1988 AMC 8 Problem 12

Attempt Problem 12 of the 1988 AMC 8 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 1988 AMC 8 solutions, or check the answer key.

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

12.

Suppose the estimated 2020 billion dollar cost to send a person to the planet Mars is shared equally by the 250250 million people in the U.S. Then each person’s share is
$40\$40
$50\$50
$80\$80
$100\$100
$125\$125
Answer: C
Concepts:place value
Small hint:
Write the numbers with powers of ten: 2020 billion =2×1010= 2 \times 10^{10} and 250250 million =2.5×108= 2.5 \times 10^{8}
Big hint:
Divide the total cost by the number of people
Solution:
Each person’s share is 20×109250×106=2×10102.5×108. \dfrac{20 \times 10^9}{250 \times 10^6} = \dfrac{2 \times 10^{10}}{2.5 \times 10^{8}}.
This equals 0.8×102=80.0.8 \times 10^{2} = 80.
Thus, the correct answer is C .
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