2007 AMC 12A Exam Solutions

Scroll down to view professionally curated solutions from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh, print PDF solutions, view answer key, or:

Try Exam

All of the real AMC 8, AMC 10, AMC 12, and AIME problems in our complete solution collection are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

1.

One ticket to a show costs $20\$20 at full price. Susan buys 44 tickets using a coupon that gives her a 25%25\% discount. Pam buys 55 tickets using a coupon that gives her a 30%30\% discount. How many more dollars does Pam pay than Susan?

22

55

1010

1515

2020

Concepts:percentagemoney

Difficulty rating: 920

Solution:

Susan pays (4)(0.75)(20)=60(4)(0.75)(20)=60 dollars.

Pam pays (5)(0.70)(20)=70(5)(0.70)(20)=70 dollars.

So Pam pays 7060=1070-60=10 more dollars than Susan.

Thus, the correct answer is C.

2.

An aquarium has a rectangular base that measures 100100 cm by 4040 cm and has a height of 5050 cm. It is filled with water to a height of 4040 cm. A brick with a rectangular base that measures 4040 cm by 2020 cm and a height of 1010 cm is placed in the aquarium. By how many centimeters does the water rise?

0.50.5

11

1.51.5

22

2.52.5

Difficulty rating: 1020

Solution:

The brick has a volume of 402010=800040\cdot 20\cdot 10=8000 cubic centimeters.

If the water rises by hh centimeters, the added volume is 10040h=4000h100\cdot 40\cdot h=4000h cubic centimeters.

Setting this equal to the brick's volume gives 8000=4000h,8000=4000h, so h=2.h=2.

Thus, the correct answer is D.

3.

The larger of two consecutive odd integers is three times the smaller. What is their sum?

44

88

1212

1616

2020

Difficulty rating: 890

Solution:

Let the smaller integer be x.x. Then the larger is x+2.x+2.

So x+2=3x,x+2=3x, which gives x=1.x=1.

The two integers are 11 and 3,3, and their sum is 4.4.

Thus, the correct answer is A.

4.

Kate rode her bicycle for 3030 minutes at a speed of 1616 mph, then walked for 9090 minutes at a speed of 44 mph. What was her overall average speed in miles per hour?

77

99

1010

1212

1414

Difficulty rating: 1130

Solution:

Kate rode for 12\tfrac12 hour at 1616 mph, covering 88 miles.

She walked for 32\tfrac32 hours at 44 mph, covering 66 miles.

She covered 1414 miles in 22 hours, so her average speed was 77 mph.

Thus, the correct answer is A.

5.

Last year Mr. John Q. Public received an inheritance. He paid 20%20\% in federal taxes on the inheritance, and paid 10%10\% of what he had left in state taxes. He paid a total of $10,500\$10{,}500 for both taxes. How many dollars was the inheritance?

30,00030{,}000

32,50032{,}500

35,00035{,}000

37,50037{,}500

40,00040{,}000

Difficulty rating: 1200

Solution:

After federal taxes, Mr. Public keeps 80%80\% of his inheritance.

He pays 10%10\% of that in state taxes, which is 8%8\% of the inheritance.

His total tax is 20%+8%=28%20\%+8\%=28\% of the inheritance, so the inheritance is $10,500/0.28=$37,500.\$10{,}500/0.28=\$37{,}500.

Thus, the correct answer is D.

6.

Triangles ABCABC and ADCADC are isosceles with AB=BCAB=BC and AD=DC.AD=DC. Point DD is inside ABC,\triangle ABC, ABC=40,\angle ABC=40^\circ, and ADC=140.\angle ADC=140^\circ. What is the degree measure of BAD?\angle BAD?

2020

3030

4040

5050

6060

Difficulty rating: 1200

Solution:

Since ABC\triangle ABC is isosceles, BAC=12(180ABC)=70.\angle BAC=\tfrac12(180^\circ-\angle ABC)=70^\circ.

Since ADC\triangle ADC is isosceles, DAC=12(180ADC)=20.\angle DAC=\tfrac12(180^\circ-\angle ADC)=20^\circ.

Therefore BAD=BACDAC=7020=50.\angle BAD=\angle BAC-\angle DAC=70^\circ-20^\circ=50^\circ.

Thus, the correct answer is D.

7.

Let a,a, b,b, c,c, d,d, and ee be five consecutive terms in an arithmetic sequence, and suppose that a+b+c+d+e=30.a+b+c+d+e=30. Which of the following can be found?

aa

bb

cc

dd

ee

Difficulty rating: 1130

Solution:

Let DD be the common difference. Then a=c2D,a=c-2D, b=cD,b=c-D, d=c+D,d=c+D, and e=c+2D,e=c+2D, so a+b+c+d+e=5c.a+b+c+d+e=5c.

