75

Solutions to the 2013 Olympiad Hamilton Paper

1. If xy = 10 and (x + 1)(y + 1) = 20, what is the value of (x + 2) (y + 2)?

Solution
We are given two equations
xy = 10 (1)

and
(x + 1) (y + 1) = 20. (2)
After expanding the left-hand side of equation (2), we obtain
xy + x + y + 1 = 20,
from which we get, substituting from equation (1),
10 + x + y + 1 = 20.
Hence
x + y = 9. (3)
Now we are asked to find the value of
(x + 2) (y + 2) ,
which we may expand to obtain
xy + 2x + 2y + 4.
Rewriting this in the form
xy + 2 (x + y) + 4
we may substitute from equations (1) and (3) to get 10 + 2 × 9 + 4 = 32.
Hence the value of (x + 2) (y + 2) is 32.
76

2. The sides of an equilateral triangle T are three

tangents of a circle C, as shown. Prove that

area of C circumference of C
= .
area of T perimeter length of T
C T

Solution
Let the radius of the circle be r . Hence the circumference of the circle is 2πr and the
area of the circle is πr 2.
The angles in an equilateral triangle are all 60°.
Join the centre of the circle, a vertex of the triangle, and a point of contact of the triangle
and circle, to form the shaded triangle shown in the following figure. Note that the
interior of T may be divided into 6 such triangles.

C T

Since the tangent to a circle is perpendicular to the radius, the shaded triangle is right-
angled. Also, the line joining the centre of the circle to a vertex of T bisects the interior
angle of T, since the sides of T are tangents to the circle.
Hence the shaded triangle has angles of 30°, 60° and 90°, so that it is half an equilateral
triangle and therefore its sides are in the ratio 1 : 3 : 2. But one side has length r , so
the other two sides have lengths 3r and 2r .
Therefore the perimeter of T has length 6 × 3r , so that
circumference of C 2πr
=
perimeter length of T 6 3r
π
= .
3 3
Also, the shaded triangle has area 12 × 3r × r . Hence T has area
6 × 12 × 3r × r = 3 3r2 ,
area of C πr2
so that =
area of T 3 3r 2
π
= .
3 3
It follows that
area of C circumference of C
= ,
area of T perimeter length of T
as required.
 77

3. Pablo plans to take several unit cubes and arrange them to form a larger cube. He will
then paint some of the faces of the larger cube. When the paint has dried, he will split
the larger cube into unit cubes again.

Suppose that Pablo wants exactly 150 of the unit cubes to have no paint on them at all.
How many faces of the larger cube should he paint?

Solution
Suppose that the larger cube is made up of n × n × n smaller cubes.
Now the unpainted smaller cubes form a cuboid, and we can work out the number of
unpainted smaller cubes in the form abc. Here a is either n (if neither the left nor the
right face is painted), or n − 1 (if exactly one of the two faces is painted), or n − 2 (if
both are). Similarly, b is n, n − 1 or n − 2 depending on which of the front and back
faces are painted, and c is n, n − 1 or n − 2 depending on which of the top and bottom
faces are painted.
So we are trying to express 150 as a product of three numbers that differ by at most 2.
Now the prime factorisation of 150 is 2 × 3 × 5 × 5. Combining the 2 and 3 gives
150 = 5 × 5 × 6, which is of the desired form. Any other option has the form
150 = 1 × r × s, or 150 = 2 × r × s or 150 = 3 × r × s, and none of these is possible since
one of r and s will differ from the first factor by more than 2 (indeed, one of r and s will
be greater than 7, because 3 × 7 × 7 < 150). Thus 5 × 5 × 6 is the only way of writing 150
in the required form.
Finally, abc = 5 × 5 × 6 corresponds to either
abc = (n − 1) × (n − 1) × n with n = 6,

or

abc = (n − 2) × (n − 2) × (n − 1) with n = 7.
These in turn correspond to either two or five faces being painted: if he has made a
6 × 6 × 6 cube he should paint two (adjacent) faces; if he has made a 7 × 7 × 7 cube
he should paint five of the six faces.
78

4. The vertices of a square have coordinates (p, 0), (a, b), (c, d) and (0, q), where
a, b, c, d , p and q are all positive.
1
Prove that p + q = 3 (a + b + c + d).

Solution
If we rotate the right-angled triangle with coordinates (0, 0), (p, 0) and (0, q), about the
centre of the square, through 90°, 180° and 270°, we form a new larger square,
consisting of the original square and four congruent right-angled triangles, as shown.
From its construction, we know that the sides of the larger square have length p + q.

y W

(0, q)

(0, 0) (p, 0) x

Let V and W be the other two vertices of the original square, as shown. Then V has
coordinates (p + q, p) and W has coordinates (q, p + q).
Adding the sum of the coordinates of V to the sum of the coordinates of W , we obtain
(p + q) + p + q + (p + q) = 3 (p + q).
But V and W are (a, b) and (c, d), in some order. Adding together these four coordinates
in the same way, we obtain a + b + c + d.
Therefore
3 (p + q) = a + b + c + d,

so that
1
p+ q = 3 (a + b + c + d),
as required.

Note: We do not know which of V and W is (a, b), and which is (c, d). Given the way
we have set out the proof, it does not matter.
 79

5. When Anne entered the room, the mean age increased by 4 years. When Beth then
entered the room, the mean age increased by a further 3 years. Anne and Beth were the
same age.
How many people were in the room before Anne entered?

Solution
Let n be the number of people in the room before Anne entered, and let m years be the
mean age of these n people. Therefore the sum of the ages of these n people is mn years.
Finally, let the common age of Anne and Beth be y years.
When Anne entered the room, the total age increased by y to mn + y, and the number of
people increased by 1 to n + 1. But the mean age increased by 4 years. Hence
mn + y
m + 4 = ,
n + 1
which may be rearranged to give
mn + m + 4n + 4 = mn + y,

that is,
m + 4n + 4 = y. (1)
When Beth entered the room, the mean age increased by a further 3 years. Hence
mn + 2y
m + 7 = ,
n + 2
which may be rearranged to give
mn + 2m + 7n + 14 = mn + 2y,
that is,

2m + 7n + 14 = 2y. (2)
Doubling equation (1) and then subtracting equation (2), we obtain n − 6 = 0, so that
n = 6.
Hence there were 6 people in the room before Anne entered.
80

6. Two snails slither at the same speed around the perimeter of triangle XYZ , in which ∠Y
is a right angle. They start together at X, one travelling clockwise, the other
anticlockwise, until they meet at the point P on YZ.

Prove that
2 1 1
+ = .
XY YP PZ

Solution
Z

c z
P
y
X a Y
The two snails meet at the point P on YZ . It is convenient to introduce single letter
names for the lengths, so let XY = a, XZ = c, YP = y and PZ = z , as shown.
Since the two snails slither at the same speed
a + y = c + z,

so that
c = a + y − z. (1)
From Pythagoras' theorem in triangle XYZ , we have
a2 + (y + z)2 = c2.
Substituting from equation (1), we get
2 2 2
a + (y + z) = (a + y − z) .
When both sides of this equation are expanded, we notice that the terms a2, y2 and z2 (all
the square terms) appear on each side. Hence these terms may all be eliminated.
Equating the remaining terms on each side, we obtain
2yz = 2ay − 2az − 2yz,
that is,
4yz + 2az = 2ay.
Now dividing throughout by 2ayz, we get
2 1 1
+ =
a y z
which is
2 1 1
+ = ,
XY YP PZ
as required.