2009 AMC 8 Problem 9
Attempt Problem 9 of the 2009 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 2009 AMC 8 solutions, or check the answer key.
All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).
9.
Construct a square on one side of an equilateral triangle. On one non-adjacent side of the square, construct a regular pentagon, as shown. On a non-adjacent side of the pentagon, construct a regular hexagon. Continue to construct regular polygons in the same way, until you construct an octagon. How many sides does the resulting polygon have?
Answer: B
Small hint:
Count only the outside sides of each polygon.
Big hint:
Middle polygons share two sides; the two end polygons share one side each.
Solution:
The triangle and octagon are at the ends of the chain, so each loses one side to a shared edge. The square, pentagon, hexagon, and heptagon are in the middle, so each loses two sides to shared edges.
The resulting polygon has sides.
Thus, B is the correct answer.
Problem 9 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
- 1993 AMC 8
- 1994 AMC 8
- 1995 AMC 8
- 1996 AMC 8
- 1997 AMC 8
- 1998 AMC 8
- 1999 AMC 8
- 2000 AMC 8
- 2001 AMC 8
- 2002 AMC 8
- 2003 AMC 8
- 2004 AMC 8
- 2005 AMC 8
- 2006 AMC 8
- 2007 AMC 8
- 2008 AMC 8
- 2010 AMC 8
- 2011 AMC 8
- 2012 AMC 8
- 2013 AMC 8
- 2014 AMC 8
- 2015 AMC 8
- 2016 AMC 8
- 2017 AMC 8
- 2018 AMC 8
- 2019 AMC 8
- 2020 AMC 8
- 2022 AMC 8
- 2023 AMC 8
- 2024 AMC 8
- 2025 AMC 8
- 2026 AMC 8