Thus 5c=30,5c=30, giving c=6.c=6.

The other terms cannot be determined: the sequences 4,5,6,7,84,5,6,7,8 and 10,8,6,4,210,8,6,4,2 both satisfy the conditions but differ in every term except the middle one.

Thus, the correct answer is C.

8.

A star-polygon is drawn on a clock face by drawing a chord from each number to the fifth number counted clockwise from that number. That is, chords are drawn from 1212 to 5,5, from 55 to 10,10, from 1010 to 3,3, and so on, ending back at 12.12. What is the degree measure of the angle at each vertex in the star-polygon?

2020

2424

3030

3636

6060

Difficulty rating: 1350

Solution:

Consider the two chords meeting at the number 5.5. They run to 1212 and to 10,10, so the arc they subtend extends from 1010 to 12.12.

That arc spans two of the twelve hour-marks, so its measure is 212360=60.\tfrac{2}{12}\cdot 360^\circ=60^\circ.

By the Inscribed Angle Theorem, the vertex angle is half the arc, or 1260=30.\tfrac12\cdot 60^\circ=30^\circ. By symmetry every vertex angle equals 30.30^\circ.

Thus, the correct answer is C.

9.

Yan is somewhere between his home and the stadium. To get to the stadium he can walk directly to the stadium, or else he can walk home and then ride his bicycle to the stadium. He rides 77 times as fast as he walks, and both choices require the same amount of time. What is the ratio of Yan's distance from his home to his distance from the stadium?

23\dfrac{2}{3}

34\dfrac{3}{4}

45\dfrac{4}{5}

56\dfrac{5}{6}

67\dfrac{6}{7}

Difficulty rating: 1440

Solution:

Let ww be the walking speed and let xx and yy be Yan's distances from home and from the stadium.

Walking to the stadium takes yw.\dfrac{y}{w}. Walking home then biking takes xw+x+y7w=8x+y7w.\dfrac{x}{w}+\dfrac{x+y}{7w}=\dfrac{8x+y}{7w}.

Setting these equal gives 7y=8x+y,7y=8x+y, so 8x=6y8x=6y and xy=34.\dfrac{x}{y}=\dfrac{3}{4}.

Thus, the correct answer is B.

10.

A triangle with side lengths in the ratio 3:4:53:4:5 is inscribed in a circle of radius 3.3. What is the area of the triangle?

8.648.64

1212

5π5\pi

17.2817.28

1818

Solution:

Let the sides be 3x,3x, 4x,4x, and 5x.5x. The triangle is right, so its hypotenuse is a diameter.

Thus 5x=23=6,5x=2\cdot 3=6, giving x=65.x=\tfrac65.

The area is 123x4x=6x2=63625=21625=8.64.\tfrac12\cdot 3x\cdot 4x=6x^2=6\cdot\tfrac{36}{25}=\tfrac{216}{25}=8.64.

Thus, the correct answer is A.

11.

A finite sequence of three-digit integers has the property that the tens and units digits of each term are, respectively, the hundreds and tens digits of the next term, and the tens and units digits of the last term are, respectively, the hundreds and tens digits of the first term. For example, such a sequence might begin with terms 247,247, 475,475, and 756756 and end with the term 824.824. Let SS be the sum of all the terms in the sequence. What is the largest prime number that always divides S?S?

33

77

1313

3737

4343

Difficulty rating: 1500

Solution:

Because of the cycling property, each digit that appears is used the same number of times in the hundreds, tens, and units places.

Let kk be the sum of the units digits over all terms. Then S=100k+10k+k=111k=337k.S=100k+10k+k=111k=3\cdot 37\cdot k.

So SS is always divisible by 37.37. It need not be divisible by anything larger: the sequence 123,231,312123,231,312 gives S=666=23237.S=666=2\cdot 3^2\cdot 37.

Thus, the correct answer is D.

12.

Integers a,a, b,b, c,c, and d,d, not necessarily distinct, are chosen independently and at random from 00 to 2007,2007, inclusive. What is the probability that adbcad-bc is even?

38\dfrac{3}{8}

716\dfrac{7}{16}

12\dfrac{1}{2}

916\dfrac{9}{16}

58\dfrac{5}{8}

Difficulty rating: 1410

Solution:

Exactly half of the integers from 00 to 20072007 are odd.

