FEBRUARY
How many digits are in the number 2 In how many ways can ten dollars be 3 Find the area of a rhombus that has
4 The Fibonacci numbers are 1, 1, 2, 3,
5, . . . , where each number is the sum
of the two preceding numbers, that is,
Fn = Fn–1 + Fn–2 for n > 2. Explain why
it is impossible to construct a triangle
whose sides are three different
This material may not be copied or distributed electronically or in any other format without written permission from NCTM.
Fibonacci numbers.
Copyright © 1999 The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Inc. www.nctm.org. All rights reserved.
8 Seven rolls weigh the same as four
crumpets. Five scones weigh the same
as six crumpets. If each crumpet
weighs c grams, each roll weighs r
grams, and each scone weighs s grams,
arrange c, r, and s in increasing order.
A total of $3.21 is made up of pennies,
12 nickels, and quarters only. Given that
the number of pennies equals the
number of nickels, determine all
possible combinations of pennies,
nickels, and quarters.
1 21999 • 51989 ?
5 If log15 5 = a, express log15 9 in terms
of a.
9 The average of two 3-digit numbers is
found by placing a decimal point
between the numbers. Find the sum of
the numbers.
Each side of this figure is 10 cm long,
13 and each interior angle is either 45°,
135°, 90°, or 270°. What is its area (in
square centimeters)?
changed into dimes and quarters, with
at least one of each coin being used?
6 Place a smaller circle in the space left
by a larger circle of radius 1, as shown
in the diagram. What is the radius of
the smaller circle?
1
10 What is half of 220 ?
(A) 110 (B) 120 (C) 20 (D) 210 (E) 219
You may not have noticed that 1996 =
14 4 × 499. Which of the following year
numbers cannot be written in the form
a × abb?
(A) 1908 (B) 1952 (C) 2299
(D) 2500 (E) 2555
one side of length 10 and diagonals
that differ by 4.
7 What is the value of
17 – 12 2 + 17 + 12 2,
in its simplest form?
11 The figure shows a net for a cube with
a number on each face. When the cube
is constructed, three faces meet at
each vertex. The numbers on the three
faces that meet at each vertex are
multiplied. What is the largest product
that can be obtained?
1
(A) 40 (B) 60 (C) 72
4 2 5 6
(D) 90 (E) 120
3
Turbo the tortoise goes one mile uphill
15 at 2 MPH, two miles on the level at
3 MPH, then three miles downhill at
4 MPH. What is her average speed for
the whole journey?
 Line segment AE divides rectangle One of the following answers is The digits 1, 9, 9, and 9 are placed on
16 ABCD into two parts whose areas are
17 correct. What is the total number of
18 Each edge of a cube is colored either 19 four cards. Two cards are selected at
red or black. If every face of the cube
in the ratio 6:1. Find the ratio of letters in all the incorrect options for has at least one black edge, what is random. What is the probability that
EC:BE. this question? the smallest possible number of black the sum of the numbers on the cards
edges? selected is a multiple of 3?
A B (A) Eleven (B) Twenty-two
E (C) Thirty-three (D) Forty-four
(E) Fifty-five
D C

A three-digit number M can be
20 expressed as a product of prime
21
factors a, b, and (10a + b); that is,
M = a • b • (10a + b).
Given that 1 < a < b < 9, determine
both possible values of M.
Four positive integers sum to 125. If
you increase the first of these numbers
22
by 4, decrease the second by 4, multiply
the third by 4, and divide the fouth by
4, you produce four equal numbers.
What are the four original numbers?
The numbers from 1 to 25 are each written Such numbers as 373, 2442, and
on separate slips of paper, which are then
23 10501 are palindromes because the
placed in a pile. You draw slips from the digits appear in the same order back-
pile without replacement. You continue ward as they do forward. In how many
drawing until the product of the two palindromes between 10 and 10 000
numbers on any pair of chosen slips is a does the digit 1 appear at least once?
perfect square. The maximum number
of slips that you can choose before you
will be forced to quit is _____.
(A) 13 (B) 14 (C) 15 (D) 16 (E) 17

Place five 1’s, five 2’s, five 3’s, five 4’s,
24 and five 5’s in a 5 × 5 grid so that each
25
digit—that is, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5—appears
exactly once in each row and exactly
once in each column.
A box contains two chips—one is blue, and
the other, red. You roll a regular die. If you
26
roll a 2 or a 5, you get to blindly select a
chip from the box. Otherwise, you do not
get to select a chip. You return the chips
to the box. Each turn consists of rolling
the die and drawing a chip, if allowed.
The game continues until you get a blue
chip. What is the probability that the
game will not require a third turn?
The nation of Threespace permits only A 3-unit-by-n-unit rectangle is broken
two operations. The inhabitants can
27 into unit squares, as shown. The grid
add 1 or multiply by 3. Suppose that consists of a total of 128 squares of all
an inhabitant wished to get from 1 to sizes. What is the value of n?
1000. Starting at 1, the first step
would lead to 2 or 3, depending on the 3
operation chosen. What is the minimum n
number of steps that would be
required to get from a starting point
of 1 to a result of 1000?

