Question

A $16$ -step path is to go from $(-4,-4)$ to $(4,4)$ with each step increasing either the $x$ -coordinate or the $y$ -coordinate by $1.$ How many such paths stay outside or on the boundary of the square $-2\le x\le2,$ $-2\le y\le2$ at each step?

$92$

$144$

$1568$

$1698$

$12{,}800$

Solution:

Every step increases $x+y$ by $1,$ which runs from $-8$ to $8,$ so each path passes through exactly one lattice point with $x+y=0.$

To stay out of the open square, that point $(t,-t)$ must have $|t|\ge2,$ so it is one of $(\pm2,\mp2),(\pm3,\mp3),(\pm4,\mp4).$

By symmetry consider the three points $(-4,4),(-3,3),(-2,2)$ and double. The number of paths from $(-4,-4)$ to $(-(4-j),4-j)$ is $\binom{8}{j},$ and the number continuing on to $(4,4)$ is also $\binom{8}{j}.$

Therefore the total is $2\left(\binom80^2+\binom81^2+\binom82^2\right)=2(1+64+784)=1698.$

Thus, D is the correct answer.

2010 AMC 12A Problem 18

Solution:

Problem 18 in Other Years