2012 AMC 8 Exam Solutions

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All of the real AMC 8, AMC 10, AMC 12, and AIME problems in our complete solution collection are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

1.

Rachelle uses 3 pounds of meat to make 8 hamburgers for her family. How many pounds of meat does she need to make 24 hamburgers for a neighborhood picnic?

6 6

623 6\dfrac23

712 7\dfrac12

8 8

9 9

Concepts:ratio and proportion

Difficulty rating: 370

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If we have 88 hamburgers, we have 13\dfrac{1}{3} of the 2424 hamburgers. This means we have 13\dfrac{1}{3} of the meat when we have 33 pounds. The total amount of meat is therefore 1133=33=9.\dfrac{1}{\dfrac{1}{3}} \cdot 3 = 3\cdot3 = 9.

Thus, the answer is E .

2.

In the county of East Westmore, statisticians estimate there is a baby born every 8 8 hours and a death every day. To the nearest hundred, how many people are added to the population of East Westmore each year?

600 600

700 700

800 800

900 900

1000 1000

Difficulty rating: 660

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Since we have 11 birth every 88 hours, we have 33 births every 2424 hours. Therefore, we have 33 births a day and 11 death a day. The net change in population every day should be on average 2.2. Since we have 365365 days in a year and 22 added to the population every day, the net change in population should be around 2365=730.2\cdot 365 = 730 . This is approximately 700.700.

Thus, the answer is B .

3.

On February 13 The Oshkosh Northwester listed the length of daylight as 1010 hours and 2424 minutes, the sunrise as 6:57 AM,6:57\text{ AM}, and the sunset as 8:15PM. 8:15\text{PM} . The length of daylight and sunrise were correct, but the sunset was wrong. When did the sun really set?

5 5:10 PM10\text{ PM}

55:21 PM21\text{ PM}

5 5:41 PM41\text{ PM}

5 5:57 PM57\text{ PM}

6 6:03 PM03\text{ PM}

Concepts:date and time

Difficulty rating: 720

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Since 1010 hours after 6:57AM6:57 \text{AM} is 4:57PM,4:57 \text{PM} , we can then say 1010 hours and 33 minutes after sunrise is 5:00PM.5:00 \text{PM} . We then have 2121 more minutes until sunset, so sunset is 5:21PM.5:21 \text{PM} .

Thus, the answer is B .

4.

Peter's family ordered a 1212-slice pizza for dinner. Peter ate one slice and shared another slice equally with his brother Paul. What fraction of the pizza did Peter eat?

124 \dfrac{1}{24}

112 \dfrac{1}{12}

18 \dfrac{1}{8}

16 \dfrac{1}{6}

14 \dfrac{1}{4}

Concepts:fraction

Difficulty rating: 450

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Peter ate 11 full slice, and he ate 12\dfrac 12 of the slice that he split.

Therefore, he ate 3/212 \dfrac{3/2}{12} of the pizza, which is equivalent to 18.\dfrac 18.

Thus, the answer is C .

5.

In the diagram, all angles are right angles and the lengths of the sides are given in centimeters. Note the diagram is not drawn to scale. What is XX, in centimeters?

1 1

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5

Difficulty rating: 870

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First, we can find the height of the object by getting the sum of the heights on the right. Therefore, the height is 1+2+1+6=10.1+2+1+6 = 10.

Next, we can find the height of the object by getting the sum of the heights on the left. Therefore, the height is 1+1+1+2+X=5+X.1+1+1+2+X = 5+X.

Since the heights are the same, we know 10=5+X,10=5+X , so X=5.X = 5.

Thus, the answer is E .

6.

A rectangular photograph is placed in a frame that forms a border two inches wide on all sides of the photograph. The photograph measures 88 inches high and 1010 inches wide. What is the area of the border, in square inches?

36 36

40 40

64 64

72 72

88 88

Concepts:arearectangle

Difficulty rating: 820

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If we add 22 inches on each side, we add 44 inches total on both sides. This means that the dimensions of the outer part of the frame are 12×14.12 \times 14. The area of this is 1214=168.12\cdot 14 = 168.

However, we must take out the area of the inner part of the frame which has area 810=80.8 \cdot 10 =80.

Therefore, the total area is 16880=88.168-80=88.

Thus, the answer is E .

7.

Isabella must take four 100-point tests in her math class. Her goal is to achieve an average grade of 95 on the tests. Her first two test scores were 97 and 91. After seeing her score on the third test, she realized that she could still reach her goal. What is the lowest possible score she could have made on the third test?

90 90

92 92

95 95

96 96

97 97

Difficulty rating: 1070

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If the average is 95,95, then the sum of the tests is 954=380.95\cdot 4 = 380 . Since we have the first two tests, the sum of the last two tests is 380380 minus the first two scores.

This makes the sum of the last two scores equal to 3809197=192.380-91-97 = 192. Her last two scores therefore have a sum of 192.192.

