2021 AMC 10B Spring Solutions

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All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

1.

How many integer values of xx satisfy x<3π?|x| < 3\pi?

9 9

10 10

18 18

19 19

20 20

Concepts:absolute valuecounting integers in a range

Difficulty rating: 560

Solution:

Every integer from 9-9 to 9,9, inclusive, works. This yields 9(9)+1=199-(-9)+1 = 19 solutions.

Thus, the correct answer is D .

2.

What is the value of (323)2+(3+23)2? \begin{aligned} &\sqrt{\left(3-2\sqrt{3}\right)^2} \\ &{}+\sqrt{\left(3+2\sqrt{3}\right)^2}? \end{aligned}

0 0

436 4\sqrt{3}-6

6 6

43 4\sqrt{3}

43+6 4\sqrt{3}+6

Difficulty rating: 770

Solution:

We know (323)2+(3+23)2\sqrt{\left(3-2\sqrt{3}\right)^2}+\sqrt{\left(3+2\sqrt{3}\right)^2 } =323+3+23.= |3-2\sqrt{3}| + |3+2\sqrt{3}|. Since 3<23,3 < 2 \sqrt 3, we know that 323<0.3-2\sqrt{3} < 0.

Therefore, our desired equation expression is equal to 3+23+3+23-3+2\sqrt{3} + 3+2\sqrt{3} =43.= 4 \sqrt 3.

Thus, the correct answer is D .

3.

In an after-school program for juniors and seniors, there is a debate team with an equal number of students from each class on the team. Among the 2828 students in the program, 25%25\% of the juniors and 10%10\% of the seniors are on the debate team. How many juniors are in the program?

5 5

6 6

8 8

11 11

20 20

Difficulty rating: 870

Video solution:
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Written solution:

Let the number of juniors be jj and the number of seniors be s.s. Then, j+s=28j+s = 28 and 0.25j=0.1s.0.25j = 0.1s. This means 2.5j=s,2.5j = s, so 3.5j=28.3.5j = 28. This makes j=8.j=8.

Thus, the correct answer is C .

4.

At a math contest, 5757 students are wearing blue shirts, and another 7575 students are wearing yellow shirts. The 132132 students are assigned into 6666 pairs. In exactly 2323 of these pairs, both students are wearing blue shirts. In how many pairs are both students wearing yellow shirts?

23 23

32 32

37 37

41 41

64 64

Difficulty rating: 960

Video solution:
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Written solution:

There are 223=462\cdot 23 = 46 students with blue shirts that are in a pair with just blue shirts. This means there are 5746=1157-46=11 students in blue shirts who are paired with someone wearing a yellow shirt, meaning exactly 1111 people wearing yellow shirts are paired with someone wearing a blue shirt.

This leaves just 6464 students wearing a yellow shirt who are paired with someone else wearing a yellow shirt. This yields 642=32\dfrac{64}2 = 32 pairs.

Thus, the answer is B .

5.

The ages of Jonie's four cousins are distinct single-digit positive integers. Two of the cousins' ages multiplied together give 24,24, while the other two multiply to 30.30. What is the sum of the ages of Jonie's four cousins?

21 21

22 22

23 23

24 24

25 25

Concepts:factorages

Difficulty rating: 900

Video solution:
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Written solution:

Since the last two are multiplied to 3030 and both are single-digit numbers, one of them must be 5,5, making the other person 6.6. The first two are of ages that multiply to 24.24. The only pair of single-digit numbers whose product is 2424 and none of them are 44 or 66 is the pair 3,8.3,8. Thus, the ages are 3,5,6,8,3,5,6,8, making their sum 22.22.

Thus, the answer is B .

6.

Ms. Blackwell gives an exam to two classes. The mean of the scores of the students in the morning class is 84,84, and the afternoon class's mean score is 70.70. The ratio of the number of students in the morning class to the number of students in the afternoon class is 34.\frac{3}{4}. What is the mean of the scores of all the students?