Henrietta and Tabitha are playing a game that involves tossing a coin
28 several times. Henrietta wins a point for each head, and Tabitha wins
a point for each tail. The winner of the game is the first to receive six
or more points and to have at least a two-point lead over her oppo-
nent, so the game cannot be won by, say, six points to five. If the score
is now 5–5, what is the probability that Henrietta will win the game
by the score 10–8?

© National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1593

 SOLUTIONS TO CALENDAR
Edited by Monte Zerger, Adams State College, Alamosa, CO 81102; mjzerger@adams.edu
All problems for the February “Calendar” were submitted by John Grant McLoughlin, johngm@morgan.ucs.mun.ca,
Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NF A1B 3X8. The sources from which he obtained these problems are
as follows. Problems 1, 2, 3, and 5 are from the Fifteenth W. J. Blundon Contest, a provincial high school mathematics
contest, and were prepared by Jack Suvak of the Mathematics and Statistics Department of the Memorial University of
Newfoundland. Problems 4, 6, and 7 were questions from Old Mutual Mathematical Olympiad papers that appeared in
LOCUS, the journal of the Mathematics Teachers’ Association of Malawi in 1990–1992. Problems 8, 10, and 11 came
from the 1997 UK Intermediate Mathematical Challenge. Problems 13–16 and 28 came from the 1996 UK Intermediate Math-
ematical Challenge. Problem 17 appeared in the 1998 UK Intermediate Mathematical Challenge. Problems 18, 21, and
22 are from the 1998 British Columbia Colleges High School Math Contests. Problems 9, 12, 20, and 23–27 were originally
prepared for the spring 1998 games in the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers Association High School Math League.

1 1993 diagonals have length 2b and

2b + 4, as shown.
than the third number. It is
therefore impossible to produce a
2r + r = 2 – 1,
2 1999
•5
1989
=2 10
•2
1989
•5
1989
b+2 triangle whose sides are three 2–1
10
different Fibonacci numbers. r=
= 1024 • 101989 2 +1
b
This value has 1989 + 4 = 1993 10 10 5 2(1 – a) =3–2 2
b
digits. log15 9 = log15 3 2 ≈ 0.17.
10
2 19. Let q be the number of Since the diagonals of a rhombus
= 2 log15 3
7 6.Let x = ¡17`–`12`¡2̀`+¡17`+`12`¡2̀`,
quarters and d be the number of and note that x > 0. Then
are perpendicular, we can write 15
dimes. Then = 2 log15
25q + 10d = 1000, (b + 2)
2
+ b2 = 102 ,
5 (
x 2 = 17 – 12 2 )
5
( )
= 2 log15 15 – log15 5
( )(
+ 2 17 – 12 2 17 + 12 2 )
d = 100 – q. 2b2 + 4b – 96 = 0,
= 2(1 – a)
2
b2 + 2b – 48 = 0, (
+ 17 + 12 2 )
(b – 6)(b + 8) = 0.
Since d and q must be positive
6 3 – 2¡2, or approximately
– (12 2)
integers, q must be an even 2
integer greater than 0 and 0.17. Let the radius of the smaller = 34 + 2 172
Because b > 0, b = 6 and the circle be r, as in the diagram.
2 diagonals have length 12 and 16, = 34 + 2
100 – q > 0,
5 and since the area of a rhombus = 36.
q < 40. is one-half the product of the Since x > 0, the value of x must
diagonals, the desired area is be 6.
The number of even positive (1/2)(12)(16), or 96, square units.
integers less than 40 is 19. C
Alternatively, the smallest 4 The sum of the lengths of the 8 r, c, s. The information tells
C' us that 7r = 4c and 5s = 6c.
substitution of dimes for quarters two shorter sides of a triangle 1 Hence, r = (4/7)c and s = (6/5)c. It
is 5 for 2. The fewest number of must exceed the length of the r
follows that r < c < s.
quarters you can have is 2, and longest side. With three consecutive
the greatest number is 38. All Fibonacci numbers, the sum of A B' B
possibilities could be represented the two smaller numbers would
9 999. Let abc and def represent
By applying the Pythagorean the two 3-digit numbers. Either
as (d, q) = (95, 2), (90, 4), (85, 6), equal, but not exceed, the largest theorem to ABC, we have AC =
. . . , (10, 36), (5, 38). Therefore, number. If the three distinct ¡2, and by applying it to AB′C′, abc + def
19 ways are possible. Fibonacci numbers are not = abc.def,
we have AC′ = ¡2r. Then 2
consecutive, the sum of the two
3 96 square units. Let the smaller numbers would be less 2 = 2r + r + 1, (Continued on page 131)

