Question

The numbers of apples growing on each of six apple trees form an arithmetic sequence where the greatest number of apples growing on any of the six trees is double the least number of apples growing on any of the six trees. The total number of apples growing on all six trees is $990.$ Find the greatest number of apples growing on any of the six trees.

Answer

Answer: 220

Concepts:arithmetic sequence linear equation

Difficulty rating: 1890

Solution:

Let the six counts be $a, a+d, \ldots, a+5d$ with common difference $d \ge 0.$ The greatest count is double the least, so $a + 5d = 2a,$ which gives $a = 5d.$ The total is $\begin{aligned} 6a + 15d &= 30d + 15d \\ &= 45d = 990, \end{aligned}$ so $d = 22.$

The greatest number of apples is $a + 5d = 10d = 220.$

2023 AIME II Problem 1

Answer: 220

Difficulty rating: 1890

Solution:

Problem 1 in Other Years