf! No good. Now 7
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 13 14
1 2 4 5 7 8 11 13
1 2 5 7 11 13
2 5 11 13
5 11
5 11 Whew! 9 Ans.
16. Two sides of a square are divided
into fourths and another side of the
square is trisected, as shown.
We are asked to find the ratio of the
area of the square.
Let s = the side of the square. By
turning the figure 90° clockwise, we
see that the base of the shaded
triangle is s and the height is 34 s .
This makes the area of the shaded
 triangle 1
2 s  34 s = 83 s 2 . The area of
2
the square is s .
So the ratio of the area of the
shaded triangle to the area of the
square is: shown.
st
3 2 Obviously triangle ABC. Our 1
s isosceles triangle. We know that
8  3 Ans. <ABD = <DBE = 36
s2 8 We also know that <BCA = 72
(since triangle ABC is isosceles).
17. Lauren solved the equation: This makes <BAC = 180 – 72 – 72 =
x5  2 36.
So let’s look at triangle ABD. Is it
The solutions for this equation also
isosceles? < BAD = 36 and so is
satisfy an equation of the form
2 <ABD. Yes it is. Now we have 2
x + bx + c = 0
isosceles triangles. And this makes
And we are asked to find b and c
<BDA = 180 – 72 = 108.
and express them as an ordered
Now look at triangle BDC.
pair.
<DBC = 36. <BCD = 72 which
The two solutions for x  5  2 are means <BDC = 72. Yes it is. This
as follows. If x – 5 is a positive brings us to 3 isosceles triangles.
value, then Now look at triangle DEF.
x–5=2 Because DE || AB and BD || EF and
x=2+5=7 rules on corresponding angles we
If x – 5 is a negative value then have <DEF = <ABD = 36 and we
x – 5 = –2 have <<EFD = <BDA = 108, which
x = –2 + 5 = 3 makes <EDF = 36. So triangle DEF
If x = 7 then is also isosceles. This makes 4.
2
7 + 7b + c = 0 How about BDE?
49 + 7b + c = 0 <BDE = 180 – (<BDA + <EDF) =
If x = 3 then 180 – 108 – 36 = 36. Since <DBE =
2
3 + 3b + c = 0 36, this triangle is also isosceles.
9 + 3b + c = 0 This makes 5.
Subtracting 9 + 3b + c = 0 from 49 + How about EFC?
7b + c = 0 we get <BCA = 72. <EFC = 180 – EFD =
40 + 4b = 0 180 – 108 = 72. Yes it is. This
b = –10 makes 6 isosceles triangles.
9 + (3 × –10) + c = 0 Finally, how about DEC?
9 – 30 + c = 0 <EDC = 36 and < BCA = 72 so
–21 + c = 0 <EFC = 72. Yes. 7 Ans.
c = 21
(–10, 21) Ans. 19. Positive integers x and y have a
product of 56 and x < y. 7 times the
18. In triangle ABC, AB is congruent to reciprocal of the smaller integer plus
AC, the measure of < ABC is 72º 14 times the reciprocal of the larger
and segment BD bisects < ABC with integer equals 4. We are asked to
point D on side AC. Point E is on find x.
side BC such that segment DE is xy = 56
parallel to side AB. Point F is on 1 1
side AC such that segment EF is 7  14   4
x y
parallel to segment BD. We are
asked to find how many isosceles 7 14
 4
triangles there are in the figure x y
 14 x 39 Ans.
7  4x
y 21. A circle with a radius of 2 units has
7y + 14x = 4xy its center at (0,0). A circle with a
Since xy = 56, radius of 7 units has its center at
7y + 14x = 56 × 4 = 224 (15,0). A line tangent to both circles
y + 2x = 32 intersects the x-axis at (x,0) to the
y = 32 – 2x right of the origin. We are asked to
x × (32 – 2x) = 56 find x.
2
32x – 2x = 56
2
16x – x = 28
2
x – 16x + 28 = 0
(x – 14) × (x – 2) = 0
We need x < y so x = 2. Ans.

