2026 AIME II Exam Solutions

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All of the real AMC 8, AMC 10, AMC 12, and AIME problems in our complete solution collection are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

1.

Find the sum of the 1010th terms of all arithmetic sequences of integers that have first term equal to 44 and include both 2424 and 3434 as terms.

Concepts:arithmetic sequencedivisibilitygreatest common divisor

Difficulty rating: 1840

Solution:

Let the common difference be d.d. Since the first term is 44 and both 2424 and 3434 appear, dd divides 244=2024 - 4 = 20 and 344=30,34 - 4 = 30, so dd divides gcd(20,30)=10.\gcd(20, 30) = 10. The difference must be positive to reach 2424 and 3434 from 4,4, so d{1,2,5,10}d \in \{1, 2, 5, 10\} (and each of these works, since d20d \mid 20 and d30d \mid 30 put both targets in the sequence).

The 1010th term is 4+9d,4 + 9d, so the requested sum is d{1,2,5,10}(4+9d)=44+9(1+2+5+10)=16+162=178.\sum_{d \in \{1,2,5,10\}} (4 + 9d) = 4 \cdot 4 + 9(1 + 2 + 5 + 10) = 16 + 162 = 178.

2.

The figure below shows a grid of 1010 squares in a row. Each square has a diagonal connecting its lower left vertex to its upper right vertex. A bug moves along the line segments from vertex to vertex, never traversing the same segment twice and never moving from right to left along a horizontal or diagonal segment. Let NN be the number of paths the bug can take from the lower left corner (A)(A) to the upper right corner (B).(B). One such path from AA to BB is shown by the thick line segments in the figure. Find N.\sqrt{N}.

Difficulty rating: 2230

Solution:

Put A=(0,0)A = (0, 0) and B=(10,1).B = (10, 1). Every horizontal and diagonal move goes rightward, so the bug's xx-coordinate never decreases, and it crosses each of the 1010 vertical strips exactly once, using exactly one of that square's three rightward segments: the bottom edge, the top edge, or the diagonal.

These ten choices determine the whole path. Each crossing arrives at a definite height (bottom edge: low; top edge or diagonal: high) and departs at a definite height (bottom edge or diagonal: low; top edge: high), so at each vertical line the bug traverses the vertical segment exactly when the arrival and departure heights differ — and each vertical segment is needed at most once, so no segment repeats. The same applies at the ends: the bug starts low at AA and finishes high at B,B, using the end verticals if necessary. Conversely, every sequence of choices yields a valid path.

Therefore N=310,N = 3^{10}, and N=35=243.\sqrt{N} = 3^5 = 243.

3.

Let ABCDEABCDE be a nonconvex pentagon with internal angles A=E=90\angle A = \angle E = 90^\circ and B=D=45.\angle B = \angle D = 45^\circ. Suppose that DE<AB,DE \lt AB, AE=20,AE = 20, BC=142,BC = 14\sqrt{2}, and points B,B, C,C, and DD lie on the same side of line AE.AE. Suppose further that ABAB is an integer with AB<2026AB \lt 2026 and the area of pentagon ABCDEABCDE is an integer multiple of 16.16. Find the number of possible values of AB.AB.

Solution:

Place A=(0,0)A = (0, 0) and E=(20,0)E = (20, 0) with the pentagon above line AE,AE, and write h=AB.h = AB. The right angles at AA and EE make ABAB and EDED vertical: B=(0,h)B = (0, h) and D=(20,k)D = (20, k) with k=DE.k = DE. At BB the side BC=142BC = 14\sqrt{2} makes a 4545^\circ angle with the downward ray BA,BA, heading into the pentagon, so C=(14,h14).C = (14, h - 14). Similarly at D,D, the side DCDC makes a 4545^\circ angle with the downward ray DE,DE, so C=(20s,ks)C = (20 - s, k - s) where s=DC2.s = \frac{DC}{\sqrt{2}}. Matching coordinates gives s=6s = 6 and k=h8.k = h - 8. The interior angle at CC is then the reflex angle 270270^\circ (angle sum 90+45+270+45+90=54090 + 45 + 270 + 45 + 90 = 540), and DE=h8<ABDE = h - 8 \lt AB automatically.

