1956 AMC 12 Problem 48

Attempt Problem 48 of the 1956 AMC 12 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 1956 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

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48.

If pp is a positive integer, then 3p+252p5\dfrac{3p+25}{2p-5} can be a positive integer, if and only if pp is:

at least 33

equal to 3,3, 5,5, 9,9, or 3535

no more than 3535

equal to 3535

equal to 33 or 3535

Answer: B
Concepts:integer divisibilityrational expressionfactor divisors
Difficulty rating: 2210
Small Hint:

Let q=2p5;q=2p-5; positivity forces qq to be a positive odd integer

Big Hint:

Rewrite the quotient as 3+65q2,\frac{3+\frac{65}{q}}{2}, so qq must be a positive divisor of 6565

Solution:

Set q=2p5.q=2p-5. A positive quotient requires q>0,q>0, and qq is odd. Since p=q+52,p=\frac{q+5}{2}, 3p+252p5=3q+652q=3+65q2. \begin{aligned} \frac{3p+25}{2p-5} &=\frac{3q+65}{2q}\\ &=\frac{3+\frac{65}{q}}{2}. \end{aligned} Thus qq must be a positive divisor of 65.65. The possibilities q=1,q=1, q=5,q=5, q=13,q=13, and q=65q=65 give p=3,p=3, p=5,p=5, p=9,p=9, and p=35,p=35, respectively, and each works. No other positive integer pp works.

Therefore the mathematically correct set is {3,5,9,35},\{3,5,9,35\}, shown in the adjusted choice B.

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Problem 48 in Other Years

1950 AMC 12 · 1951 AMC 12 · 1952 AMC 12 · 1953 AMC 12 · 1954 AMC 12 · 1955 AMC 12 · 1957 AMC 12 · 1958 AMC 12 · 1959 AMC 12