20. When a positive integer is divided

by 7, the remainder is 4. When the
same integer is divided by 9, the
remainder is 3. We are asked to find
the smallest possible value of this Draw a line perpendicular to the
integer. tangent from the center of each
Let x be the number. circle. We then get two triangles,
Let y be the value when x is divided the first whose hypotenuse is x and
by 7 and let z be the value when x is the second whose hypotenuse is 15
divided by 9. Then, – x.
x These two triangles are similar.
 y4 They both have right angles at the
7
tangent. The angles where they
x
 z3 cross at (x,0) are the same as well.
9 We can use a proportion here.
x = 7y + 28 2 x
x = 9z + 27 
7y + 28 = 9z + 27
7 15  x
30 – 2x = 7x
7y + 1 = 9z
30 = 9x
So when is 7y + 1 a multiple of 9?
30 10
Or what multiple of 9, when x=  Ans.
subtracted by 1 is a multiple of 7? 9 3
Let’s just look at a few numbers…
9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 81, 90, 22. The first term of an arithmetic
99 sequence is 1. Another term is 91.
Subtract 1 and we get: All terms are integers. So how
8, 17, 26, 35, 44, 53, 62, 71, 80, 89, many distinct sequences meet these
98. three conditions?
Are any of these multiples of 7? An arithmetic sequence is a
Yes. 35 = 7 × 5 sequence of real numbers for which
Then y = 5 and z = 4 each number is the previous term
x plus a constant.
 5R 4 91 – 1 = 90
7
Therefore, we need to find the
x = 7 × 5 + 4 = 35 + 4 = 49
number of factors of 90. They are 1,
Is this right?
2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 15, 18, 30, 45 and
39
 5R 4 90 for a total of 12 factors. For
7 example, using 10, we have the
39 sequence, 1, 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61,
 4 R3 71, 81, 91 etc.
9
 12 Ans. 25. How many integers between 1 and
200 are multiples of both 3 and 5
23. A circular cylindrical post with a but not of either 4 or 7?
circumference of 4 feet has a string Integers between 1 and 200 that are
wrapped around it. It spirals from multiples of both 3 and 5 are
the bottom to the top of the post. It integers that are multiples of 15.
goes around the post exactly 4 Let’s list them.
times. The height of the post is 12 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120,
feet so what is the length of the 135, 150, 165, 180, 195
string? Of these 60, 120, and 180 are
If we opened up the cylinder, we’d multiples of 4 leaving us with
have a rectangle of the size 12 × 4. 15, 30, 45, 75, 90, 105, 135, 150,
And it would look like this. 165, 195
How many of these are multiples of
7? They all end in 5 or 0. I don’t
see 70 or 140 so we can forget that.
What multiples of 7 end in 5? 35 is
one but that’s not here. 105 is one
and I do see that. We remove it.
175 is the next and that is not here.
15, 30, 45, 75, 90, 135, 150, 165,
195 are the remaining numbers.
Since it goes around 4 times, each That’s a total of 9. 9 Ans.
time it has ―climbed‖ 3 feet up the
cylinder, so you can see we have 26. Kevin starts with the integers 1, 2, 3
nice 3, 4, 5 right triangles. and 4 each used exactly once and
4 × 5 = 20 Ans. written in a row in any order. He
finds the sum of the adjacent pairs
24. The areas of two squares differ by of integers in each row to make a
100 square units. The perimeters of new row until 1 integer is left. How
the two squares differ by 10 units. many possible final numbers are
So what is the perimeter of the there?
smaller square. First, let x, y, z, and w represent 1
Let x = the side of the first square. through 4 in no specific order. If we
Let y = the side of the second put the 4 numbers together as
square. Then x y z w then the first set of sums
2 2
y – x = 100 and are:
4y – 4x = 10 x + y, y + z, and z + w
10 5 The second set of sums are:
y–x=  x + y + y + z = x + 2y + z,
4 2 y + z + z + w = y + 2z + w
5 The final sum is:
y=x+
2 x + 2y + z + y + 2z + w =
2 x + 3y + 3z + w
 5 So now, all we have to do is vary x
 x    x  100
2
and w and we can compute the rest.
 2  x w y z 3y 3z Total
5 5 25 1 2 3 4 9 12 24
x2  x  x   x 2  100
2 2 4 1 3 2 4 6 12 22
1 4 2 3 6 9 20
25 400 25 375
5 x  100     2 3 1 4 3 12 20
4 4 4 4 2 4 1 3 3 9 18
375 4 3 4 1 2 3 6 16
4x    75 Ans. Final combinations are 16, 18, 20,
4 5 22, 24.
 5 Ans.

