2021 AMC 10A Fall Problem 5

Attempt Problem 5 of the 2021 AMC 10A Fall 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 2021 AMC 10A Fall solutions, or check the answer key.

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

5.

The six-digit number 20210A\underline{2}\,\underline{0}\,\underline{2}\,\underline{1}\,\underline{0}\,\underline{A} is prime for only one digit A.A. What is A?A?

11

33

55

77

99

Answer: E
Concepts:divisibilitydigitsprime
Difficulty rating: 1140
Solution:

Note that AA cannot be even, as then the number would be divisible by 2.2.

AA also cannot be 5,5, as that would make the number divisible by 5.5.

If AA equaled 11 or 7,7, then the sum of the digits of the number would be 66 and 1212 respectively.

This would make the number divisible by 3,3, so that rules out AA equaling either of these numbers.

Finally, if AA equals 3,3, then the whole number becomes 202103.202103. If we look at the difference of the sums of alternating digits, we get 2+213=0, 2 + 2 - 1 - 3 = 0, which means the number is divisible by 11.11.

Every choice except 99 makes the number composite. Because the problem states that exactly one digit works, that digit must be A=9.A=9. (Indeed, trial division by the primes at most 202109<450\sqrt{202109}<450 confirms that 202109202109 is prime.)

Thus, E is the correct answer.

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