74 74

75 75

76 76

77 77

78 78

Difficulty rating: 900

Video solution:
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Written solution:

Let the number of people in the first class be 3x.3x. This means the number of people in the second class is 4x.4x.

Thus, the sum of the scores of the first class is 843x=252x84\cdot 3x = 252x and the sum of the scores for the people in the second class is 704x=280x.70\cdot 4x = 280x. This means the total sum is 532x,532x, with 7x7x people.

Therefore, the average of all the students is 532x7x=76. \dfrac{532x}{7x} = 76.

Thus, the correct answer is C .

7.

In a plane, four circles with radii 1,3,5,1,3,5, and 77 are tangent to line \ell at the same point A,A, but they may be on either side of .\ell. Region SS consists of all the points that lie inside exactly one of the four circles. What is the maximum possible area of region S?S?

24π 24\pi

32π 32\pi

64π 64\pi

65π 65\pi

84π 84\pi

Difficulty rating: 1240

Video solution:
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Written solution:

On one side of \ell, circles tangent at AA are nested. For nested circles with radii r1>r2>r_1>r_2>\cdots, the points inside exactly one of those circles have area π(r12r22)\pi(r_1^2-r_2^2) if there are at least two circles; a third smaller nested circle does not count because its points are inside three circles, not exactly one.

To maximize the area, put the circle of radius 77 alone on one side, and put the circles of radii 5,3,15,3,1 on the other side. This gives

72π+(5232)π=49π+16π=65π. \begin{aligned} &7^2\pi+(5^2-3^2)\pi \\ &=49\pi+16\pi=65\pi. \end{aligned}

Thus, the answer is D .

8.

Mr. Zhou places all the integers from 11 to 225225 into a 1515 by 1515 grid. He places 11 in the middle square (eighth row and eighth column) and places other numbers one by one clockwise, as shown in part in the diagram below. What is the sum of the greatest number and the least number that appear in the second row from the top?

367 367

368 368

369 369

379 379

380 380

Difficulty rating: 1420

Video solution:
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Written solution:

In the outer 15×1515\times15 ring, the top row contains 211,212,,225211,212,\ldots,225, so the number just below 211211 in the second row is 210210. This is the greatest number in the second row.

The inner 13×1313\times13 spiral has 132=16913^2=169 in its upper-right corner. In the second row of the full grid, the inner-ring entries run from 157157 to 169169. Thus the least entry in that row is 157157.

The required sum is 210+157=367210+157=367.

Thus, the answer is A .

9.

The point P(a,b)P(a,b) in the xyxy-plane is first rotated counterclockwise by 9090^\circ around the point (1,5)(1,5) and then reflected about the line y=x.y = -x. The image of PP after these two transformations is at (6,3).(-6,3). What is ba?b - a ?

1 1

3 3

5 5

7 7

9 9

Difficulty rating: 1220

Video solution:
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Written solution:

Work backward. Reflecting (6,3)(-6,3) across y=xy=-x gives (3,6)(-3,6).

Now undo the 9090^\circ counterclockwise rotation by rotating (3,6)(-3,6) clockwise about (1,5)(1,5). Relative to (1,5)(1,5), the point is (4,1)(-4,1). A clockwise quarter-turn sends this to (1,4)(1,4), and translating back gives (2,9)(2,9).

Thus a=2a=2, b=9b=9, and ba=7b-a=7.

Thus, the answer is D .

10.

An inverted cone with base radius 12cm12 \mathrm{ cm} and height 18cm18 \mathrm{ cm} is full of water. The water is poured into a tall cylinder whose horizontal base has radius of 24cm.24 \mathrm{ cm}. What is the height in centimeters of the water in the cylinder?

1.5 1.5

3 3

4 4

4.5 4.5

6 6

Difficulty rating: 1020

Video solution:
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Written solution:

The volumes must be the same since the water is poured from one to another. The volume of the cone is r2hπ3=12218π3=864π.\frac{r^2h \pi}3 = \frac{12^2\cdot 18 \pi}3 = 864 \pi.