27. A rectangular formation has m band

members in each of r rows where m
and r are integers. The band has
less than 100 band members. They
are arranged in a formation such
that 2 members are left over. If the We know that the base radius is 3
number of members in each row is so the diameter of the cylinder is 6.
increased by 1 and the number of We also know that the diagonal
rows are reduced by 2, then there drawn in the cylinder above is the
are exactly enough places in the diameter of the sphere or 10.
new formation. We are asked to That just leaves us with figuring out
find the largest number of members the height and this is really looking
the band could have. like a 6, 8, 10 right triangle.
We know the following things: The height is 8.
m Vcyl = r h    32  8  72
2
 xR 2
r Vsphere =
or 4 3 4 500
m  rx  2 r     53  
3 3 3
m Vsphere – Vcyl =
 x 1
r2 500 500 216
m = (r – 2) × (x + 1) = rx + r -2x – 2
  72   
3 3 3
rx + 2 = rx + r -2x – 2
284
2 = r – 2x – 2  Ans.
4 = r – 2x 3
Since m is rx + 2 and m is less than
2
100 rx must be less than 98. 29. Given that x – 5x + 8 = 1, what is
Let’s just try something. Suppose r the positive value of
= 20 and x = 8. Then 20 – 16 = 4. 4 3 2
x – 10x + 25x – 9?
But 20 × 8 = 160. And that’s way 2
x – 5x = 1 – 8 = -7
too big. Let’s take this down a bit
more. x 2
 5x 
2
 x 4  10 x 3  25x 2
Suppose r = 16 and 2x = 12. Then
x = 6 and we get 16 × 6 = 96. Could
 72  9  49  9  40 Ans.
it be any higher? (And you thought this was gonna be
Suppose r = 18 and x = 7. hard?)
18 × 7 > 100
So that would make m = 96 + 2 = 30. Celeste has 10 songs on her MP3
98. Does this work? and her favorite is 3 minutes long.
The time length of each song is
98
 6R2 different. If the songs are ordered
16 by length, the shortest song is 30
98 seconds long and each subsequent
 7 Yes it does! 98 Ans. song is 30 seconds longer than the
14 previous one. The MP3 plays the
songs in random order and will play
28. A right cylinder with a base radius of all before repeating any song. We
3 units is inscribed in a sphere of are asked to find the probability that
radius 5 units. What is the total she hears the first 4 minutes, 30
volume of the space inside the seconds of music without hearing
sphere and outside the cylinder? every second of her favorite song.
First thing we need to do is figure The 10 songs are 30, 60, 90, 120,
out the height of the cylinder. 150, 180, 210, 240, 270 and 300
Let’s draw a picture of that cylinder. seconds long. Her favorite one is
 210 long. 4 minutes and 30
seconds is 270 seconds.
Sometimes it’s easier to find the
opposite probability. In this case,
how is it possible that she will hear
all of her song.
The first possibility is that her song
plays first.
The second possibility is that her
song plays second after the 30
second song.
The third possibility is that her song
plays second after the 60 second
song.
Anything else will keep her from
hearing all of it.
The probability that her song is
1 get at least one of each kind, how
played first is . many combinations will satisfy his
10
The probability that the 30 second
song is played first followed by her
1 1 1
song is   .
10 9 90
The probability that the 60 second
song is played first followed by her
1 1 1
song is   . where we have 2 of each of 2 types
10 9 90
Then the total probability of hearing
all of her favorite song is
1 1 1 9 2 11
    
