FEBRUARY

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Three children started together walking
1 from a starting line around and
around a 250-meter-long circular
track. The first child walked at a
speed of 5 km/h, the second at 4 km/h,
and the third at 3 km/h. How many
minutes elapsed before they were all
crossing the starting line at the same
2 A cube has a letter on each of its faces.
The same letter may appear on more
than one side. The figure shows the
same cube after three different rolls.
What letters are on the bottom faces of
each cube shown?
3 In a certain leap year, the thirteenth
of the month was a Friday three times.
What day of the week was 29 February
that year?

E A

A
R
time? S O R S

4 You have three bottles. Their volumes
are three quarts, five quarts, and eight
quarts. The largest bottle is filled with
milk. A recipe calls for exactly four
quarts of milk. How can you measure
the four quarts of milk using only the
three available bottles?
5 What is the least value of y that
satisfies the following inequality?
4 + x +  5 + y  100
6 Find all positive integers n and m
such that n2 – m2 = 270.
7 When people play pool, they first
arrange the balls inside a frame, as
shown in the figure. The diameters of
the balls are all the same. Given that
AH = 33 cm, find the A
diameter of a ball.

8 Three friends each have a red, a white,
a yellow, a blue, and a green T-shirt. If
each of them randomly chooses a
T-shirt to wear, what is the
probability that they all choose
different colors?
9 Find the sum of all distinct four-digit
numbers that contain only the digits
1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, each at most once.
10 Exactly one of the following statements
is false:
a) Audrey is older than Beatrice.
b) Clement is younger than Beatrice.
c) The sum of the ages of Beatrice and
Clement is twice the age of Audrey.
d) Clement is older than Audrey.
Who is the youngest—Audrey, Beatrice,
or Clement?
11 I am mailing eight boxes, each con-
taining the same gift, to eight different
people. After sealing the boxes, I real-
ize that I accidentally packed my
address book in one of the boxes. By
using a balance scale, what is the
fewest number of weighings that I can
use to find the box containing my
address book?

Radio stations in the United States
12 have call letters that begin with either
13
K or W. Some have a total of three
letters, and others have four letters.
How many different call-letter
combinations are possible?
The letter E in the figure is formed
from ten unit squares. Cut this figure
14
into four pieces that can be rearranged
to form a square.
Form two four-digit numbers from the
digits 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, using
15 Given that 192 = 361, 1992 = 39601,
and 19992 = 3996001, find 199992.
each digit exactly once, so that the
absolute value of the difference of the
two numbers is as small as possible.
 We have three coins. A one-digit positive
16 integer is written on each side of a coin.
17
The six numbers used on the coins are
consecutive integers. Flipping the
coins once, we get 6, 7, and 8, for a
sum of 21. Then we flip them a few
more times for sums of 16, 17, 20, and
23. Which numbers are on the opposite
sides of numbers 6, 7, and 8,
respectively?
Bouquets are priced on the basis of the
20 numbers and types of flowers used.
21
What is the price of the fourth bouquet?
$4.20 $3.80
$4.80 $?
What is the least possible number of
24 children in the Jones family if each
25
child has at least one brother and one
sister?
Find the smallest value for x + 4/x,
28 where x is a positive integer.
29
An island in the sea has a triangular Which is larger, the total area of the
shape. Describe the point on the island
18 A survey of one thousand people found 19 shaded regions or the total area of the
that 70 percent of the people have a
that is farthest from the island’s shore. CD player, 85 percent have a telephone, unshaded regions?
and 45.2 percent have a computer. At
least how many people have all three
objects?
How many 0’s are at the end of the What is the greatest number of factors Show that all prime numbers greater
product of the first fifty positive
22 that a positive integer less than 100
23 than 3 are either 1 more or 1 less
integers? can have? than a multiple of 6.
In how many points do the curves Three dice are tossed. What is the
x = y2 and x2 = (y – 1)2 intersect?
26 probability that the numbers shown
27 Prove that a2 + b2 + c2 is never less
than ab + ac + bc for all real numbers
will all be different? a, b, and c.
The graph describes a six-hour trip
that Ramon recently took. What was
his average speed?
Distance from Home (in Miles)
d
100
80
60
40
20
1 2 3 4 5 6 t
Time (in Hours)
© National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-9988
 SOLUTIONS TO CALENDAR
Edited by Scott Stull, sstull@alum.mit.edu, EducAide Software, Richmond, CA 94806; associate editors Debra Kerr,
State College Area School District, Tyrone, PA 16686, and Jane Lataille, Windsor, CT 06095-1775
Problems 1–14, 16–21, and 29 were provided by Agnes Tuska, California State University, Fresno, Fresno, CA 93740.
Problems 15 and 22–28 were submitted by Joanne Caniglia, Ypsilanti, MI 48197.

