2022 AMC 12A Problem 7

Attempt Problem 7 of the 2022 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 2022 AMC 12A solutions, or check the answer key.

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

7.

A rectangle is partitioned into 55 regions as shown. Each region is to be painted a solid color - red, orange, yellow, blue, or green - so that regions that touch are painted different colors, and colors can be used more than once. How many different colorings are possible?
120120
270270
360360
540540
720720
Answer: D
Concepts:graph theorymultiplication principle
Small hint:
Color the region that borders the most others first
Big hint:
One region touches all four others; each remaining region must avoid two already-used colors
Solution:
The bottom-middle region shares a border with all four other regions. Color it first in 55 ways.
The top-left region borders it, giving 44 choices. Each of the three remaining regions borders exactly two already-colored regions, which have different colors, leaving 33 choices apiece.
The total is 5⋅4⋅3⋅3⋅3=540.5\cdot4\cdot3\cdot3\cdot3=540.
Thus, the correct answer is D.
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