10 90 90 90 90 90
Which means the probability of NOT
hearing all of her favorite song is
11 90 11 79
1     Ans.
90 90 90 90
TARGET ROUND
1. We have a 100-acre ranch. Cows
require ten acres each of grazing
land. Sheep require three acres
each of grazing land. We are asked
to find how many ways there are to
stock the ranch so that it includes at
least one cow and one sheep.
We certainly can’t have 10 cows
because then we’d have no sheep.
If we had 9 cows they would use 90
acres but we couldn’t fully utilize the
rest of the land with sheep because
we could put 3 sheep in using 9
acres. But that would leave 1 acre
unutilized.
The same would be true with 8 cows
because they would use 80 acres
and 100 – 80 = 20 is not divisible by
3. 30 acres is so we could certainly
have 7 cows and 10 sheep.
Similarly, we can’t have 6 or 5 cows
but we could have 4 cows using 40
acres and that would leave 60 acres
for 20 sheep. That’s the second
way.
Similarly, we also can’t have 3 or 2
cows but we could have 1 cow and
30 sheep for the third way. 3 Ans.
2. Bill buys 6 donuts. If the shop has
four kinds of donuts and Bill must
buying 6 donuts?
Let’s look at how we can have 3
donuts of one kind. We can first
pick 3 of one type of donuts and one
of each of the other 3 types. We
can do that for all 4 types of donuts
so we have 4 combinations.
Now we look at having combinations
of donuts and one of each of the
other 2 types of donuts. There are
43
 6 combinations of those.
2
And that’s it. 4 + 6 = 10 Ans.
3. What is the shortest distance from
the point (6,0) to the line y = 2x – 2?
The shortest distance from (6,0) to
the line can be found by drawing a
line perpendicular to the line that
goes through (6,0).
The slope of y = 2x – 2 = 2. The
slope of the line perpendicular to y =
1 1
2x – 2 is  
m 2
The equation of the perpendicular
1
line is y   xb
2
(6,0) goes through this line so
1
0   6b
2
0 = -3 + b
b=3
Thus, the equation of the
 perpendicular line is
1 4,4,2 as another triangle we can
y   x3
2 because 4 + 4 > 6 and 6 + 4 > 4.
These two lines meet when
1 look triangles that have two sides of
 x  3  2x  2
2
-x + 6 = 4x – 4
5x = 10
x=2
y=2
This gives us the following figure:
The equation y = 2x – 2 crosses the
x-axis at (1,0). If we drop a
perpendicular from (2,2) to the x-
axis we can figure out the length of
(1,0) to (2,2).
Let x = the length of the line
connecting (1, 0) to (2,2). Let y =
the length of the line connecting
(2,2) to (6,0). The length of the line
connecting (1,0) to (6,0) is 6 – 1 = 5.
The length of the perpendicular
connecting (2,2) to (2,0) is 2.
2 2 2
1 +2 =x =1+4=5
2 2 2
x + y = 5 = 25
2
5 + y = 25
2
y = 25 – 5 = 20
y= 20  2 5 Ans.
4. We have an unlimited supply of
unbreakable sticks of length 2, 4
and 6 inches. Using these sticks,
how many non-congruent triangles
can be made?
The first thing we must remember is
that the sum of two sides of a
triangle must be greater than the
third side.
Now, let’s start by enumerating the
equilateral triangles. We have 3:
2,2,2 4,4,4 and 6,6,6.
Now let’s look at isosceles triangles.
If we have two sides of size 2, what
can the third side be? Nothing. 2 +
2 can’t be greater than 4 or 6 so we
don’t have either of those. How
about two sides of length 4? Then
we can definitely choose 2 because
4 + 2 > 4 and 4 + 4 > 2. So we have
choose. How about 4,4,6? Yes
So we’re up to 5 triangles. Now let’s
length 6. 6,6,2 is okay because 6 +
6 > 2 and 6 + 2 > 6. And 6,6,4 is
okay as well so we’re up to 7
triangles. Now we consider a
triangle all of whose sides are
different values, i.e., 2, 4, 6.
2 + 4 > 6? No. So we’re done.
7 Ans.
5. How many ordered triples (a, b, c) of
positive integers satisfy the equation
a + b + c = 6?
Enumerate the possibilities:
1 1 4 (there are 3 versions, ie., 141
and 411)
1 2 3 (there are 3! = 6 versions)
2 2 2 (just one version)
and that’s it.
3 + 6 + 1 = 10 Ans.
6. Each of 6 teams plays the other
teams exactly once during the
season. There were no ties and at
the end of the season, n teams had
the same best record. What’s the
maximum possible value of n?
So how many games do they play?
65
2
= 15 games
How many wins and losses can
there be? Obviously 15 wins and 15
losses. So can 6 teams have the
same number of wins? No because
15 is not evenly divisible by 6. But 5
is. If 5 teams each win 3 and lose 2
and one team loses all 5 we have
our answer. 5 Ans.
7. A right pyramid has a square base
that measures 10 cm on each side.
Its peak is 12 cm above the center
of the base. We are asked to find
the sum of the lengths of the
pyramid’s 8 edges.
 using 10 binary digits? No, not
without creating a number larger
than 1000. So we should move to 9
binary digits.
1111111112 = 511
What is the largest number less
than 511 whose integers sum to 8?
Four of those edges are just 10 cm 503. What is 503 in binary?
each. To find the other sides, draw 503 =
a ―half‖ diagonal starting at where 1 × 256 +
the center of the base to an edge 1 × 128 +
(as I did in grey). That line is just 1 × 64 +
half the diagonal of the 10 × 10 1 × 32 +
square. If d is the diagonal, 1 × 16 +
2 2 2 0×8+
d = 10 + 10 = 100 + 100 = 200
1×4+
d= 200  10 2 1×2+
d 10 1×1=
 2 5 2 1111101112
2 2
503 Ans.
Let x = the edge of the pyramid that
is the hypotenuse of the triangle
consisting of the line connecting the TEAM ROUND
peak to the base and the half
diagonal. Then 1. Zip codes are of the form abcde-
2 fghji where each letter represents a
12 2  5 2  x 2 digit. How many zip codes are
2
144 + 50 = 194 = x possible where a is not 0?
x ≈ 13.928388 There are 10 choices for each letter
13.928388 × 4 ≈ 55.713553 ≈ 56 except a where there are 9 choices.
56 + (4 × 10) = 56 + 40 = 96 Ans. 9 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 ×
10 × 10 =
8
8. There are two options to transmit a 9 × 10 Ans.
positive integer less than 1000.
Option 1: Pay $d to send each digit x 1 17
d. 2.  1.0625  1 
Option 2: Encode the integer into y 16 16
binary first and then pay $d to send x and y are positive and
each digit d. We are asked to find x < 50 and y < 50.
the largest integer less than 1000 17 34 51
that costs the same whether using  
Option 1 or Option 2.
16 32 48
So what’s the maximum charge we Only the first two fractions work
could have with option 2? 999 = since 51 > 50>
1 × 512 + 17 + 16 + 34 + 32 =
1 × 256 + 33 + 66 = 99 Ans.
1 × 128 +
1 × 64 + 3. A jumbo jet can travel its own length
1 × 32 + in 20 seconds. At this same speed,
0 × 16 + the jet can taxi past a 710 foot long
0×8+ hangar in 70 seconds. So what is
1×4+ the length of the jumbo jet?
1×2+ Let x be the length of the jet.
1 × 1 or 11111001112 Let y be the speed of the jet in feet
That’s 8 1’s. Could we have 9 1’s? per second. Remember that the jet
No. Not without making a larger must completely pass the hangar!
number. So what about 8 ones Then
 x the circle making the measure of
 20 and angle TZX 60º which means that the
y measure of angle XTZ is also 60º.
710  x Therefore XZ = XT = r = 6. Ans.
 70
y 6. We are given a system of
x = 20y inequalities:
710 + x = 70y 2x > 3x – 3
710 + 20y = 70y 3x – a > -6
710 = 50y How many positive integral values
710 71 of a are there for which x = 2 is the
y=  only positive integer solution?
50 5
Substitute 2 for x in the second
20  71
x = 20y =  71  4  284 equation.
5 3 × 2 – a > -6
Ans. 6 – a > -6
12 – a > 0
4. The 10 letters in the name Cybil and a < 12
Ronda are placed on identical cards 2x > 3x – 3
so that each of the 10 cards 0>x–3
contains one letter. Without 3>x
replacement, two cards are selected x must be positive so x could be 1 or
at random. What is the probability 2.
that one letter is from each sister’s We must also look at what happens
name? when we choose a value for a
The probability that a letter from between 1 and 11.
Cybil’s name is picked first is If x = 1, then
5 5 1 5 5 3 – a > -6
    -a > -9
10 9 2 9 18 a<9
Similary, the probability that a letter So a must be 9, 10 or 11.
from Ronda’s name is picked first is 3 Ans.
5
. 7. We have two candles one of which
18 is 20 cm taller than the other. They
5 5 10 5
   Ans. are both lit at the same time. 5
18 18 18 9 hours later they were both at the
same height. The taller one burned
5. Circle T has a circumference of 12π all of its wax in six hours while the
inches and segment XY is a shorter one burned all of its wax in
diameter. The measure of angle 10 hours. So what is the ratio of the
TXZ is 60º. So what is the length of original height of the shorter candle
segment XZ? to the original height of the taller
candle?
Let x be the height of the smaller
candle. Then x + 20 is the height of
the larger candle. The taller one
x  20
burns at the rate of per
6
First, let’s find the radius of circle T.
hour. The smaller one burns at the
C = 2πr
12π = 2πr x
rate of per hour. After 5 hours
r=6 10
If we draw a line from T to Z we x  20
have made an equilateral triangle there was of the larger
since both TX and TZ are radii of 6
 5x x 39 13
candle left and  of the  Ans.
10 2 6  6  6 72
smaller candle left. These two
values, i.e., the lengths of the 9. In the figure, m<A = 28º, m<B = 74º
candles after 5 hours of burning, are and m<C = 26º. We are asked to
equal. find the value of x + y.
x  20 x

