2025 AMC 10A Problem 5

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 5 of the 2025 AMC 10A, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2025 AMC 10A solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:pattern recognitionperfect square

Difficulty rating: 1200

5.

Consider the sequence of positive integers

1,2,1,2,3,2,1,2,3,4,3,2,1,2,3,4,5,4,3,2,1,2,3,4,5,6,5,4,3,2,1,2,1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, \ldots

What is the 20252025th term in this sequence?

55

1515

1616

4444

4545

Solution:

Group the sequence into blocks. Block kk reads k,k1,,2,1,2,,k1,k,k, k-1, \ldots, 2, 1, 2, \ldots, k-1, k, which is 2k12k - 1 terms and ends on k.k. So after block kk we've used 1+3++(2k1)=k21 + 3 + \cdots + (2k-1) = k^2 terms. Notice 2025=452.2025 = 45^2. That's exactly the end of block 45,45, whose last term is 45.45. Thus, E is the correct answer.

Problem 5 in Other Years