The shoelace formula on A(0,0),A(0,0), B(0,h),B(0,h), C(14,h14),C(14, h-14), D(20,h8),D(20, h-8), E(20,0)E(20, 0) gives area 1214h+(6h+168)+(20h+160)=20h164.\frac{1}{2}\left|{-14h} + (-6h + 168) + (-20h + 160)\right| = 20h - 164. The condition 1620h16416 \mid 20h - 164 reduces to 4h4(mod16),4h \equiv 4 \pmod{16}, that is, h1(mod4).h \equiv 1 \pmod 4. For CC to lie strictly on the same side of line AEAE as BB and D,D, we need h>14.h \gt 14.

So hh runs over 17,21,25,,2025,17, 21, 25, \ldots, 2025, which is 2025174+1=503\frac{2025 - 17}{4} + 1 = 503 values.

4.

For each positive integer nn let f(n)f(n) be the value of the base-ten numeral nn viewed in base b,b, where bb is the least integer greater than the greatest digit in n.n. For example, if n=72,n = 72, then b=8,b = 8, and 7272 as a numeral in base 88 equals 78+2=58;7 \cdot 8 + 2 = 58; therefore f(72)=58.f(72) = 58. Find the number of positive integers nn less than 10001000 such that f(n)=n.f(n) = n.

Difficulty rating: 2300

Solution:

If nn has a single digit d,d, then the numeral dd has value dd in every base, so f(n)=n:f(n) = n: all 99 one-digit numbers work. If nn has digits dk1d1d0d_{k-1} \ldots d_1 d_0 with k2,k \ge 2, then b10b \le 10 always, and if b<10b \lt 10 then f(n)=dibi<di10i=nf(n) = \sum d_i b^i \lt \sum d_i 10^i = n because the leading digit satisfies dk1bk1<dk110k1.d_{k-1} b^{k-1} \lt d_{k-1} 10^{k-1}. So a multi-digit nn satisfies f(n)=nf(n) = n exactly when b=10,b = 10, that is, when some digit of nn equals 9.9.

Two-digit numbers containing a 9:9: the numbers 9090 through 9999 plus 19,29,,89,19, 29, \ldots, 89, for 10+8=18.10 + 8 = 18. Three-digit numbers containing a 9:9: 900899=252,900 - 8 \cdot 9 \cdot 9 = 252, subtracting the numbers with no 99 (leading digit 118,8, others 0088).

The total is 9+18+252=279.9 + 18 + 252 = 279.

5.

An urn contains nn marbles. Each marble is either red or blue, and there are at least 77 marbles of each color. When 77 marbles are drawn randomly from the urn without replacement, the probability that exactly 44 of them are red equals the probability that exactly 55 of them are red. Find the sum of the five least values of nn for which this is possible.

Solution:

Say there are rr red and bb blue marbles, r,b7.r, b \ge 7. The condition is (r4)(b3)=(r5)(b2).\binom{r}{4}\binom{b}{3} = \binom{r}{5}\binom{b}{2}. Since (r5)=(r4)r45\binom{r}{5} = \binom{r}{4}\frac{r-4}{5} and (b3)=(b2)b23,\binom{b}{3} = \binom{b}{2}\frac{b-2}{3}, cancelling gives b23=r45,that is,b=3r25.\frac{b - 2}{3} = \frac{r - 4}{5}, \qquad \text{that is,} \qquad b = \frac{3r - 2}{5}.

So r4(mod5),r \equiv 4 \pmod 5, and b7b \ge 7 requires 3r235,3r - 2 \ge 35, so r14.r \ge 14. The five smallest choices are r=14,19,24,29,34r = 14, 19, 24, 29, 34 with b=8,11,14,17,20,b = 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, giving n=22,30,38,46,54.n = 22, 30, 38, 46, 54.

The sum is 22+30+38+46+54=190.22 + 30 + 38 + 46 + 54 = 190.