6 2
6x = 2x + 40
4x = 40
x = 10 Since <C = 26 and the triangle that
x + 20 = 30 contains it also contains a 90
shorter 10 1 degree angle, the third angle must
  Ans. be 180 – (90 + 26) = 180 – 116 = 64
longer 30 3 If we now look at the triangle which
contains the angle of yº, the angle to
8. Each of three six-sided dice is rolled the upper right of that is also 64 by
once. So what is the probability that corresponding angles. That leaves
the three numbers rolled are the the third angle in that triangle to be
lengths of the sides of an obtuse 180 – (64 + y) = 116 – y.
triangle? By corresponding angles the
In an obtuse triangle the length of rightmost angle in the five-sided
the side opposite the obtuse angle polygon that contains angles A and
must be larger than then length of B must also be 116 – y.
the hypotenuse if the triangle was a Now five-sided polygons must have
right triangle. angles whose sum is (5 – 2) × 180 =
So, if x, y and z are the sides of the 3 × 180 = 540 degrees. We already
triangle where z is opposite the know the measures of angles A and
obtuse angle and x <= y, then B, the 90º angle (obviously!!!) and
the one we got from corresponding
z  x 2  y 2 and z < x + y.
angles (116 – y). So what about the
So what values of the dice can give one that has x as its exterior angle?
us an obtuse triangle? If x = y, then Well that’s just 360 – x. So:
let’s just make 3 columns for x, y 540 = 28 + 360 – x + 74 + 90 + 116
and z we can just list them –y
x y x2  y2 z 540 = 388 – x + 164 + 116 – y
540 = 668 – x – y
2 2 2.8 3 x + y = 668 – 540 = 128 Ans.
3 3 4.3 5
4 4 5.6 6 10. A circular tabletop is divided into
5 5 7.1 NO four congruent sectors by two
diameters that are perpendicular to
If x < y, each other. Each sector will be
x y x2  y2 z painted with one of four colors. How
many distinct ways can the table be
2 3 3.6 4 painted?
2 4 4.5 5 Since we don’t have to use all 4
2 5 5.4 6 colors in painting the tabletop, let’s
3 4 5 6 start with just using one color.
3 5 5.8 6 Clearly we have four ways.
4 5 6.4 NO
There are only 3 permutations for
the first set and 6 permutations for
the second set.
3 × 3 + 5 × 6 = 9 + 30 = 39 ways
 Finally how about 4 colors?
Here are all the possibilities with red
in the upper left-hand corner.