1 Fifteen minutes. The 250
meters is equivalent to one-quarter
of a kilometer. If we let t be the
amount of time elapsed in hours,
and x, y, and z be the respective
numbers of times that the first,
second, and third child went
around the track, then we get
three equations,
x many numbers have 1 as the first
5t = ,
4 February falls two weekdays
y earlier. Therefore, if the thirteenth
4t = ,
4 since 270 is not divisible by 4.
and
z
3t = .
4 4 The following chart shows a
We rewrite these equations as
x = 20t,
y = 16t,
and
z = 12t
and observe that the least value
of t for which x, y, and z are posi-
tive integers is t = 1/4. Thus, the
solution is one-quarter hour, or
fifteen minutes.
2 S, A, and S. The first two cubes
are “unfolded” into these nets:
O
EA
The bottom faces of each cube graph 4 to the left and 5 down, so
will be opposite the faces showing the minimum value of y is –105.
A, S, and A, respectively, or S, A,
and S. 62 No 2solution is possible. For
n – m to be even, both n and m
3 Wednesday. If we look at a must have the same parity, that
calendar in any leap year, we see is, you must subtract an odd from
that the thirteenth falls on the an odd or an even from an even
same day in only three months— to obtain an even number. If both
January, April, and July. In leap numbers are even, then n2 – m2
years, the twenty-ninth of will be divisible by 4. Likewise, if
both are odd, then n2 – m2 will
also be divisible by 4. In either
of January is a Friday, the situation, we have a contradiction,
twenty-ninth of February will
be a Wednesday.
7 d = 6¡3 – 3  7.4 cm.
A
solution in six steps:
3-Quart 5-Quart 8-Quart
Bottle Bottle Bottle
4d
2 3d
0 0 8
0 5 3
3 2 3 2d
0 2 6 H
2 0 6 A < C < B implies that
The triangle shown is a 30-60-90
2 5 1 right triangle whose sides
3 4 1 measure 4d, 2d, and 2¡3d. From
this information, we find that
5 –105. To get the least possible AH = 2¡3d + d. Solving, we obtain
value of y, we set 4 + x equal to 33
0 and find the negative value of y d=
made, and 5 • 4 • 3 arrangements
are possible where each of the
three friends wears a different
color. Thus, the probability is
5 • 4 • 3 12
= .
53 25
9 399 960. First, consider how
digit. A total of 4 • 3 • 2, or 24,
such numbers exist. Similarly, 1
will appear as the second digit in
24 numbers, and so on. The same
argument works for 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Thus, the sum is
(1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5) • 24
• (1 + 10 + 100 + 1000) = 399 960.
10 Beatrice. Let Audrey’s,
Beatrice’s, and Clement’s ages be
A, B, and C, respectively. Four
cases must be considered.
1. Suppose that (a) is false. Then
A < C < B and B + C = 2A. This
result is a contradiction, since
B + C > 2A.
2. Suppose that (b) is false. Then
B < A < C and B + C = 2A. No
contradiction is apparent.
3. Suppose that (c) is false. Then
C < B < A and A < C, an

S obvious contradiction.
for which 5 + y = 100; there- 1+2 3
S

R 4. Suppose that (d) is false. Then

fore, y = –105.
By using the third Alternatively, we can consider =6 3–3 C < B < A and B + C = 2A. This
cube, we see how the graph of x + y  100. We ≈ 7.4 cm. result is a contradiction, since
EA

C < B < A implies that

S

these nets can see that the minimum value

are joined:
R
of y for this inequality is –100. 8 12/25. A total of 53 different B + C < 2A.
S
O

The initial inequality shifts this combinations of T-shirts can be So (b) is false, and A > B and C > A.

