2012 AMC 12A Problem 9

Attempt Problem 9 of the 2012 AMC 12A 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 2012 AMC 12A solutions, or check the answer key.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

9.

A year is a leap year if and only if the year number is divisible by 400400 (such as 20002000) or is divisible by 44 but not by 100100 (such as 20122012). The 200200th anniversary of the birth of novelist Charles Dickens was celebrated on February 7,7, 2012,2012, a Tuesday. On what day of the week was Dickens born?
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Answer: A
Concepts:modular arithmeticdate and time
Small hint:
Count the total number of days between the two February 77th dates, working modulo 77
Big hint:
In 200200 years there are 200⋅365200 \cdot 365 ordinary days plus one extra for each leap year; 19001900 is not a leap year
Solution:
From February 7,7, 18121812 to February 7,7, 20122012 there are 200⋅365=73000200 \cdot 365 = 73000 ordinary days plus one for each leap day.
One quarter of the 200200 years contain a leap day, except 1900,1900, giving 14⋅200−1=49\tfrac14 \cdot 200 - 1 = 49 leap days. So the span is 7304973049 days.
Since 73049=7⋅10435+4,73049 = 7 \cdot 10435 + 4, the birth day was 44 days before a Tuesday, which is a Friday.
Thus, the correct answer is A.
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