A product adad is odd only when both factors are odd, with probability 1212=14,\tfrac12\cdot\tfrac12=\tfrac14, and even with probability 34.\tfrac34. The same holds for bc.bc.

Then adbcad-bc is even when both products are odd or both are even: 1414+3434=1016=58.\tfrac14\cdot\tfrac14+\tfrac34\cdot\tfrac34=\tfrac{10}{16}=\tfrac58.

Thus, the correct answer is E.

13.

A piece of cheese is located at (12,10)(12,10) in a coordinate plane. A mouse is at (4,2)(4,-2) and is running up the line y=5x+18.y=-5x+18. At the point (a,b)(a,b) the mouse starts getting farther from the cheese rather than closer to it. What is a+b?a+b?

66

1010

1414

1818

2222

Difficulty rating: 1410

Solution:

The mouse is closest to the cheese at the foot of the perpendicular from (12,10)(12,10) to the line.

This perpendicular has slope 15,\tfrac15, so its equation is y=10+15(x12)=15x+385.y=10+\tfrac15(x-12)=\tfrac15 x+\tfrac{38}{5}.

Setting 15x+385=5x+18\tfrac15 x+\tfrac{38}{5}=-5x+18 gives x=2x=2 and y=8.y=8. Thus (a,b)=(2,8)(a,b)=(2,8) and a+b=10.a+b=10.

Thus, the correct answer is B.

14.

Let a,a, b,b, c,c, d,d, and ee be distinct integers such that

(6a)(6b)(6c)(6d)(6e)=45.(6-a)(6-b)(6-c)(6-d)(6-e)=45.

What is a+b+c+d+e?a+b+c+d+e?

55

1717

2525

2727

3030

Difficulty rating: 1440

Solution:

The five factors are distinct integers multiplying to 45.45. If any factor had absolute value more than 5,5, the remaining four (distinct) would have product at least (3)(1)(1)(3)=9,|(-3)(-1)(1)(3)|=9, forcing the total above 45.45.

So the factors come from ±1,±3,±5.\pm 1,\pm 3,\pm 5. The product of all six of these is 225=(5)(45),-225=(-5)(45), so the five factors are 3,1,1,3,5.-3,-1,1,3,5.

Then a,b,c,d,ea,b,c,d,e are 9,7,5,3,19,7,5,3,1 in some order, and their sum is 25.25.

Thus, the correct answer is C.

15.

The set {3,6,9,10}\{3,6,9,10\} is augmented by a fifth element n,n, not equal to any of the other four. The median of the resulting set is equal to its mean. What is the sum of all possible values of n?n?

77

99

1919

2424

2626

Difficulty rating: 1500

Solution:

The mean is 28+n5.\dfrac{28+n}{5}.

If n<6,n\lt 6, the median is 6,6, so 28+n=3028+n=30 and n=2.n=2.

If 6<n<9,6\lt n\lt 9, the median is n,n, so 28+n=5n28+n=5n and n=7.n=7.

If n>9,n\gt 9, the median is 9,9, so 28+n=4528+n=45 and n=17.n=17.

The sum of all possible values is 2+7+17=26.2+7+17=26.

Thus, the correct answer is E.

16.

How many three-digit numbers are composed of three distinct digits such that one digit is the average of the other two?

9696

104104

112112

120120

256256

Difficulty rating: 1630

Solution:

The three distinct digits form an increasing arithmetic progression. Counting by common difference: 88 with difference 1,1, 66 with difference 2,2, 44 with difference 3,3, and 22 with difference 4,4, for 2020 sets.

Of these, 44 sets contain 00 (namely {0,1,2},{0,2,4},{0,3,6},{0,4,8}\{0,1,2\},\{0,2,4\},\{0,3,6\},\{0,4,8\}); each yields 22!=42\cdot 2!=4 valid numbers since 00 cannot lead.

The other 1616 sets each yield 3!=63!=6 numbers. The total is 44+166=112.4\cdot 4+16\cdot 6=112.

Thus, the correct answer is C.

17.

Suppose that sina+sinb=53\sin a+\sin b=\sqrt{\tfrac53} and cosa+cosb=1.\cos a+\cos b=1. What is cos(ab)?\cos(a-b)?

531\sqrt{\dfrac53}-1

13\dfrac13

12\dfrac12

23\dfrac23

11

Difficulty rating: 1570

Solution:

Squaring both equations gives sin2a+2sinasinb+sin2b=53\sin^2 a+2\sin a\sin b+\sin^2 b=\tfrac53 and cos2a+2cosacosb+cos2b=1.\cos^2 a+2\cos a\cos b+\cos^2 b=1.