Now let’s look at two different

colors. There can either be 2
sections of each or there can be 3 of
one color and 1 of another. When
there are 2 of each, we have two
different ways we can do it. Either
the same colors are together or they
are opposite each other.

How many combinations are there? Are these all distinct? Yes. But we
will gain no new combinations by
43
 6 for each of the two putting another color in the top left
2 corner since we can just rotate the
circles above or a total of 12 ways. given circles around until we get the
That’s 12 + 4 = 16 so far. Now let’s desired color in the top left corner.
look at having 3 of one color and 1 Therefore, we have added only 6
of another. If we have 3 red, the more.
other section can be blue, green or 64 + 6 = 70 Ans.
yellow—that’s 3 options. The set of
three same-colored sections can be
anyone of the 4 colors, thus there
are 4 × 3 = 12 possible
combinations. That’s 16 + 12 = 28
so far.
Now let’s look at 3 different colors.
We have 2 different ways we can do
it. For the one color that will be
chosen twice the two quadrants can
be together or opposite as before.

How many combinations are there?

4  3 2
 6 for each choice of
2 2
color that will be used twice so a
total 6 × 4 = 24 for each type. Oh,
but wait, red, blue, red, green will
rotate to be the same as red, green,
red, blue. Thus when the color
chosen twice is in opposite sections,
there are only 12 possible
arrangements.
Giving us 24 + 12 = 36 ways for 3
colors.
36 + 28 = 64 so far.