The volume of the cylinder is r2hπ=242hπ=576hπ.r^2h \pi =24^2h \pi = 576h \pi. This makes 576hπ=864π,576 h \pi = 864 \pi, so h=1.5.h = 1.5.

Thus, the answer is A .

11.

Grandma has just finished baking a large rectangular pan of brownies. She is planning to make rectangular pieces of equal size and shape, with straight cuts parallel to the sides of the pan. Each cut must be made entirely across the pan. Grandma wants to make the same number of interior pieces as pieces along the perimeter of the pan. What is the greatest possible number of brownies she can produce?

24 24

30 30

48 48

60 60

64 64

Difficulty rating: 1420

Video solution:
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Written solution:

Suppose the cuts make an l×wl\times w grid of pieces. The number of interior pieces is (l2)(w2)(l-2)(w-2), and the total number of pieces is lwlw. Since the number of interior pieces equals the number of perimeter pieces, the interior pieces make up half the total:

(l2)(w2)=lw2.(l-2)(w-2)=\frac{lw}{2}.

Multiplying out gives lw4l4w+8=0lw-4l-4w+8=0, or

(l4)(w4)=8.(l-4)(w-4)=8.

The positive factor pairs of 88 give (l,w)=(5,12)(l,w)=(5,12) or (6,8)(6,8), up to order. These produce 6060 or 4848 pieces, respectively, so the greatest possible number is 6060.

Thus, the answer is D .

12.

Let N=343463270.N = 34 \cdot 34 \cdot 63 \cdot 270. What is the ratio of the sum of the odd divisors of NN to the sum of the even divisors of N?N?

1:16 1 : 16

1:15 1 : 15

1:14 1 : 14

1:8 1 : 8

1:3 1 : 3

Difficulty rating: 1140

Solution:

Using prime factorization, we get N=233557172.N =2^3\cdot 3^5\cdot 5\cdot 7\cdot 17^2.

If we have an odd divisor xx of N,N, then 2x,4x,8x2x,4x,8x are divisors of N,N, which has a combined sum of 14x.14x. If we take the sum of every odd divisor, then the even divisors must have a sum which is 1414 times the sum of the odd divisors. Therefore, the requested ratio is 1:141:14.

Thus, the answer is C .

13.

Let nn be a positive integer and dd be a digit such that the value of the numeral 32d\underline{32d} in base nn equals 263,263, and the value of the numeral 324\underline{324} in base nn equals the value of the numeral 11d1\underline{11d1} in base six. What is n+d?n + d ?

10 10

11 11

13 13

15 15

16 16

Difficulty rating: 1280

Video solution:
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Written solution:

The first statement means 3n2+2n+d=263.3n^2 + 2n+d = 263.

Similarly, the second statement means 3n2+2n+43n^2 +2n +4 =63+62+6d+1= 6^3 +6^2 +6d+1 =253+6d.= 253 + 6d.

Subtracting these shows us that 4d=6d104-d = 6d-10 7d=147d = 14 d=2.d=2. Therefore, 3n2+2n+2=263,3n^2 + 2n + 2 = 263, so n(3n+2)=261.n(3n+2) = 261.

This implies n=9.n=9. Therefore, n+d=11.n+d = 11.

Thus, the answer is B .

14.

Three equally spaced parallel lines intersect a circle, creating three chords of lengths 38,38,38,38, and 34.34. What is the distance between two adjacent parallel lines?

512 5\frac12

6 6

612 6\frac12

7 7

712 7\frac12

Difficulty rating: 1540

Video solution:
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Written solution:

The two chords of length 3838 are equally far from the center of the circle. Because the three parallel lines are equally spaced, those two equal chords must lie on adjacent lines, with the center halfway between them. Let that half-distance be dd. Then each 3838-chord is distance dd from the center, and the 3434-chord is distance 3d3d from the center.