Given the sum of the tests we try to minimize one score, then we must maximize the other test. Therefore, we maximize the fourth test by making it 100.100. This would make the third test equal to 192100=92.192 -100 = 92.

Thus, the answer is B .

8.

A shop advertises that everything is "half price in today's sale." In addition, a coupon gives a 20% discount on sale prices. Using the coupon, the price today represents what percentage discount off the original price?

10 10

33 33

40 40

60 60

70 70

Concepts:percentage

Difficulty rating: 980

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Let pp be the original price. If everything is half off, we have the new price as 0.5p.0.5p.

Having a 20%20\% discount makes it such that we keep 80%80\% of the price, so the price is 0.5p0.8=0.4p.0.5p\cdot 0.8 =0.4p.

This would have 0.6p0.6p off, so we get a discount of 0.6pp=0.6,\dfrac{0.6p}{p} = 0.6, which is 60%.60\%.

Thus, the answer is D .

9.

The Fort Worth Zoo has a number of two-legged birds and a number of four-legged mammals. On one visit to the zoo, Margie counted 200 heads and 522 legs. How many of the animals that Margie counted were two-legged birds?

61 61

122 122

139 139

150 150

161 161

Difficulty rating: 1100

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Let ff be the number of animals with 44 legs and let tt be the number of animals with 22 legs.

Counting the number of legs yields 2t+4f=5222t+4f = 522 and counting the number of heads yields t+f=200.t + f = 200. This means 4t+4f=800,4t+4f = 800, and subtracting the first equation from the second yields 2t=278    t=139.2t = 278 \implies t = 139. This means there are 139139 two-legged birds.

Thus, the answer is C .

10.

How many 4-digit numbers greater than 1000 are there that use the four digits of 2012?

6 6

7 7

8 8

9 9

12 12

Difficulty rating: 1070

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First, we can't have the 00 in the thousands position. Therefore, we have 33 spots we can put it. Then, we have 33 available positions for the 1,1, and then the two 22s are placed. This makes it such that we have 33=93\cdot 3 = 9 combinations.

Thus, the answer is D .

11.

The mean, median, and unique mode of the positive integers 3,4,5,6,6,7,3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, and xx are all equal. What is the value of x?x?

5 5

6 6

7 7

11 11

12 12

Difficulty rating: 1240

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Every listed value except 66 appears once while 66 appears twice. If any of the other values are chosen, then we have two modes, which means we do not have a unique mode. Otherwise, the only value that shows up more than once is 66 making that the unique mode. This also means 66 is the mean. Since there are 77 elements, the sum of the elements is 67=42.6\cdot 7 = 42. The sum is also 3+4+5+6+6+7+x3+4+5+6+6+7+x =31+x= 31+x =42,= 42, so x=11.x = 11.

Thus, the answer is D .

12.

What is the units digit of 132012?13^{2012}?

1 1

3 3

5 5

7 7

9 9

Difficulty rating: 1020

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We have to find 132012mod10.13^{2012} \mod 10. The following is true:

13201232012mod1081503mod101503mod101mod10\begin{align*}13^{2012} &\equiv 3^{2012} \mod 10\\&\equiv 81^{503} \mod 10\\&\equiv 1^{503} \mod 10\\&\equiv 1 \mod 10\end{align*}

This means 13201213^{2012} has the same units digit as 1,1, so the units digit of 13201213^{2012} is 1.1.

Thus, the answer is A .

13.

Jamar bought some pencils costing more than a penny each at the school bookstore and paid $1.43\$1.43 Sharona bought some of the same pencils and paid $1.87\$1.87 How many more pencils did Sharona buy than Jamar?

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5

6 6

Difficulty rating: 1310

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Let cc be the price of one pencil in cents. Then cc divides both 143143 and 187187, and c>1c\gt1.

Since 143=1113143=11\cdot13 and 187=1117187=11\cdot17, the greatest common divisor is 1111. Thus each pencil costs 1111 cents.

Sharona paid 187143=44187-143=44 cents more, so she bought 44/11=444/11=4 more pencils. Thus, the answer is C .

14.

In the BIG N, a middle school football conference, each team plays every other team exactly once. If a total of 2121 conference games were played during the 20122012 season, how many teams were members of the BIG N conference?

6 6

7 7

8 8

9 9

10 10

Difficulty rating: 1100

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Each of the NN teams plays N1N-1 games. However, 22 teams play each game, so multiplying NN and N1N-1 would be twice the number of games. Therefore, we know N(N1)=42.N(N-1) = 42. This leads to N2N+0.25=42.25N^2 -N +0.25 = 42.25 which implies (N0.5)2=6.52.(N-0.5)^2 = 6.5^2. In turn, this suggests: N0.5=6.5N-0.5 = 6.5N=7 N = 7

Thus, the answer is B .

15.

The smallest number greater than 2 that leaves a remainder of 2 when divided by 3, 4, 5, or 6 lies between what numbers?

