1996 AMC 8 Problem 8
Attempt Problem 8 of the 1996 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 1996 AMC 8 solutions, or check the answer key.
All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).
8.
Points and are units apart. Points and are units apart. Points and are units apart. If and are as close as possible, then the number of units between them is
Answer: B
Small hint:
Place all the points on one line so that and are pulled back toward
Big hint:
With everything collinear,
Solution:
The distance is smallest when the points are collinear with and toward take
Then
Thus, the correct answer is B .
Problem 8 in other years
- 1985 AMC 8
- 1986 AMC 8
- 1987 AMC 8
- 1988 AMC 8
- 1989 AMC 8
- 1990 AMC 8
- 1991 AMC 8
- 1992 AMC 8
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