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126 THE MATHEMATICS TEACHER


Beatrice, therefore, is the
youngest.
11 Two weighings. First,
divide the eight boxes into groups
of three, three, and two. Balance
the two groups of three. If they
are of equal weight, then you
know that the address book is in
one of the two that you set aside,
and you can balance them to
determine which one contains the
book. If one group of three is
heavier than the other, choose
two boxes from the heavier group
and balance them. If one is heavier,
it contains the book. If they are of
equal weight, then the one that
you did not balance contains the
book.
12 36 504 combinations. The
number of combinations with
three letters is 2 • 262, and the
number of combinations with
four letters is 2 • 263; so 2 • 262 +
2 • 263 = 36 504 combinations.
Incidentally, one-third of these
combinations are already used by
the more than 12 000 radio
stations in the United States.
13 One solution is shown in
the following figure.
14 6234 – 5987 = 247.
15 399 960 001. If we were
unaware of the pattern, we could
obtain the solution as follows:
(20000 – 1)2 = 400000000 – 40000 +
1 = 399 960 001.
16 5, 9, and 4. The sum 16
implies that the digit 4 must
appear in the sequence, since 5 +
6 + 7 > 16; likewise, the sum 23
implies that the digit 9 must
appear, since 6 + 7 + 8 < 23. So
the digits are 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
With these integers, the only way
to get the sum 23 is 9 + 8 + 6, so
the 9 is opposite the 7. With this
new information, the only way to
get the sum 17 is 4 + 6 + 7. Since
the only way to get 16 is 4 + 5 + 7,
the 6 must be opposite the 5,
leaving the 4 opposite the 8.
Vol. 93, No. 2 • February 2000
SOLUTIONS TO CALENDAR
Alternatively, if the digits are
consecutive and you have 6, 7,
and 8, two of them must be 4 and
5 and the third must be either 3
or 9. Since 23 can come only from
6 + 8 + 9, then one digit must be
9 and it backs on 7; 17 must be
6 + 7 + 4, so 4 is opposite 8.
17
incenter
The point farthest from the shore
would be the center of the
inscribed circle to the triangle.
This point can be visualized by
imagining a growing circle from
any point inside the triangle. The
point farthest from the shore is
the point from which such a circle
can grow so that it is tangent to
all three sides of the triangle.
Alternatively, you can think of
the point farthest from shore as
the intersection of the angle
bisectors of the three angles of
the island.
18 Two people. Convert the
percents to numbers: 700 people
have CD players, 850 have tele-
phones, and 452 have computers.
Thus, at least 152 people have
both CD players and computers.
Since 150 people lack telephones,
at least 2 people must then have
all three items.
19 The total area of the shaded
regions is larger. An application
of the Pythagorean theorem can
be used to show that the ratio of
the area of a square to that of an
inscribed circle is 4/π. Similarly,
the ratio of the area of a circle to
that of an inscribed square is π /2.
Moving from the largest figures to
the increasingly smaller figures,
let the areas of the squares be S1,
S2, S3, and so on, and the areas of
the circles be C1, C2, C3, and so
on. Then the unshaded area, U, is
given by
U = S1 – C1 + S2 – C2 + ⋅ ⋅ ⋅
4 4
= C1 – C1 + C2 – C2 + ⋅ ⋅ ⋅
π π
4 
( )
=  – 1 C1 + C2 + ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ .
π 
Similarly, the area of the shaded