6.

Find the sum of all real numbers rr such that there is at least one point where the circle with radius rr centered at (4,39)(4, 39) is tangent to the parabola with equation 2y=x28x+12.2y = x^2 - 8x + 12.

Difficulty rating: 2650

Solution:

Completing the square, 2y=(x4)24,2y = (x - 4)^2 - 4, so with u=x4u = x - 4 the parabola is the set of points (4+u, u222)\left(4 + u,\ \frac{u^2}{2} - 2\right) and the center (4,39)(4, 39) lies on its axis. The circle is tangent to the parabola at a point exactly when the two curves share a tangent line there, i.e. when the radius to that point is normal to the parabola — which happens exactly at critical points of the squared distance D(u)=u2+(u2241)2,D(u)=2u+u(u282)=u(u280).D(u) = u^2 + \left(\frac{u^2}{2} - 41\right)^2, \qquad D'(u) = 2u + u\left(u^2 - 82\right) = u\left(u^2 - 80\right).

At u=±80:u = \pm\sqrt{80}: D=80+(4041)2=81,D = 80 + (40 - 41)^2 = 81, so r=9r = 9 (the circle touches the parabola at two symmetric points). At u=0,u = 0, the point is the vertex (4,2)(4, -2) at distance 41,41, where the parabola and the circle of radius 4141 both have horizontal tangent lines, so r=41r = 41 also works.

The sum is 9+41=50.9 + 41 = 50.

7.

A standard fair six-sided die is rolled repeatedly. Each time the die reads 11 or 2,2, Alice gets a coin; each time it reads 33 or 4,4, Bob gets a coin; and each time it reads 55 or 6,6, Carol gets a coin. The probability that Alice and Bob each receive at least two coins before Carol receives any coins can be written as mn,\frac{m}{n}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers. Find 100m+n.100m + n.

Solution:

Each roll is an Alice roll, a Bob roll, or a Carol roll, each with probability 13.\frac{1}{3}. The event succeeds exactly when the rolls before the first Carol roll include at least two Alice rolls and at least two Bob rolls. The first Carol roll is roll k+1k + 1 with probability (23)k13,\left(\frac{2}{3}\right)^k \frac{1}{3}, and given this, the first kk rolls form one of 2k2^k equally likely Alice/Bob strings. For k3k \ge 3 the bad strings — at most one Alice, or at most one Bob — number (k+1)+(k+1)=2k+2,(k + 1) + (k + 1) = 2k + 2, and no string is bad in both ways. Hence P=k413(23)k(12k+22k).P = \sum_{k \ge 4} \frac{1}{3}\left(\frac{2}{3}\right)^k \left(1 - \frac{2k + 2}{2^k}\right).

The first piece is k4(23)k=1627.\sum_{k \ge 4} \left(\frac{2}{3}\right)^k = \frac{16}{27}. For the second, k0k+13k=1(11/3)2=94,\sum_{k \ge 0} \frac{k + 1}{3^k} = \frac{1}{(1 - 1/3)^2} = \frac{9}{4}, so k42k+23k=2(9412313427)=211108=1154.\sum_{k \ge 4} \frac{2k + 2}{3^k} = 2\left(\frac{9}{4} - 1 - \frac{2}{3} - \frac{1}{3} - \frac{4}{27}\right) = 2 \cdot \frac{11}{108} = \frac{11}{54}.

Therefore P=13(16271154)=132154=754,P = \frac{1}{3}\left(\frac{16}{27} - \frac{11}{54}\right) = \frac{1}{3} \cdot \frac{21}{54} = \frac{7}{54}, and 100m+n=700+54=754.100m + n = 700 + 54 = 754.

8.

Isosceles triangle ABC\triangle ABC has AB=BC.AB = BC. Let II be the incenter of ABC.\triangle ABC. The perimeters of ABC\triangle ABC and AIC\triangle AIC are in the ratio 125:6,125 : 6, and all the sides of both triangles have integer lengths. Find the minimum possible value of AB.AB.

