2004 AMC 8 Problem 23

Attempt Problem 23 of the 2004 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 2004 AMC 8 solutions, or check the answer key.

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

23.

Tess runs counterclockwise around rectangular block JKLM.JKLM. She lives at corner J.J. Which graph could represent her straight-line distance from home?
Answer: D
Concepts:data and graph interpretation
Small hint:
Track the distance from corner JJ at each side of the rectangle.
Big hint:
The distance is greatest at the opposite corner L.L.
Solution:
As Tess runs from JJ to K,K, her distance from home increases.
From KK to L,L, her distance continues to increase, but with a different shape, reaching its maximum at the opposite corner L.L.
From LL to MM and then from MM back to J,J, her distance decreases back to 0,0, again changing behavior at M.M.
Graph DD is the only graph with this increase, changed-rate increase, changed-rate decrease, and final decrease to 0.0.
Thus, D is the correct answer.
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