2014 AIME II Problem 4

Attempt Problem 4 of the 2014 AIME II 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 2014 AIME II solutions, or check the answer key.

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4.

The repeating decimals 0.ababab0.abab\overline{ab} and 0.abcabcabc0.abcabc\overline{abc} satisfy 0.ababab+0.abcabcabc=3337,0.abab\overline{ab} + 0.abcabc\overline{abc} = \frac{33}{37}, where a,a, b,b, and cc are (not necessarily distinct) digits. Find the three-digit number abc.abc.

Answer: 447
Concepts:repeating decimaldigitsmodular arithmetic
Difficulty rating: 2230
Solution:

Writing abab and abcabc for the two- and three-digit numbers, the decimals equal ab99\frac{ab}{99} and abc999.\frac{abc}{999}. Since 99=91199 = 9 \cdot 11 and 999=2737,999 = 27 \cdot 37, the common denominator is 273711=10989,27 \cdot 37 \cdot 11 = 10989, and multiplying the equation by it gives 111ab+11abc=333710989=9801. \begin{aligned} &111 \cdot ab + 11 \cdot abc \\ &= \frac{33}{37} \cdot 10989 \\ &= 9801. \end{aligned}

Modulo 11,11, since 9801=118919801 = 11 \cdot 891 and 1111,111 \equiv 1, this forces 11ab,11 \mid ab, so a=b.a = b. Then ab=11a,ab = 11a, and dividing the equation by 1111 gives 111a+abc=891.111a + abc = 891. Since abc=110a+c,abc = 110a + c, this is 221a+c=891,221a + c = 891, which requires a=4a = 4 and c=7.c = 7.

Thus a=b=4,a = b = 4, c=7,c = 7, and the three-digit number abcabc is 447.447.

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