Solution:

Let a=AB=BCa = AB = BC and b=AC,b = AC, so s=a+b2.s = a + \frac{b}{2}. The incircle touches ACAC at its midpoint (tangent length from AA is sa=b2s - a = \frac{b}{2}), so AI2=CI2=r2+b24.AI^2 = CI^2 = r^2 + \frac{b^2}{4}. By Heron's formula, r2=(sa)2(sb)s=b242ab2a+b,r^2 = \frac{(s-a)^2(s-b)}{s} = \frac{b^2}{4} \cdot \frac{2a - b}{2a + b}, and therefore AI2=b24(2ab2a+b+1)=ab22a+b.AI^2 = \frac{b^2}{4}\left(\frac{2a - b}{2a + b} + 1\right) = \frac{ab^2}{2a + b}. The perimeter condition is 125(2AI+b)=6(2a+b).125\,(2\,AI + b) = 6\,(2a + b).

Since AIAI is rational, write a2a+b=pq\sqrt{\frac{a}{2a + b}} = \frac{p}{q} in lowest terms. Then aq2=p2(2a+b)aq^2 = p^2(2a + b) forces p2a;p^2 \mid a; writing a=mp2a = mp^2 gives b=m(q22p2),b = m(q^2 - 2p^2), 2a+b=mq2,2a + b = mq^2, and AI=mp(q22p2)q.AI = \frac{mp(q^2 - 2p^2)}{q}. The perimeter condition then loses mm entirely: 125(q22p2)(2p+q)=6q3.125\,(q^2 - 2p^2)(2p + q) = 6q^3. Since gcd(125,6)=1\gcd(125, 6) = 1 we get 5q;5 \mid q; and qq must be even, since for odd qq both factors on the left are odd while the right side is even. Writing q=10wq = 10w and simplifying, (50w2p2)(p+5w)=12w3.(50w^2 - p^2)(p + 5w) = 12w^3. Both factors on the left are coprime to ww (as gcd(p,q)=1\gcd(p, q) = 1), so w=1,w = 1, and (50p2)(p+5)=12(50 - p^2)(p + 5) = 12 has the unique solution p=7.p = 7.

So a=49m,a = 49m, b=2m,b = 2m, and AI=7m5,AI = \frac{7m}{5}, which is an integer exactly when 5m.5 \mid m. Taking m=5m = 5 gives ABC\triangle ABC with sides 245,245,10245, 245, 10 and AIC\triangle AIC with sides 7,7,10,7, 7, 10, whose perimeters 500500 and 2424 are indeed in ratio 125:6.125 : 6. The minimum possible ABAB is 245.245.

9.

Let SS denote the value of the infinite sum 19+199+1999+19999+\frac{1}{9} + \frac{1}{99} + \frac{1}{999} + \frac{1}{9999} + \cdots Find the remainder when the greatest integer less than or equal to 10100S10^{100} S is divided by 1000.1000.

Solution:

Each term is 110k1=j110kj,\frac{1}{10^k - 1} = \sum_{j \ge 1} 10^{-kj}, so summing over kk and collecting the exponent n=kj,n = kj, S=n1d(n)10n,S = \sum_{n \ge 1} \frac{d(n)}{10^n}, where d(n)d(n) is the number of divisors of n.n. Hence 10100S=n=1100d(n)10100n+T10^{100} S = \sum_{n = 1}^{100} d(n)\,10^{100 - n} + T with T=m1d(100+m)10m.T = \sum_{m \ge 1} d(100 + m)\,10^{-m}.

From d(101)=2,d(101) = 2, d(102)=8,d(102) = 8, d(103)=2,d(103) = 2, d(104)=8,d(104) = 8, the tail starts 0.2+0.08+0.002+0.0008=0.2828,0.2 + 0.08 + 0.002 + 0.0008 = 0.2828, and since d(N)<2N,d(N) \lt 2\sqrt{N}, the remaining terms contribute less than m52100+m10m<0.001.\sum_{m \ge 5} \frac{2\sqrt{100 + m}}{10^m} \lt 0.001. So 0<T<10 \lt T \lt 1 and 10100S=n=1100d(n)10100n.\left\lfloor 10^{100} S \right\rfloor = \sum_{n = 1}^{100} d(n)\,10^{100 - n}.

