1988 AMC 8 Problem 4
Attempt Problem 4 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).
4.
The figure consists of alternating light and dark squares. The number of dark squares exceeds the number of light squares by
Answer: B
Small hint:
Look at the figure one horizontal row at a time
Big hint:
In each row the squares alternate but both ends are dark, so every row has exactly one more dark square than light square. Count how many rows there are.
Solution:
In each horizontal row the squares alternate dark, light, dark, and so on, beginning and ending with a dark square. So every row has exactly one more dark square than light square.
The figure has rows, so the dark squares exceed the light squares by
Thus, the correct answer is B .
Problem 4 in other years
- 1985 AMC 8
- 1986 AMC 8
- 1987 AMC 8
- 1989 AMC 8
- 1990 AMC 8
- 1991 AMC 8
- 1992 AMC 8
- 1993 AMC 8
- 1994 AMC 8
- 1995 AMC 8
- 1996 AMC 8
- 1997 AMC 8
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- 1999 AMC 8
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