1999 AMC 12 Problem 10

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 10 of the 1999 AMC 12, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 1999 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:logical deduction

Difficulty rating: 1370

10.

A sealed envelope contains a card with a single digit on it. Three of the following statements are true, and the other is false.

I. The digit is 1.1.

II. The digit is not 2.2.

III. The digit is 3.3.

IV. The digit is not 4.4.

Which one of the following must necessarily be correct?

I is true.

I is false.

II is true.

III is true.

IV is false.

Solution:

Statements I and III cannot both be true, so the single false statement is one of them. Therefore statements II and IV are both true, which makes "II is true" necessarily correct.

The digit is thus 11 or 3.3. If it were 1,1, then (B) and (D) are false; if it were 3,3, then (A) is false; and (E) is always incorrect. Only (C) is guaranteed.

Thus, the correct answer is C.

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