Adding and using sin2θ+cos2θ=1\sin^2\theta+\cos^2\theta=1 twice, 2+2(sinasinb+cosacosb)=83.2+2(\sin a\sin b+\cos a\cos b)=\tfrac83.

So cos(ab)=sinasinb+cosacosb=13.\cos(a-b)=\sin a\sin b+\cos a\cos b=\tfrac13.

Thus, the correct answer is B.

18.

The polynomial f(x)=x4+ax3+bx2+cx+df(x)=x^4+ax^3+bx^2+cx+d has real coefficients, and f(2i)=f(2+i)=0.f(2i)=f(2+i)=0. What is a+b+c+d?a+b+c+d?

00

11

44

99

1616

Difficulty rating: 1630

Solution:

Since ff has real coefficients, the conjugates 2i-2i and 2i2-i are also roots. Thus f(x)=(x2+4)(x24x+5)=x44x3+9x216x+20.f(x)=(x^2+4)(x^2-4x+5)=x^4-4x^3+9x^2-16x+20.

Then a+b+c+d=4+916+20=9.a+b+c+d=-4+9-16+20=9. Equivalently, a+b+c+d=f(1)1=(1+4)(1+1)1=9.a+b+c+d=f(1)-1=(1+4)(1+1)-1=9.

Thus, the correct answer is D.

19.

Triangles ABCABC and ADEADE have areas 20072007 and 7002,7002, respectively, with B=(0,0),B=(0,0), C=(223,0),C=(223,0), D=(680,380),D=(680,380), and E=(689,389).E=(689,389). What is the sum of all possible xx-coordinates of A?A?

282282

300300

600600

900900

12001200

Difficulty rating: 1840

Solution:

The altitude hh from AA in ABC\triangle ABC satisfies 2007=12223h,2007=\tfrac12\cdot 223\cdot h, so h=18.h=18. Thus AA lies on y=18y=18 or y=18.y=-18.

Line DEDE has equation xy300=0.x-y-300=0. The condition on ADE\triangle ADE similarly places AA on one of two lines parallel to DE.DE.

The four possible positions of AA are the vertices of a parallelogram whose center is the intersection of y=0y=0 with line DE,DE, namely (300,0).(300,0). Hence the sum of the four xx-coordinates is 4300=1200.4\cdot 300=1200.

Thus, the correct answer is E.

20.

Corners are sliced off a unit cube so that the six faces each become regular octagons. What is the total volume of the removed tetrahedra?

5273\dfrac{5\sqrt2-7}{3}

10723\dfrac{10-7\sqrt2}{3}

3223\dfrac{3-2\sqrt2}{3}

82113\dfrac{8\sqrt2-11}{3}

6423\dfrac{6-4\sqrt2}{3}

Difficulty rating: 1840

Solution:

Slicing removes two equal segments of length xx from each edge. Each octagon then has side length x2,x\sqrt2, and the edge satisfies 1=2x+x2,1=2x+x\sqrt2, so x=12+2=222.x=\frac{1}{2+\sqrt2}=\frac{2-\sqrt2}{2}.

Each removed corner is a tetrahedron with three mutually perpendicular legs of length x,x, so its volume is 16x3.\tfrac16 x^3. There are 88 corners, giving total volume 816x3=43(222)3=10723.8\cdot\tfrac16 x^3=\tfrac43\left(\tfrac{2-\sqrt2}{2}\right)^3=\frac{10-7\sqrt2}{3}.

Thus, the correct answer is B.

21.

The sum of the zeros, the product of the zeros, and the sum of the coefficients of the function f(x)=ax2+bx+cf(x)=ax^2+bx+c are equal. Their common value must also be which of the following?

the coefficient of x2x^2

the coefficient of xx

the yy-intercept of the graph of y=f(x)y=f(x)

one of the xx-intercepts of the graph of y=f(x)y=f(x)

the mean of the xx-intercepts of the graph of y=f(x)y=f(x)

Difficulty rating: 1660

Solution:

The product of the zeros is ca\tfrac ca and the sum of the zeros is ba.-\tfrac ba. Equating them gives c=b.c=-b.

Then the sum of the coefficients is a+b+c=a,a+b+c=a, which is the coefficient of x2.x^2.

The other choices fail in general: for f(x)=2x24x+4f(x)=-2x^2-4x+4 the common value is 2,-2, but the coefficient of xx is 4,-4, the yy-intercept is 4,4, the xx-intercepts are 1±3,-1\pm\sqrt3, and their mean is 1.-1.

