Practice Problems for Pre-RMO

Problem Set 3
July 2019

1. Consider the equation x2 + 4x ≡ 12 (mod 17). Find the number of solutions

modulo 17. (Two solutions are called distinct if they are not same modulo 17.)

2. Suppose that the polynomial f (x) = x3 − 3x2 + ax + 15 has three roots, two of
which sum to 8. What is the value of (−a)?

3. Four distinct numbers are chosen randomly from the set {1, 2, · · · , 14}. Suppose
that the probability that we have chosen some pair of the numbers that are
consecutive, can be written as m
n
(in reduced form). Write n − m as the answer.

4. Let n be the smallest positive integer such that 119n5 has exactly 119 positive
divisors (including 1 and itself). Find n and write the sum of digits of n as the
answer.
√ √
3
5. Suppose that a, b are real numbers such that 3 a − 3 b = 12 and ab = a+b+8 6
.
Write the value of (a − b)/12 as the answer.

6. Points A, B, C, D lie on a circle (in that ordering) so that AB = 6 and CD = 3.

Let AB and CD meet outside the circle at P . If P B = 4 and ∠AP D = 60◦ then
the area of the circle is nπ. Compute n.

7. Alice needs to move from (0, 0) to (5, 5), moving either one unit up or one unit
to the right at each step. However, she cannot walk from (2, 2) to (2, 3) because
a wall is in the way. If N be the number of different paths for Alice, write N/2
as the answer.

8. Let 4ABC has side-lengths AB = 10, BC = 21 and CA = 17. Suppose P QRS

is a rectangle such that P lies on AB; Q, R lie on BC; and S lies on CA. What
is the maximum possible area of P QRS?