Modulo 1000,1000, every term with n97n \le 97 is a multiple of 1000,1000, leaving d(98)100+d(99)10+d(100).d(98) \cdot 100 + d(99) \cdot 10 + d(100). Since d(98)=6,d(98) = 6, d(99)=6,d(99) = 6, and d(100)=9,d(100) = 9, the remainder is 600+60+9=669.600 + 60 + 9 = 669.

10.

Let ABC\triangle ABC be a triangle with DD on BC\overline{BC} such that AD\overline{AD} bisects BAC.\angle BAC. Let ω\omega be the circle that passes through AA and is tangent to segment BC\overline{BC} at D.D. Let EAE \ne A and FAF \ne A be the intersections of ω\omega with segments AB\overline{AB} and AC,\overline{AC}, respectively. Suppose that AB=200,AB = 200, AC=225,AC = 225, and all of AE,AE, AF,AF, BD,BD, and CDCD are positive integers. Find the greatest possible value of BC.BC.

Solution:

Since ω\omega is tangent to BCBC at D,D, the power of BB gives BD2=BEBABD^2 = BE \cdot BA and the power of CC gives CD2=CFCA.CD^2 = CF \cdot CA. The angle bisector gives BDDC=ABAC=89,\frac{BD}{DC} = \frac{AB}{AC} = \frac{8}{9}, so BD=8tBD = 8t and CD=9t,CD = 9t, where t=CDBDt = CD - BD is a positive integer. Then BE=64t2200=8t225,CF=81t2225=9t225,BE = \frac{64t^2}{200} = \frac{8t^2}{25}, \qquad CF = \frac{81t^2}{225} = \frac{9t^2}{25}, so AE=2008t225AE = 200 - \frac{8t^2}{25} and AF=2259t225.AF = 225 - \frac{9t^2}{25}.

For AEAE and AFAF to be integers we need 25t2,25 \mid t^2, that is, t=5s.t = 5s. Then AE=2008s2>0AE = 200 - 8s^2 \gt 0 forces s4,s \le 4, and BC=17t=85s.BC = 17t = 85s. At s=4:s = 4: BC=340,BC = 340, with BD=160,BD = 160, CD=180,CD = 180, AE=72,AE = 72, AF=81AF = 81 all positive integers, and the sides 200,225,340200, 225, 340 form a valid triangle since 200+225>340.200 + 225 \gt 340.

The greatest possible value of BCBC is 340.340.

11.

Find the greatest integer nn such that the cubic polynomial x3n6x2+(n11)x400x^3 - \frac{n}{6}x^2 + (n - 11)x - 400 has roots α2,\alpha^2, β2,\beta^2, and γ2,\gamma^2, where α,\alpha, β,\beta, and γ\gamma are complex numbers, and there are exactly seven different possible values for α+β+γ.\alpha + \beta + \gamma.

Solution:

The roots of the cubic are α2,β2,γ2.\alpha^2, \beta^2, \gamma^2. Fix square roots s1,s2,s3s_1, s_2, s_3 of them; then α+β+γ\alpha + \beta + \gamma ranges over the eight expressions ±s1±s2±s3,\pm s_1 \pm s_2 \pm s_3, which come in four pairs ±v.\pm v. Generically all eight are distinct. A coincidence v(ε)=v(ε)v(\varepsilon) = v(\varepsilon') between choices that are not opposite forces si=±sjs_i = \pm s_j for some ij,i \ne j, which collapses the eight values to at most six. So exactly seven values occur precisely when one choice satisfies ±s1±s2±s3=0\pm s_1 \pm s_2 \pm s_3 = 0 — its opposite is then the same value 00 — and no further degeneracies occur.

