2017 AMC 10A Problem 12

Attempt Problem 12 of the 2017 AMC 10A 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 2017 AMC 10A solutions, or check the answer key.

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12.

Let SS be a set of points (x,y)(x,y) in the coordinate plane such that two of the three quantities 3,x+2,3,x+2, and y4y-4 are equal and the third of the three quantities is no greater than this common value. Which of the following is a correct description of S?S?

a single point

two intersecting lines

three lines whose pairwise intersections are three distinct points

a triangle

three rays with a common endpoint

Answer: E
Concepts:coordinate geometrycasework
Difficulty rating: 1540
Solution:

Let us case on which of the values are equal. If 3=x+2,3 = x + 2, then x=1.x = 1. This also tells us that y43 y - 4 \leq 3 y7. y \leq 7. This describes a ray starting at (1,7)(1, 7) and extending in the negative yy direction.

Similarly, if 3=y4,3 = y - 4, then y=7y = 7 and x+23 x + 2 \leq 3 x1. x \leq 1. This also describes a ray starting at (1,7)(1, 7) but instead extending in the negative xx direction.

Finally, if x+2=y4,x + 2 = y - 4, then we have the line y=x+6.y = x + 6. Furthermore, we have that 3x+2 3 \leq x + 2 x1 x \geq 1 and 3y4 3 \leq y - 4 y7. y \geq 7. Note that if one of these conditions is met, the other is also necessarily true due to the equation of the line.

If y=7,y = 7, then x=1.x = 1. The other points are along the line, where y>7y \gt 7 and x>1.x \gt 1.

This describes another ray that starts at (1,7)(1, 7) and goes off in some third direction.

All three cases result in rays originating from (1,7)(1, 7) that all go in different directions.

Thus, E is the correct answer.

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