The Editorial Panel of the Mathematics Teacher is considering sets of problems submitted by individuals, classes of prospective teachers,
and mathematics clubs for publication in the calendar during the 1999–2000 academic year. Please write to the senior journal editor,
1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1593, for guidelines, or send your request through e-mail to infocentral@nctm.org, or obtain
guidelines as document 803 from NCTM’s Fax-on-Demand Service Center, (800) 220-8483.
Two other sources of problems in calendar form are available from NCTM: “Calendars for the Calculating” (a set of nine monthly calendars
that originally appeared from September 1983 to May 1984, order number 344, $7.00) and “A Year of Mathematics” (one annual calendar
that originally appeared in September 1982, order number 311, $3.50; set of five, order number 312, $7.00). Individual members receive a
20 percent discount off these prices. Write to NCTM, attention: infocentral, or send e-mail to infocentral@nctm.org, for the catalog of educa-
tional materials, which includes a listing for the publication Exploratory Problems in Mathematics.—Ed.

134 THE MATHEMATICS TEACHER

 SOLUTIONS TO CALENDAR — Continued from page 134
or
abc + def
= def. abc.
2 x
Assume that
abc + def
= abc.def.
2 solutions.
The decimal portion of the
result obtained by dividing a
whole number by 2 is either 0 or
.5. Therefore, def = 000 or 500,
and since def must be a 3-digit
number, it must be 500. Then
abc + 500
= abc + .500,
2 The nine larger right triangles
abc = 499;
and the sum equals 499 + 500 =
999. If
abc + def
= def. abc,
2 and area (1/2)(5¡2)(5¡2) = 25.
a similar argument applies.
10 (E) 219.
220
2
= 220–1 = 219
11 (D) 90
1 a rhombus with side 10 cm and
4 2 5 6
3 19 1/2. For the sum to be a
The faces labeled 6, 5, and 3 meet
at one vertex; 6 × 5 × 3 = 90. The
only possible larger product
would be 6 × 5 × 4. However, the
faces labeled 6, 5, and 4 do not
share a common vertex.
12 3 quarters, 41 nickels, and
41 pennies; or 9 quarters,
16 nickels, and 16 pennies. Let
the number of pennies, nickels,
and quarters be p, n, and q,
respectively. Then
p + 5n + 25q = 321.
Since p = n, we have 6p + 25q =
321 where p, q ≥ 0. Expressing p
in terms of q, we have
321 – 25q
p= . 6 72
6 = ,
Observe that q ∈ {0, 1, 2, . . . , 12},
since 0 ≤ 25q ≤ 321. Testing these
values, we find that only q = 3 and
Vol. 92, No. 2 • February 1999
q = 9 produce integral values of p. 16 5:2 expressions into the first
Note that 6p + 25q = 321 implies y equation, we have
that q is odd and q ≡ 3 mod 6, A B
( B – 8) + B +  B 4– 4 + 4 ( B – 4)
since 6p + 25q = 6(p + 4q) + q. E
Therefore, q = 3 and q = 9 are the
only feasible values to consider. z
= 125,
In fact, they are both valid
D C 25
B – 25 = 125,
Since the ratio of the areas of 4
13 500¡2. Inscribe the figure trapezoid AECD and ABE is
in a rectangle, as shown. B = 24.
6:1, we have
2
[ ( )]
10√ 10 1 Then A = 24 – 8 = 16, C =
y z+ x+z
2 (24 – 4)/4 = 5, and D = 4(24 – 4) =
= 6, 80. By checking, we see that
1
xy 16 + 24 + 5 + 80 = 125
10 2
5√ 2
and
x + 2z
= 6,
that lie outside the figure but x 16 + 4 = 24 – 4 = 5 × 4 =
80
.
inside the rectangle each have 4
hypotenuse 10¡2 and area 2z
1+ = 6,
(1/2)(10)(10) = 50. The two smaller x
right triangles at the lower corners 22 (D) 16. The numbers 7, 10,
z 5 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, and
of the rectangle have legs 5¡2 = .
x 2 23 can be selected. They do not
The rectangle therefore has area have counterparts that would
(50¡2)(10 + 5¡2) = 500¡2 + 500, 17 (C) Thirty-three. A total of produce a perfect-square product.
and the area of the original figure thirty-three letters are in the The remaining numbers can be
is words eleven, twenty-two, forty- grouped as follows: (2, 8, 18),
four, and fifty-five. (3, 12), (1, 4, 9, 16, 25), (5, 20),
[500 + 500 2 ] – [9(50) + 2(25)] 18 3. Each edge corresponds to
(6, 24). One number from each
grouping can be selected. Choosing
= 500 2. two faces. Therefore, six faces a second number from any group-
Alternatively, the figure
require at least three black ing would produce a perfect-
edges. In fact, you can verify that square product. Hence, 11 + 5, or
includes ten parallelograms, each
three black edges can meet the 16, slips of paper could be selected
requirements. before you are forced to quit.
an angle with measure 45°. The
area is
23 37. The only possible two-
2 multiple of 3, both cards selected digit palindrome of this type is
10 • 10 • 10 sin 45° = 10 • 100 must be 9s. The probability is 11. The only possible three-digit
2
3•2 1 palindromes of this type are
= 500 2. = . those of the form 1A1, where A
4 3 2 can be any of the ten digits, and
14 (C) 2299 the form B1B, where B can be
1908 = 4 × 477
20 138 and 777. The possible any of the eight digits from 2
values of (a, b) are (2, 3), (2, 5), through 9. The only possible four-
1952 = 4 × 488 (2, 7), (3, 5), (3, 7), and (5, 7). But digit palindromes of this type are
2500 = 5 × 500 10a + b is prime only when a = 2 of the form 1CC1, where C can be
2555 = 5 × 511 and b = 3 or when a = 3 and any of the ten digits, and the
b = 7. Therefore, either M = 2 • 3 • form D11D, where D can be any
15 3 3/23 MPH. Turbo travels 23 = 138 or M = 3 • 7 • 37 = 777. of the eight digits from 2 through
six miles in 9. The total is 1 + 10 + 8 + 10 +
21 16, 24, 5, and 80. Let A, B, 8 = 37.
 1 2 3 23 C, and D be the original numbers.
 + + = 24
 2 3 4  12 Then we know that 1 2 3 4 5
A + B + C + D = 125 5 1 2 3 4
hours. Therefore, Turbo’s average
speed is and
4 5 1 2 3
D
A + 4 = B – 4 = 4C = . 3 4 5 1 2
23 23 4
2 3 4 5 1
12 By expressing all variables in
or 3 3/23 MPH. terms of B and substituting these (Continued on page 135)
131
SOLUTIONS TO CALENDAR —
Continued from page 131

