2023 AIME I Problem 3

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 3 of the 2023 AIME I, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2023 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:counting intersectionscombinationsdouble counting

Difficulty rating: 2090

3.

A plane contains 4040 lines, no 22 of which are parallel. Suppose that there are 33 points where exactly 33 lines intersect, 44 points where exactly 44 lines intersect, 55 points where exactly 55 lines intersect, 66 points where exactly 66 lines intersect, and no points where more than 66 lines intersect. Find the number of points where exactly 22 lines intersect.

Solution:

Since no two of the 4040 lines are parallel, every two lines cross, giving (402)=780\binom{40}{2} = 780 pairs of lines, and each pair meets at exactly one point. A point where exactly kk lines meet accounts for exactly (k2)\binom{k}{2} of these pairs.

The given points account for 3(32)+4(42)+5(52)+6(62)=9+24+50+90=1733\binom{3}{2} + 4\binom{4}{2} + 5\binom{5}{2} + 6\binom{6}{2} = 9 + 24 + 50 + 90 = 173 pairs of lines. Each remaining pair meets at a point where exactly 22 lines intersect, one point per pair, so there are 780173=607780 - 173 = 607 such points.

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