Thus, the correct answer is A.

22.

For each positive integer n,n, let S(n)S(n) denote the sum of the digits of n.n. For how many values of nn is n+S(n)+S(S(n))=2007?n+S(n)+S(S(n))=2007?

11

22

33

44

55

Difficulty rating: 1910

Solution:

For n2007,n\le 2007, S(n)S(1999)=28,S(n)\le S(1999)=28, and then S(S(n))S(28)=10.S(S(n))\le S(28)=10. So any solution has n20072810=1969.n\ge 2007-28-10=1969.

Also n,n, S(n),S(n), and S(S(n))S(S(n)) are congruent modulo 9,9, and 20072007 is a multiple of 9,9, so all three must be multiples of 3.3.

Checking the multiples of 33 between 19691969 and 20072007 (many are eliminated because n+S(n)n+S(n) already exceeds 20072007) leaves 1977,1980,1983,1977,1980,1983, and 2001.2001. That is 44 values.

Thus, the correct answer is D.

23.

Square ABCDABCD has area 36,36, and ABAB is parallel to the xx-axis. Vertices A,A, B,B, and CC are on the graphs of y=logax,y=\log_a x, y=2logax,y=2\log_a x, and y=3logax,y=3\log_a x, respectively. What is a?a?

36\sqrt[6]{3}

3\sqrt3

63\sqrt[3]{6}

6\sqrt6

66

Difficulty rating: 1990

Solution:

Let A=(p,logap)A=(p,\log_a p) and B=(q,2logaq).B=(q,2\log_a q). Since ABAB is horizontal, logap=2logaq=logaq2,\log_a p=2\log_a q=\log_a q^2, so p=q2.p=q^2.

The side length is 6=pq=q2q,6=|p-q|=|q^2-q|, whose only positive solution is q=3.q=3.

Since C=(q,3logaq),C=(q,3\log_a q), the vertical side gives BC=6=logaq=loga3.BC=6=\log_a q=\log_a 3. Thus a6=3,a^6=3, so a=36.a=\sqrt[6]{3}.

Thus, the correct answer is A.

24.

For each integer n>1,n\gt 1, let F(n)F(n) be the number of solutions of the equation sinx=sinnx\sin x=\sin nx on the interval [0,π].[0,\pi]. What is n=22007F(n)?\displaystyle\sum_{n=2}^{2007}F(n)?

2,014,5242{,}014{,}524

2,015,0282{,}015{,}028

2,015,0332{,}015{,}033

2,016,5322{,}016{,}532

2,017,0332{,}017{,}033

Difficulty rating: 2420

Solution:

On each interval where sinnx0,\sin nx\ge 0, the graphs of sinx\sin x and sinnx\sin nx meet twice, unless they share the value 11 there, in which case they meet once. Counting the humps and the endpoint at (π,0)(\pi,0) gives

F(n)=n+1F(n)=n+1 when nn is even or n3(mod4),n\equiv 3\pmod 4, and F(n)=nF(n)=n when n1(mod4).n\equiv 1\pmod 4.

Thus n=22007F(n)=n=22007(n+1)#{n1 ⁣ ⁣(mod4)}.\sum_{n=2}^{2007}F(n)=\sum_{n=2}^{2007}(n+1)-\#\{n\equiv 1\!\!\pmod 4\}. The first sum is 2,017,033,2{,}017{,}033, and there are 501501 values n1(mod4)n\equiv 1\pmod 4 in the range, giving 2,017,033501=2,016,532.2{,}017{,}033-501=2{,}016{,}532.

Thus, the correct answer is D.

25.

Call a set of integers spacy if it contains no more than one out of any three consecutive integers. How many subsets of {1,2,3,,12},\{1,2,3,\ldots,12\}, including the empty set, are spacy?

121121

123123

125125

127127

129129

Difficulty rating: 2240

Solution:

Let cnc_n be the number of spacy subsets of {1,,n}.\{1,\ldots,n\}. A spacy subset either omits nn (there are cn1c_{n-1} of these) or contains n,n, in which case it omits n1n-1 and n2n-2 (there are cn3c_{n-3} of these).

Hence cn=cn1+cn3,c_n=c_{n-1}+c_{n-3}, with c1=2,c_1=2, c2=3,c_2=3, c3=4.c_3=4.

The sequence continues 6,9,13,19,28,41,60,88,129,6,9,13,19,28,41,60,88,129, so c12=129.c_{12}=129.

Thus, the correct answer is E.