That condition is the vanishing of (s1+s2+s3)(s1+s2+s3)(s1s2+s3)(s1+s2s3)=2i<jrirjiri2=4e2e12,(s_1 + s_2 + s_3)(-s_1 + s_2 + s_3)(s_1 - s_2 + s_3)(s_1 + s_2 - s_3) = 2\sum_{i \lt j} r_i r_j - \sum_i r_i^2 = 4e_2 - e_1^2, where ri=si2r_i = s_i^2 are the roots and e1,e2e_1, e_2 their elementary symmetric functions. By Vieta's formulas e1=n6e_1 = \frac{n}{6} and e2=n11,e_2 = n - 11, so n236=4(n11),\frac{n^2}{36} = 4(n - 11), i.e. n2144n+1584=0,n^2 - 144n + 1584 = 0, with roots n=12n = 12 and n=132.n = 132.

For n=132n = 132 the cubic's roots are distinct and nonzero (the constant term is 4000400 \ne 0), so the only coincidence is the value 00 and exactly seven sums occur. The greatest such integer is 132.132.

12.

Consider a tetrahedron with two isosceles triangle faces with side lengths 510,5\sqrt{10}, 510,5\sqrt{10}, and 1010 and two isosceles triangle faces with side lengths 510,5\sqrt{10}, 510,5\sqrt{10}, and 18.18. The four vertices of the tetrahedron lie on a sphere with center S,S, and the four faces of the tetrahedron are tangent to a sphere with center R.R. The distance RSRS can be written as mn,\frac{m}{n}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers. Find m+n.m + n.

Difficulty rating: 2990

Solution:

The four faces have side multiset {510×8, 10×2, 18×2},\{5\sqrt{10} \times 8,\ 10 \times 2,\ 18 \times 2\}, and each edge lies on two faces, so the tetrahedron ABCDABCD has AB=10AB = 10 and CD=18CD = 18 as opposite edges and the other four edges equal to 510.5\sqrt{10}. Place A=(5,0,12),B=(5,0,12),C=(0,9,0),D=(0,9,0),A = (-5, 0, 12), \quad B = (5, 0, 12), \quad C = (0, -9, 0), \quad D = (0, 9, 0), which is consistent since AC2=25+81+144=250=(510)2.AC^2 = 25 + 81 + 144 = 250 = (5\sqrt{10})^2. The configuration is symmetric under xxx \to -x and under yy,y \to -y, so both centers lie on the zz-axis.

For S=(0,0,s),S = (0, 0, s), equating distances to AA and CC gives 25+(12s)2=81+s2,25 + (12 - s)^2 = 81 + s^2, so s=113.s = \frac{11}{3}. For R=(0,0,t),R = (0, 0, t), face ABCABC has plane 4y3z+36=04y - 3z + 36 = 0 and face ACDACD has plane 12x+5z=0,12x + 5z = 0, so equal distances require 363t5=5t13    t=11716,\frac{36 - 3t}{5} = \frac{5t}{13} \implies t = \frac{117}{16}, and by the two mirror symmetries this point is equidistant (at distance 4516\frac{45}{16}) from all four faces.

Therefore RS=11716113=35117648=17548,RS = \frac{117}{16} - \frac{11}{3} = \frac{351 - 176}{48} = \frac{175}{48}, which is in lowest terms, so m+n=175+48=223.m + n = 175 + 48 = 223.

13.

Call finite sets of integers SS and TT cousins if

SS and TT have the same number of elements,

SS and TT are disjoint, and

• the elements of SS can be paired with the elements of TT so that the elements in each pair differ by exactly 1.1.

For example, {1,2,5}\{1, 2, 5\} and {0,3,4}\{0, 3, 4\} are cousins. Suppose that the set SS has exactly 40404040 cousins. Find the least number of elements the set SS can have.

