Mathematics Olympiad

Pre-RMO, 2015

Narasimhan R. Chari

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Euclid wrote for mature persons preparing for the study of philosophy. Geometry was the best introduction to
deductive reasoning.
H. S. M. Coxeter

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References:

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I. F. Sharygin, Problems in Plane Geometry, Mir Publishers, 1988

H. S. M. Coxeter and S. L. Greitzer, Geometry Revisited, Mathematical Association of America, 1967

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Roger A. Johnson, Advanced Euclidean Geometry, Dover, 1929
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Christopher J. Bradley, Challenges in Geometry, Oxford University Press, 2005

Arthur Engel, Problem-Solving Strategies, Springer, 1998

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S. L. Loney, Plane Trigonometry, Cambridge, 1915

Arthur Engel, Problem Solving Strategies, Springer Verlag, 1998

R. Graham, D. Knuth, O. Patashnik, Concrete Mathematics, Second Edition, Addison-Wesley, 1994

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www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk, (Mactutor History of Mathematics, Univ. of St. Andrews, Scotland)

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 3 1
1. A man walks a certain distance and rides back in 3 hours; he could ride both ways in 2 hours.
4 2
How many hours would it take him to walk both ways?
1 1
Ans: He can ride both ways in 2 hours; hence his one-way ride takes 1 hours. Hence his
2 4
3 1 1
one-way walk takes him 3 − 1 = 2 hours. His two-way walking time is double of that, i.e.,
4 4 2
5 hours.

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a b
2. a and b are positive integers such that a + b = + ; find a2 + b2 .
b a

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Ans: ab(a + b) = a2 + b2 ⇒ a2 b = a2 = b2 − ab2 ⇒ a2 (b − 1) = b2 (1 − a); but a ≥ 1 and b ≥ 1,
given.

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Hence LHS ≥ 0 and RHS ≤ 0; the two sides can be equal only when both the sides are zero.
Hence a = b = 1 ⇒ a2 + b2 = 2.
3. The equations x2 − 4x + k = 0 and x2 + kx − 4 = 0, (where k is a real number), have exactly

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one common root. Find k.
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Ans: Let a be the common root. Then a2 − 4a + k = 0 and a2 + ka − 4 = 0. Subtracting, we
get −4a − ka + k + 4 = 0; −a(k + 4) + 1(k + 4) = 0 ⇒ (−a + 1)(k + 4) = 0 ⇒ a = 1 or k = −4.
If k = −4 then the equations become identical, x2 − 4x − 4 = 0; they would have two common
roots, contradiction.
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Hence a = 1 is the common root; (1)2 − 4(1) + k = 0 ⇒ k = 3

The first equation is x2 − 4x + 3 − 0 ⇒ x = 1 or x = 3;
The second equation is x2 + 3x − 4 − 0 ⇒ x = 1 or x = −4

4. Let P(x) be a non-zero polynomial with integer coefficients. If P(n) is divisible by n for each
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positive integer n, find P(0).

Ans: Let P(x) = a0 + a1 x + a2 x2 + . . . + ak xk , be the given polynomial of degree k with
ai ∈ Z, 1 ≤ i ≤ k. Substitute x = n, where n is any positive integer.
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P(n) = a0 + a1 n + a2 n2 + . . . + ak nk ; given n|P(n);

hence n divides P(n) − a1 n − a2 n2 + . . . − ak nk ;
hence n divides a0 , for all positive integers. This is not possible for a fixed integer a0 , unless
a0 = 0. Hence P(0) = a0 = 0.
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5. How many line segments have both their end-points located at the vertices of a given cube?
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Ans: A cube has 8 vertices. To draw any of the required line segments we can select any 2 out
of these vertices and join them. The number of ways of selecting 2 things out of 8 given objects

8×7
is 82 = = 28 ways.
1×2
6. Let E(n) denote the sum of the even digits of n. For example, E(1243) = 2 + 4 = 6. What is
the value of E(1) + E(2) + · · · + E(100)?
Ans: E(1) + E(2) + · · · + E(9) = 2 + 4 + 6 + 8 = 20;
E(11) + E(12) + · · · + E(19) = 20; E(20) + E(21) + · · · + E(29) = 2 × 10 + 20
E(30) + E(31) + · · · + E(39) = 20; E(40) + E(41) + · · · + E(49) = 4 × 10 + 20
E(50) + E(51) + · · · + E(59) = 20; E(60) + E(61) + · · · + E(69) = 6 × 10 + 20
E(70) + E(71) + · · · + E(79) = 20; E(80) + E(81) + · · · + E(89) = 8 × 10 + 20
E(90) + E(91) + · · · + E(100) = 20.
Adding we get, 20 × 10 + 10(2 + 4 + 6 + 8) = 400
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 7. How many two-digit positive integers N have the property that the sum of N and the number
obtained by reversing the order of the digits of N is a perfect square?
Ans: Take a two-digit number N = 10x + y where x and y are the digits of N. Hence 0 ≤ x ≤ 9
and 0 ≤ y ≤ 9.
The reversed number is 10y + x. The sum is 10x + y + 10y + x = 11x + 11y = 11(x + y) = z2 ,
given, where z is a positive integer. Hence 11| z; let z = 11k.
11(x + y) = 121k2 ⇒ x + y = 11k2 ; but x + y ≤ 18