If the circle has radius rr, then

r2=192+d2=172+(3d)2.r^2=19^2+d^2=17^2+(3d)^2.

Thus 192172=8d219^2-17^2=8d^2, so 72=8d272=8d^2, and d=3d=3. The distance between adjacent parallel lines is 2d=62d=6.

Thus, the answer is B .

15.

The real number xx satisfies the equation x+1x=5.x+\frac{1}{x} = \sqrt{5}. What is the value of x117x7+x3?x^{11}-7x^{7}+x^3?

1 -1

0 0

1 1

2 2

5 \sqrt{5}

Difficulty rating: 1340

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Written solution:

Since x+1x=5,x+\frac{1}{x} = \sqrt{5}, squaring yields x2+2+1x2=5x^2 + 2 + \frac 1{x^2} = 5 x2+1x2=3.x^2 + \frac 1{x^2} = 3. Squaring again yields x4+2+1x4=9x^4 + 2 + \frac 1{x^4} = 9 x47+1x4=0.x^4 -7 + \frac 1{x^4} = 0. Multiplying by x7x^7 yields x117x7+x3=0.x^{11}-7x^{7}+x^3=0.

Thus, the answer is B .

16.

Call a positive integer an uphill integer if every digit is strictly greater than the previous digit. For example, 1357,89,1357, 89, and 55 are all uphill integers, but 32,1240,32, 1240, and 466466 are not. How many uphill integers are divisible by 15?15?

4 4

5 5

6 6

7 7

8 8

Difficulty rating: 1480

Video solution:
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Written solution:

If a number is divisible by 15,15, it has a units digit of 00 or 5.5. If the units digit is 00 and the digits are strictly increasing, then the number is 0,0, which isn't positive. Therefore, we can just look at numbers with a units digit of 5.5.

Next, we need to find uphill integers that are a multiple of 3.3. This means the other digits are a subset of {1,2,3,4}.\{1,2,3,4\}. Taking the sum of the set must have a remainder of 11 when divided by 3.3. Also, having or taking out 33 wouldn't affect the remainder, so we can take the number of subsets without a 33 and multiply it by 2.2. There are only 33 such subsets, namely {1},{4},\{1\}, \{4\}, and {1,2,4}.\{1,2,4\}. Thus, there are 66 total subsets.

Thus, the correct answer is C .

17.

Ravon, Oscar, Aditi, Tyrone, and Kim play a card game. Each person is given 22 cards out of a set of 1010 cards numbered 1,2,3,,10.1,2,3, \dots,10. The score of a player is the sum of the numbers of their cards. The scores of the players are as follows: Ravon--11,11, Oscar--4,4, Aditi--7,7, Tyrone--16,16, Kim--17.17. Which of the following statements is true?

Ravon was given card 3.

Aditi was given card 3.

Ravon was given card 4.

Aditi was given card 4.

Tyrone was given card 7.

Difficulty rating: 1420

Video solution:
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Written solution:

If there are 22 cards for Oscar that add up to 4,4, he must have both 11 and 3.3. This eliminates choices A and B.

If there are 22 cards for Aditi that add up to 7,7, he must have both 22 and 55 so she doesn't have 11 and 3.3.

If someone has 4,4, their sum must be equal to or under 1414 since the other number must be under or equal to 10.10. Thus, Ravon must have the 44 and 7,7, making C true and D and E false.

Thus, the answer is C .

18.

A fair 66-sided die is repeatedly rolled until an odd number appears. What is the probability that every even number appears at least once before the first occurrence of an odd number?

1120 \dfrac{1}{120}

132 \dfrac{1}{32}

120 \dfrac{1}{20}

320 \dfrac{3}{20}

16 \dfrac{1}{6}

Difficulty rating: 1220

Video solution:
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Written solution:

The probability that the first number is even is 36.\frac 36.

The probability that the second distinct number is even is 25.\frac 25.