Many arrangements are possible. The simplest

solution is to write 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 in the first row and
then to permute the numbers cyclically one position
in filling successive rows.

25 11/36. The game will end on the first turn if

you roll a 2 or a 5 and then draw a blue chip. This
probability is
2•1 1
= .
6 2 6
The game will end on the second turn if it does not
end on the first turn and then on the second turn
you roll a 2 or 5 and draw a blue chip. This
probability is
 1  2 1 5
1 –  •  •  = .
 6  6 2 36
The probability that the game will not require a
third turn is therefore
1 5 11
+ = .
6 36 36

26 9. The best strategy is to work backward

dividing by 3 when possible, otherwise subtracting 1:
1000 → 999 → 333 → 111 →
37 → 36 → 12 → 4 → 3 → 1
Reversing these steps would produce the most
efficient sequence.

27 22
3

n
A total of 3n squares are 1 × 1, 2(n –1) squares are
2 × 2, and 1(n – 2) squares are 3 × 3. Since the total
number of squares is 128, we have

( ) ( )
3n + 2 n – 1 + 1 n – 2 = 128,
6n – 4 = 128,
6n = 132,
n = 22.
Alternatively, observe that a total of fourteen
squares would appear if n = 3. Each increase of n by
1 would add three 1 × 1 squares, two 2 × 2 squares,
and one 3 × 3 square for a total of six squares.
Therefore,
14 + 6(n – 3) = 128;
and by solving, we get n = 22.

28 1/32. Five games must be won by a particular

person. To bring the score to a tie, the player who
lost the previous game must win the twelfth, four-
teenth, and sixteenth games. Henrietta must win
the last two games. The probability that she will do
so is (1/2)5, or 1/32. ¿

Vol. 92, No. 2 • February 1999 135