Difficulty rating: 3370

Solution:

A cousin TT is the image of an injection sending each xSx \in S to x1x - 1 or x+1,x + 1, landing outside S.S. If x1,x,x+1Sx - 1, x, x + 1 \in S then xx has nowhere to go, so every maximal block of consecutive elements of SS has size 11 or 2.2. A double block {a,a+1}\{a, a+1\} is forced to map to {a1,a+2},\{a - 1, a + 2\}, while a singleton {a}\{a\} chooses a1a - 1 or a+1.a + 1. Two blocks can fight over a value only when exactly one integer separates them, so group blocks into chains: consecutive blocks with gaps of exactly one. Within a chain the only consistent patterns are "the first ii blocks shift left and the rest shift right," since a block choosing right and its successor choosing left would collide; a double block acts as both left and right, forcing the switch to happen exactly at it. Hence a chain of kk singletons produces k+1k + 1 distinct images, a chain containing one double produces exactly 1,1, and a chain with two doubles produces 0.0. Distinct patterns give distinct sets T,T, and choices in different chains are independent, so the number of cousins is the product of (ki+1)(k_i + 1) over the all-singleton chains.

We need (ki+1)=4040=235101\prod (k_i + 1) = 4040 = 2^3 \cdot 5 \cdot 101 while minimizing the element count ki\sum k_i (chains with doubles only waste elements). Replacing a composite factor f=ghf = gh with the two factors g,h2g, h \ge 2 strictly lowers the cost, because (g1)+(h1)<gh1.(g - 1) + (h - 1) \lt gh - 1. So the optimum uses the prime factorization: (f1)=1+1+1+4+100=107,\sum (f - 1) = 1 + 1 + 1 + 4 + 100 = 107, realized by five chains of 1,1,1,4,1001, 1, 1, 4, 100 singletons — runs of every-other integer — placed far apart.

The least possible number of elements is 107.107.

14.

For integers aa and b,b, let ab=aba \circ b = a - b if aa is odd and bb is even, and ab=a+ba \circ b = a + b otherwise. Find the number of sequences a1,a2,a3,,ana_1, a_2, a_3, \ldots, a_n of positive integers such that a1+a2+a3++an=12anda1a2a3an=0,a_1 + a_2 + a_3 + \cdots + a_n = 12 \quad \text{and} \quad a_1 \circ a_2 \circ a_3 \circ \cdots \circ a_n = 0, where the operations are performed from left to right; that is, a1a2a3a_1 \circ a_2 \circ a_3 means (a1a2)a3.(a_1 \circ a_2) \circ a_3.

Solution:

Since aba+b(mod2),a - b \equiv a + b \pmod 2, the running value after kk steps has the same parity as a1++ak.a_1 + \cdots + a_k. So term aka_k is subtracted exactly when aka_k is even and the prefix sum a1++ak1a_1 + \cdots + a_{k-1} is odd, and the final value is 1212 minus twice the total of the subtracted terms. We must count compositions of 1212 in which the even terms sitting where the prefix sum is odd total exactly 6.6. The prefix parity flips exactly at odd terms, so the odd terms come in 2m2m (the total is even), and the subtracted terms are precisely the even terms lying between the (2i1)(2i-1)st and 2i2ith odd terms; these mm "odd stretches" must hold even terms totaling 6,6, while the other m+1m + 1 stretches hold even terms totaling 6A,6 - A, where AA is the sum of the odd terms.

Let fr(t)f_r(t) be the number of ways to fill rr ordered stretches with sequences of even terms totaling 2t.2t. One stretch is a composition of 2t2t into even parts, i.e. of t:t: f1(t)=2t1f_1(t) = 2^{t-1} for t1t \ge 1 and f1(0)=1;f_1(0) = 1; convolving gives the values needed below: fr(0)=1,f_r(0) = 1, fr(1)=r,f_r(1) = r, f2(2)=5,f_2(2) = 5, and f1(3),f2(3),f3(3)=4,12,25.f_1(3), f_2(3), f_3(3) = 4, 12, 25. Compositions of AA into 2m2m odd parts number ((A2m)/2+2m12m1).\binom{(A - 2m)/2 + 2m - 1}{2m - 1}.