The probability that the third distinct number is even is 14.\frac 14.

The combined probability is 321654=120.\dfrac{3\cdot 2\cdot 1}{6\cdot 5\cdot 4} = \dfrac 1{20}.

Thus, the answer is C .

19.

Suppose that SS is a finite set of positive integers.

If the greatest integer in SS is removed from S,S, then the average value (arithmetic mean) of the integers remaining is 32.32. If the least integer in SS is also removed, then the average value of the integers remaining is 35.35. If the greatest integer is then returned to the set, the average value of the integers rises to 40.40. The greatest integer in the original set SS is 7272 greater than the least integer in S.S.

What is the average value of all the integers in the set S?S?

36.2 36.2

36.4 36.4

36.6 36.6

36.8 36.8

37 37

Difficulty rating: 1540

Video solution:
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Let the sum of all the integers be s,s, the greatest number be g,g, the least number be l,l, and the size of SS be n.n.

From the info given, we know sln1=40\dfrac{s-l}{n-1} = 40sgn1=32.\dfrac{s-g}{n-1} = 32. Subtracting these yields gln1=8.\dfrac{g-l}{n-1} = 8. Since we know gl=72,g-l=72, we know 72n1=8,\frac{72}{n-1} =8, so n=10.n=10.

We also know sgln2=35,\dfrac{s-g-l}{n-2} = 35, so sgl=835s-g-l = 8\cdot 35=280.=280. Since sln1=40,\dfrac{s-l}{n-1} = 40, we knowsl=360.s-l = 360. This makes g=80.g=80. Using g=l+72,g=l+72, we get l=8.l=8. Thus, s=368.s=368.

The average is sn=36810\dfrac sn = \dfrac{368}{10} =36.8.= 36.8.

Thus, the answer is D .

20.

The figure is constructed from 1111 line segments, each of which has length 2.2. The area of pentagon ABCDEABCDE can be written as m+n,\sqrt{m} + \sqrt{n}, where mm and nn are positive integers. What is m+n?m + n ?

20 20

21 21

22 22

23 23

24 24

Solution:

The equal length segments show that the side pieces near BB and EE are made from halves of equilateral triangles of side length 22. An equilateral triangle of side length 22 has altitude 3\sqrt3 and area 3\sqrt3, so the two side pieces together contribute area 23=122\sqrt3=\sqrt{12}.

The remaining central triangle is ACD\triangle ACD. From the same equilateral-triangle altitudes, AC=AD=23=12AC=AD=2\sqrt3=\sqrt{12}, and CD=2CD=2. Its altitude to CDCD is

(12)212=11.\sqrt{(\sqrt{12})^2-1^2}=\sqrt{11}.

Therefore the area of ACD\triangle ACD is 12211=11\frac12\cdot2\cdot\sqrt{11}=\sqrt{11}. The pentagon's total area is

12+11,\sqrt{12}+\sqrt{11},

so m+n=12+11=23m+n=12+11=23.

Thus, the answer is D .

21.

A square piece of paper has side length 11 and vertices A,B,C,A,B,C, and DD in that order. As shown in the figure, the paper is folded so that vertex CC meets edge AD\overline{AD} at point C,C', and edge BC\overline{BC} intersects edge AB\overline{AB} at point E.E. Suppose that CD=13.C'D = \frac{1}{3}. What is the perimeter of triangle AEC?\bigtriangleup AEC' ?

2 2

1+233 1+\dfrac{2}{3}\sqrt{3}

136 \dfrac{13}{6}

1+343 1 + \dfrac{3}{4}\sqrt{3}

73 \dfrac{7}{3}

Difficulty rating: 2230

Video solution:
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Written solution:

Use coordinates with A=(0,1)A=(0,1), B=(0,0)B=(0,0), C=(1,0)C=(1,0), and D=(1,1)D=(1,1). Since CD=13C'D=\frac13, we have C=(23,1)C'=(\frac23,1), so AC=23AC'=\frac23.

