2006 AMC 8 Problem 17

Attempt Problem 17 of the 2006 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 2006 AMC 8 solutions, or check the answer key.

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

17.

Jeff rotates spinners P,P, QQ and RR and adds the resulting numbers. What is the probability that his sum is an odd number?
14\dfrac{1}{4}
13\dfrac{1}{3}
12\dfrac{1}{2}
23\dfrac{2}{3}
34\dfrac{3}{4}
Answer: B
Concepts:basic probabilityparity
Small hint:
Track only odd and even values, not the exact sums.
Big hint:
Spinner QQ always gives an even number, and spinner RR always gives an odd number.
Solution:
Spinner QQ always lands on an even number, so it does not change the parity of the total. Spinner RR always lands on an odd number.
For the full sum to be odd, the number from spinner PP must be even. Only one of the three equal sectors of spinner PP contains an even number.
Therefore the probability is 13\dfrac{1}{3}.
Thus, B is the correct answer.
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