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Hence x + y = 11; the possibilities of single digits which add up to 11 and the corresponding
integers N = 10x + y are given by N = 29, 38, 47, 56, 65, 74, 83, 92. There are 8 such numbers.

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8. AB is a chord of a circle; D is the mid-point of the minor arc AB; C is the mid-point of AB.
AB = 24 cm; CD = 6 cm. What is the radius of the circle?

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Ans: The center O of the circle lies outside the minor arc AB. Let OA = OB = r;
OD = r ⇒ OC = r − 6; OA2 = OC2 +CA2 ; r2 = (r − 6)2 + 122
r2 = r2 − 12r + 36 + 144 ⇒ r = 15 cm

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9. A 2 × 3 rectangle and a 3 × 4 rectangle are contained within a square without overlapping at any
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interior point. The sides of the square are parallel to the sides of the two given rectangles. Find
the smallest possible area of the square.
Ans: Since the rectangles are non-overlapping, the minimum length of a side of the square is
equal to min(2, 3) + min(3, 4) = 2 + 3 = 5. Hence the minimum area of the enclosing square is
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25.
10. Find the greatest possible perimeter of a right-angled triangle with integer sides if one of the
sides is of length 12.
Ans: Let a = a, b = 12 be the sides and c be the hypotenuse of the triangle. Then
a2 + 144 = c2 ⇒ (c + a)(c − a) = 144 = 1 × 144 = 2 × 72 = 3 × 48 etc.
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(c + a) + (c − a) = 2c, which is even; hence c + a and c − a have the same parity, i.e., either both
are even or both are odd. Hence c + a = 144 and c − a = 1 is not possible. The next possibility
is c + a = 72, c − a = 2. This gives the maximum possible value of c + a; hence the maximum
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possible perimeter is a + b + c = 72 + 12 = 84.

The corresponding Pythagorean triple is {12, 35, 37}.
11. In a rectangle ABCD, AB = 8, BC = 20. P is a point on AD such that ∠ BPC = 90◦ . Let
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r1 , r2 , r3 be the in-radii of the triangles ∆ APB, ∆ BPC, ∆CPD respectively. Find r1 + r2 + r3 .

Ans: If ∠ A = 90◦ in a right-angled triangle ABC, we know that
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b+c−a
the in-radius is given by r = .
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Let AP = a, PD = b, DC = c, BP = x, CP = y; a + b = 20; c = 8

a + 8 − x + x + y − 20 + b + c − y
Hence, r1 + r2 + r3 = = 8.
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12. a, b, c are real numbers. a − 7b + 8c = 4; 8a + 4b − c = 7. Find a2 − b2 + c2 .
Ans: a + 8c = 4 + 7b and 8a − c = 7 − 4b. Squaring and adding we get
a2 + 16ac + 64c2 + 64a2 − 16ac + c2 = 16 + 56b + 49b2 + 49 − 56b + 16b2
⇒ 65(a2 + c2 ) = 65(1 + b2 ) ⇒ a2 − b2 + c2 = 1

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13. n is the largest integer which is the product of exactly 3 distinct prime numbers x, y, 10x + y
such that x and y are digits. Find the sum of the digits of n.
Ans: The possible values of n are (2)(3)(23), (3)(7)(37), (5)(3)(53), (7)(3)(73) = 1533. Of
these, the last number is the largest. The sum of its digits is 12.
14. At a party each man danced with 4 women; each woman danced with 3 men. There were 9 men
present at the party. Find the number of women at the party.