The fold reflects CC to CC', so the image of side BCBC is the line through CC' and EE. Reflecting B=(0,0)B=(0,0) across the perpendicular bisector of CCCC' gives (215,25)(-\frac{2}{15},\frac25). The line through this point and CC' meets ABAB at E=(0,12)E=(0,\frac12).

Thus AE=12AE=\frac12, and

EC=(23)2+(12)2=56.EC'=\sqrt{\left(\frac23\right)^2+\left(\frac12\right)^2}=\frac56.

The perimeter of AEC\triangle AEC' is

12+23+56=2.\frac12+\frac23+\frac56=2.

Thus, the answer is A .

22.

Ang, Ben, and Jasmin each have 55 blocks, colored red, blue, yellow, white, and green; and there are 55 empty boxes. Each of the people randomly and independently of the other two people places one of their blocks into each box. The probability that at least one box receives 33 blocks all of the same color is mn,\frac{m}{n}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers. What is m+n?m + n ?

47 47

94 94

227 227

471 471

542 542

Difficulty rating: 2150

Video solution:
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Fix Ang's placement and label each box by the color Ang put in it. Ben and Jasmin each choose a permutation of the five colors, so there are (5!)2(5!)^2 equally likely pairs of placements.

For a specified set of kk boxes to receive three blocks of the same color, both Ben and Jasmin must match Ang in those kk boxes. This can happen in ((5k)!)2((5-k)!)^2 ways. By inclusion-exclusion, the number of successful placement pairs is

(51)(4!)2(52)(3!)2+(53)(2!)2(54)(1!)2+(55)(0!)2. \begin{aligned} &\binom51(4!)^2-\binom52(3!)^2 \\ &\quad {}+\binom53(2!)^2-\binom54(1!)^2 \\ &\quad {}+\binom55(0!)^2. \end{aligned}

This equals

2880360+405+1=2556.2880-360+40-5+1=2556.

Therefore the probability is

2556(5!)2=255614400=71400.\frac{2556}{(5!)^2}=\frac{2556}{14400}=\frac{71}{400}.

Thus m+n=71+400=471m+n=71+400=471.

Thus, the answer is D .

23.

A square with side length 88 is unshaded except for 44 shaded isosceles right triangular regions with legs of length 22 in each corner of the square and a shaded diamond with side length 222\sqrt{2} in the center of the square, as shown in the diagram.

A circular coin with diameter 11 is dropped onto the square and lands in a random location where the coin is completely contained within the square. The probability that the coin will cover part of the shaded region of the square can be written as 1196(a+b2+π),\frac{1}{196}\left(a+b\sqrt{2}+\pi\right), where aa and bb are positive integers. What is a+b?a+b?

64 64

66 66

68 68

70 70

72 72

Difficulty rating: 2390

Solution:

The coin has radius 12\frac12, so its center is uniformly distributed over a 7×77\times7 square of area 4949.

A shaded corner triangle contributes the set of center positions within distance 12\frac12 of that triangle, inside the allowed center square. For each corner this is a right isosceles triangle whose altitude is 1+22\frac{1+\sqrt2}{2}, so its area is

(1+22)2=3+224.\left(\frac{1+\sqrt2}{2}\right)^2=\frac{3+2\sqrt2}{4}.

All four corners contribute 3+223+2\sqrt2.

The center shaded diamond is a square of side 222\sqrt2. Expanding it by distance 12\frac12 adds four rectangles of total area 424\sqrt2 and four quarter-circles of total area π4\frac\pi4, in addition to the diamond's area 88. Thus the center contribution is

8+42+π4.8+4\sqrt2+\frac\pi4.

The favorable area is

3+22+8+42+π4=11+62+π4. \begin{aligned} &3+2\sqrt2+8+4\sqrt2+\frac\pi4 \\ &=11+6\sqrt2+\frac\pi4. \end{aligned}

The probability is

11+62+π449=44+242+π196. \begin{aligned} &\frac{11+6\sqrt2+\frac\pi4}{49} \\ &=\frac{44+24\sqrt2+\pi}{196}. \end{aligned}

So a+b=44+24=68a+b=44+24=68.

