1996 AIME Problem 1

Attempt Problem 1 of the 1996 AIME below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 1996 AIME solutions, or check the answer key.

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1.

In a magic square, the sum of the three entries in any row, column, or diagonal is the same value. The figure shows four of the entries of a magic square. Find x.x.

Answer: 200
Concepts:magic squaresystem of equations
Difficulty rating: 1650
Small Hint:

Let ee be the center entry and SS the common sum

Big Hint:

In a 3×33\times3 magic square, S=3eS=3e and opposite entries sum to 2e2e

Solution:

Let the center entry be ee and the common sum be S.S. In any 3×33\times3 magic square, S=3eS=3e and entries opposite across the center sum to 2e.2e. Thus the bottom-left entry is 2e96.2e-96. The first column and first row give x+1+(2e96)=3e,x+19+96=3e.\begin{aligned}x+1+(2e-96)&=3e,\\x+19+96&=3e.\end{aligned} The first equation says e=x95,e=x-95, while the second says 3e=x+115.3e=x+115. Hence 3x285=x+115,3x-285=x+115, so x=200.x=200.

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