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Ans: Suppose there are x women. There are 9 men; each danced with 4 women. Hence the
total number of dances is equal to (9)(4) = 36. Dancing is a symmetric operation, i.e., the total
number of dances must be the same counted from the men’s side or the women’s side. Each

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woman danced with 3 men; hence the total number of dances counted this way is 3x. Hence

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3x = 36 ⇒ x = 12.
15. Find xy if 3x + 2y = 985 and 3x − 2y = 473
Ans: Adding the two equations, we get 2 (3x ) = 1458 ⇒ 3x = 729 = 36 ⇒ x = 6

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36 + 2y = 985 ⇒ 2y = 256 = 28 ⇒ y = 8 ⇒ xy = 48
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16. In an acute-angled triangle ∆ ABC, D is the foot of the perpendicular from A onto BC. E is
the midpoint of BC; F is the midpoint of AC; ∠ BAE = 40◦ ; ∠ DAE = ∠ DFE. Find ∠ ADF in
degrees.
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Ans: Without loss of generality, assume AB > AC. Given ∠ DAE = ∠ DFE; hence AEDF is a
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cyclic quadrilateral. ∠ AFE = ∠ ADE = 90◦ ; ∠ EFC = 90◦ ; also EF k BA (and EF = BA).
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∠ BAC = ∠ EFC = 90◦ ; ∠ EAC = 90◦ − 40◦ = 50◦ ; ∠ EDF = 180◦ − 50◦ = 130◦ ;
∠ ADF = 130◦ − 90◦ = 40◦ .
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17. Let a, b, c be real numbers such that a + b + c = 0. Find the value of

a2 b2 c2
P= + + , assuming P is defined.
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2a2 + bc 2b2 + ca 2c2 + ab

Ans: 2a2 + bc = a2 + a2 + bc = a2 + a(−b − c) + bc, since a = −b − c ;

hence 2a2 + bc == a2 − ab − ac + bc = a(a − b) − c(a − b) = (a − b)(a − c) = −(a − b)(c − a)
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Similarly, 2b2 + ca = −(b − c)(a − b); similarly, 2c2 + ab = −(c − a)(b − c)

a2 b2 c2 −a2 −b2 −c2

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Hence P = + + = + +
2a2 + bc 2b2 + ca 2c2 + ab (a − b)(c − a) ((b − c)(a − b) (c − a)(b − c)
 2
a (b − c) + b2 (c − a) + c2 (a − b)

⇒P=−
(a − b)(b − c)(c − a)

The numerator can be factorised:

a2 (b − c) + b2 c − ab2 + c2 a − bc2 = a2 (b − c) + b2 c − bc2 − a(b2 − c2 )

= a2 (b − c) + bc(b − c) − a(b + c)(b − c)) = (b − c)(a2 + bc − ab − ac)

= (b − c)[a(a − b) − c(a − b)] = −(a − b)(b − c)(c − a) ⇒ P = 1

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18. Find the maximum number of elements in a subset B of {1, 2, . . . , 100} such that no two ele-
ments of B sum to 125.
Ans: We have 25 + 100 = 125; 26 + 99 = 125, etc., upto 62 + 63 = 125. From each of these 38
pairs we must remove one element. Hence B can be equal to, (for example)

B = {1, 2, . . . , 24} ∪ {25, 26, . . . , 62}. Hence the maximum number of elements in B is 62.

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19. The digits of a positive integer are four consecutive integers in decreasing order when read from

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left to right. What is the sum of the possible remainders when the number is divided by 37?

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Ans: The possible values of the integer are {3210, 4321, 5432, 6543, 7654, 8765, 9876}. Since
we require the remainder when the numbers are divided by 37, we can add or subtract any mul-
tiples of 37 ; i.e., go mod 37;

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37 × 3 = 111 ⇒ 37 divides all the numbers 3330, 4440, 5550, 6660, 7770, 8880, 9990. Sub-
tracting these numbers we get −(120 + 119 + 118 + 117 + 116 + 115 + 114); subtracting 111
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from each of these numbers we get −(9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3); adding 37 to each of these
numbers, we get
28 + 29 + 30 + 31 + 32 + 33 + 34 = 217.
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20. The circle ω touches the circle Ω internally at P. The centre O of Ω lies outside ω. Let XY
be a diameter of Ω which is also tangent to ω. Let l(PY ) > l(PX). Let PY intersect ω at Z.
If Y Z = 2 PZ , find ∠ PY X in degrees.
Ans: Let O0 be the centre of ω. OY = OP = R; O0 Z = O0 P = r; hence
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∠ OPZ = OY P = O0 ZP ⇒ OY k O0 Z; hence ∆ OY P and ∆ O0 ZP are similar. Hence,

PO0 PZ r 1
= ⇒ = ⇒ R = 3r
PO PY R 3
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OO0 = R − r = 2r. Let T be the point of contact of XY with ω. Then O0 T is perpendicular to

XY at T . Hence in ∆ OT O0 , we have OT O0 = 90◦ and OO0 = 2r = 2 (O0 T ); hence
∠ T OO0 = 30◦ ; ∠ OY P + ∠ OPY = 30◦ ; 2 ∠ PY X = 30◦ ; hence ∠ PY X = 15◦
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