Thus, the answer is C .

24.

Arjun and Beth play a game in which they take turns removing one brick or two adjacent bricks from one "wall" among a set of several walls of bricks, with gaps possibly creating new walls. The walls are one brick tall. For example, a set of walls of sizes 44 and 22 can be changed into any of the following by one move: (3,2),(2,1,2),(4),(4,1),(2,2),(3,2),(2,1,2),(4),(4,1),(2,2), or (1,1,2).(1,1,2).

Arjun plays first, and the player who removes the last brick wins. For which starting configuration is there a strategy that guarantees a win for Beth?

(6,1,1) (6,1,1)

(6,2,1) (6,2,1)

(6,2,2) (6,2,2)

(6,3,1) (6,3,1)

(6,3,2) (6,3,2)

Difficulty rating: 2390

Solution:

For a single wall of length nn, compute its Sprague-Grundy value from the possible moves. For the wall lengths needed here, the values are

g(1)=1,g(2)=2,g(3)=3,g(4)=1,g(5)=4,g(6)=3. \begin{aligned} &g(1)=1,\quad g(2)=2, \\ &g(3)=3,\quad g(4)=1, \\ &g(5)=4,\quad g(6)=3. \end{aligned}

For several walls, the position is losing for the player to move exactly when the xor of the wall values is 00. Evaluating the choices gives

(6,1,1):311=3,(6,1,1): 3\oplus1\oplus1=3,

(6,2,1):321=0,(6,2,1): 3\oplus2\oplus1=0,

(6,2,2):322=3,(6,2,2): 3\oplus2\oplus2=3,

(6,3,1):331=1,(6,3,1): 3\oplus3\oplus1=1,

(6,3,2):332=2.(6,3,2): 3\oplus3\oplus2=2.

Only (6,2,1)(6,2,1) is losing for the player to move, so Beth has a guaranteed win exactly for that starting configuration.

Thus, the answer is B .

25.

Let SS be the set of lattice points in the coordinate plane, both of whose coordinates are integers between 11 and 30,30, inclusive. Exactly 300300 points in SS lie on or below a line with equation y=mx.y=mx. The possible values of mm lie in an interval of length ab,\frac ab, where aa and bb are relatively prime positive integers. What is a+b?a+b?

31 31

47 47

62 62

72 72

85 85

Difficulty rating: 2390

Solution:

For a fixed slope mm, the number of points in SS on or below y=mxy=mx is

x=130mx,\sum_{x=1}^{30}\lfloor mx\rfloor,

for the slopes near the answer.

At m=23m=\frac23, grouping x=3k+1,3k+2,3k+3x=3k+1,3k+2,3k+3 for k=0,1,,9k=0,1,\ldots,9 gives

2x/3=2k, 2k+1, 2k+2,\lfloor 2x/3\rfloor=2k,\ 2k+1, \ 2k+2,

whose sum over each block is 6k+36k+3. Thus the total is

k=09(6k+3)=270+30=300.\sum_{k=0}^9(6k+3)=270+30=300.

If m<23m<\frac23, the ten points with ratios y/x=2/3y/x=2/3 are no longer counted, so the count is less than 300300. Therefore the lower end is 23\frac23.

The next possible ratio y/xy/x greater than 23\frac23, with 1x,y301\le x,y\le30, is minimized by checking xx modulo 33. The best candidates are

1928,2029,2130=710,\frac{19}{28},\qquad \frac{20}{29},\qquad \frac{21}{30}=\frac{7}{10},

and the smallest is 1928\frac{19}{28}. Hence the interval length is

192823=184.\frac{19}{28}-\frac23=\frac1{84}.

Thus a+b=1+84=85a+b=1+84=85.

Thus, the answer is E .