region, L, is
L = C1 – S2 + C2 – S3 + ⋅ ⋅ ⋅
2 2
= C1 – C1 + C2 – C2 + ⋅ ⋅ ⋅
π π
 2
 π
(
= 1 –  C1 + C2 + ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ . )
Since
2 4
1–> – 1,
π π
the shaded area, L, is larger.
20 $5.60
y and
y z x y z
x x
$4.20 $3.80
z z z y
x x y xy
x
$4.80 $?
Let x, y, and z denote the
respective prices of flowers. From
the given information, we have
three equations:
2x + y + z = 4.20
x + 2 y + z = 3.80
2x + 2z = 4.80
The solution is x = 1.10, y = 0.70,
and z = 1.30. Thus, the fourth
bouquet is priced at
2x + 3y + z
= 2 × 1.10 + 3 × 0.70 + 1.30,
or $5.60.
Alternatively, the last bouquet
is identical to the first bouquet,
which costs $4.20, with two
additional “y” flowers. In the
third bouquet, x + z = 2.40.
Therefore, from the second
bouquet, 2 y’s cost $1.40.
21 Twelve. At least one 0 will
occur for each multiple of 5
paired with an even number.
Since far more even numbers
occur than multiples of 5, we
need count only the multiples of
5; ten of these occur. However,
two multiples, specifically, 25 and
50, add two 0’s, not one, when
paired with an even number. So
the number of 0’s will be twelve.
22 Twelve. The number of fac-
tors in an integer can be found by
multiplying the numbers that are
one more than each of the
exponents in the prime factor-
ization of the number. For
instance, 50 = 21 • 52, so it has
(1 + 1) (2 + 1), or six, factors. By
examining the prime factor-
izations of numbers less than
100, we find that five of them
have twelve factors:
25 • 3 = 96,
23 • 32 = 72,
22 • 3 • 5 = 60,
22 • 3 • 7 = 84,
2 • 32 • 5 = 90.
23 The number 4 is not prime,
and 5 is 1 less than 6. All numbers
2 or 4 more than multiples of 6
are even and thus not prime. All
numbers 3 more than multiples
of 6 are multiples of 3 and are
thus not prime. Thus, all primes
are numbers 1 more or 5 more,
which is 1 less, than multiples
of 6.
24 Four children. Any brother
in the family must have at least
one brother and one sister, for a
total of three children. We have
already established that any of his
sisters has at least two brothers. She
also has at least one sister. The
total number of children is four.
25 Two. Since x2 = (y – 1) 2, 2
then x = y – 1 or x = 1 – y. So y =
y – 1 or y2 = 1 – y. By using the
quadratic formula on these two
equations, we find that the first
has no real solutions and that the
second has two,
–1 ± 5
.
2
So the two curves intersect in
two points.
26 5/9. The number of ways
that the numbers can be different
is 6 • 5 • 4, or 120, and the num-
ber of possible tosses is 63. So the
probability that all the numbers
will be different is
6•5•4 5
3
= .
6 9
127
 SOLUTIONS TO CALENDAR

27 (a2– b)2 2+ (a –2c)2 + (b – c)2  0. By expanding, we

have 2a + 2b + 2c – 2ab – 2ac – 2bc  0. Therefore,
2a2 + 2b2 + 2c2  2ab + 2ac + 2bc and a2 + b2 + c2 
ab + ac + bc.

28 4. The answer can be found by using calculus.

Alternatively, we can examine the graph of each
expression. From the graph, we can see that the sum
of the values of each expression for any value of x is at
least 4.
y
y=x
4

2
y = 4x
1

1 2 3 4 x

29 36 2/3 MPH. The average speed can be calculated

by dividing total distance traveled by total time. In
this example, Ramon traveled six segments of length
40, 50, 0, 60, 20, and 50 miles, for a total of 220 miles.
It took him six hours to travel that far, so his average
speed was
220 miles 2
= 36 MPH. ¿
6 hours 3

128 THE MATHEMATICS TEACHER