Casework on mm and A:A: for m=1:m = 1: A=2,4,6A = 2, 4, 6 give 14f2(2)=20,1 \cdot 4 \cdot f_2(2) = 20, 24f2(1)=16,2 \cdot 4 \cdot f_2(1) = 16, and 341=12.3 \cdot 4 \cdot 1 = 12. For m=2:m = 2: A=4,6A = 4, 6 give 112f3(1)=361 \cdot 12 \cdot f_3(1) = 36 and 4121=48.4 \cdot 12 \cdot 1 = 48. For m=3:m = 3: A=6A = 6 gives 1251=25.1 \cdot 25 \cdot 1 = 25. The total is 20+16+12+36+48+25=157.20 + 16 + 12 + 36 + 48 + 25 = 157.

15.

Find the number of ordered 7-tuples (a1,a2,a3,,a7)(a_1, a_2, a_3, \ldots, a_7) having the following properties:

ak{1,2,3}a_k \in \{1, 2, 3\} for all k.k.

a1+a2+a3+a4+a5+a6+a7a_1 + a_2 + a_3 + a_4 + a_5 + a_6 + a_7 is a multiple of 3.3.

a1a2a4+a2a3a5+a3a4a6+a4a5a7+a5a6a1+a6a7a2+a7a1a3a_1a_2a_4 + a_2a_3a_5 + a_3a_4a_6 + a_4a_5a_7 + a_5a_6a_1 + a_6a_7a_2 + a_7a_1a_3 is a multiple of 3.3.

Difficulty rating: 3500

Solution:

Work modulo 3:3: entries 33 are 00 and entries 1,21, 2 are ±1.\pm 1. Because the differences of {0,1,3}\{0, 1, 3\} hit every nonzero residue mod 77 exactly once, the seven triples {i,i+1,i+3}\{i, i+1, i+3\} are the lines of a Fano plane on the positions: every pair of positions lies on exactly one line, and any two lines meet in exactly one point. Let ZZ be the set of positions holding a 33 and k=Z.k = |Z|. A product term survives exactly when its line avoids Z,Z, contributing (1)#{2’s on the line},(-1)^{\#\{\text{2's on the line}\}}, and the linear condition constrains the 7k7 - k values ±1\pm 1 to sum to 00 mod 3.3.

Casework on k.k. k=7:k = 7: the all-33s tuple works: 1.1. k=6:k = 6: a single ±1\pm 1 can't sum to 0:0: none. k=5:k = 5: no line survives; the two nonzero entries must be a 11 and a 2:2: (72)2=42.\binom{7}{2} \cdot 2 = 42. k=4:k = 4: three ±1\pm 1s sum to 00 only if all equal, and the three nonzero positions must not form a line, else its product is ±1:\pm 1: (357)2=56.(35 - 7) \cdot 2 = 56. k=3:k = 3: four ±1\pm 1s must split two and two; exactly one line avoids a non-line ZZ (spoiling the sum), while a line ZZ is avoided by no line: 7(42)=42.7 \cdot \binom{4}{2} = 42. k=2:k = 2: five ±1\pm 1s must go four and one; exactly two lines avoid Z,Z, meeting at a point pp and covering the five positions, and their products cancel exactly when the lone minority value avoids p:p: (72)24=168.\binom{7}{2} \cdot 2 \cdot 4 = 168. k=1:k = 1: six ±1\pm 1s sum to 00 if all equal or three of each; the four lines avoiding ZZ pairwise meet in the six nonzero positions, and since the product of all four line-products is +1,+1, we need exactly two negative lines. All-equal gives 00 or 44 negative lines; for three 22's, viewing positions as edges of K4K_4 on the four lines, a line is negative exactly when it has odd degree in the chosen 33-edge set, and exactly the 1212 three-edge paths (of the (63)=20\binom{6}{3} = 20 subsets) give two odd degrees: 712=84.7 \cdot 12 = 84. k=0:k = 0: seven ±1\pm 1s need two or five 22's, which make 44 or 33 lines negative respectively, but 72t0(mod3)7 - 2t \equiv 0 \pmod 3 needs t2(mod3):t \equiv 2 \pmod 3: none.

The total is 1+42+56+42+168+84=393.1 + 42 + 56 + 42 + 168 + 84 = 393.