40 and 50 40\text{ and }50

51 and 55 51\text{ and }55

56 and 60 56\text{ and }60

61 and 65 61\text{ and }65

66 and 99 66\text{ and }99

Difficulty rating: 1240

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Let the number be x.x. Since it leaves a remainder of 22 when divided by 3,4,5,6,3,4,5,6, we know x2x-2 is a multiple of 3,4,5, and 6.3,4,5, \text{ and }6. This means x2x-2 is a multiple of lcm(3,4,5,6)lcm(3,4,5,6) which is 60.60. Therefore, x2x-2 must be a multiple of 60.60. The next number such that this occurs is when x2=60    x=62.x-2 = 60 \implies x = 62 .

Thus, the answer is D .

16.

Each of the digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 is used only once to make two five-digit numbers so that they have the largest possible sum. Which of the following could be one of the numbers?

76531 76531

86724 86724

87431 87431

96240 96240

97403 97403

Difficulty rating: 1480

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To construct two five digit numbers, first digits of the numbers from the left must be as great as possible. Therefore, the leftmost unused number must be either of the greatest two numbers. This means the first digit must be either of 9,8,9,8, the second digit must be either of 7,6,7,6, the third digit must be either of 5,4,5,4, the fourth digit must be either of 3,23,2 and the last digit must be either of 1,0.1,0.

The only one of the given numbers that satisfy this is 87431.87431.

Thus, the answer is C .

17.

A square with an integer side length is cut into 10 squares, all of which have integer side length and at least 8 of which have area 1. What is the smallest possible value of the length of the side of the original square?

3 3

4 4

5 5

6 6

7 7

Difficulty rating: 1540

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Since all the 1010 squares have integer side length, they each must have a side length greater than or equal to 1.1. This means the total area must be over 101=10.10\cdot 1 = 10. Therefore, the square can't have a side length less than or equal to 33 or else it would have an area less than 9.9.

We can make a configuration with side length 44 however with the following configuration.

Thus, the answer is B .

18.

What is the smallest positive integer that is neither prime nor square and that has no prime factor less than 50?

3127 3127

3133 3133

3137 3137

3139 3139

3149 3149

Difficulty rating: 1560

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The number is composite, not prime, and has no prime factor below 5050. The smallest possible prime factors are therefore 5353, 5959, 6161, and so on.

A square such as 53253^2 is not allowed, and 53353^3 is much larger than 535953\cdot59. The smallest allowed nonsquare composite is 5359=312753\cdot59=3127.

Thus, the answer is A .

19.

In a jar of red, green, and blue marbles, all but 6 are red marbles, all but 8 are green, and all but 4 are blue. How many marbles are in the jar?

6 6

8 8

9 9

10 10

18 18

Difficulty rating: 1370

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Let r,g,br,g,b be the number of red marbles, green marbles, and blue marbles respectively. We then know r+g+br=6,r+g+b -r=6,r+g+bg=8,r+g+b-g = 8,r+g+bb=4 r+g+b-b = 4 by the statements given. Adding these equations yields 3(r+g+b)(r+g+b)=18.3(r+g+b) -(r+g+b) = 18. This would mean 2(r+g+b)=18,2(r+g+b) = 18, so r+g+b=9.r+g+b = 9. Therefore, the sum of all of the marbles is 9.9.

Thus, the answer is C .

20.

What is the correct ordering of the three numbers 519, \frac{5}{19} , 721, \frac{7}{21} , and 923, \frac{9}{23} , in increasing order?

923<721<519 \dfrac{9}{23} \lt \dfrac{7}{21} \lt \dfrac{5}{19}

519<721<923 \dfrac{5}{19} \lt \dfrac{7}{21} \lt \dfrac{9}{23}

923<519<721\dfrac{9}{23} \lt \dfrac{5}{19} \lt \dfrac{7}{21}

519<923<721 \dfrac{5}{19} \lt \dfrac{9}{23} \lt \dfrac{7}{21}

721<519<923\dfrac{7}{21} \lt \dfrac{5}{19} \lt \dfrac{9}{23}

Difficulty rating: 1420

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We can start with 19<21<23.19 \lt 21 \lt 23.

Then, 119>121>123 \dfrac{1}{19} \gt \dfrac{1}{21} \gt \dfrac{1}{23} since we take the reciprocal of positive numbers.

Then, multiplying by the negative constant 14-14 yields 1419<1421<1423 -\dfrac{14}{19} \lt -\dfrac{14}{21} \lt -\dfrac{14}{23} since that switches the direction of the inequalities.

Adding one to each of them then yields 519<721<923. \dfrac{5}{19} \lt \dfrac{7}{21} \lt \dfrac{9}{23} .

Thus, the answer is B .

21.

Marla has a large white cube that has an edge of 10 feet. She also has enough green paint to cover 300 square feet. Marla uses all the paint to create a white square centered on each face, surrounded by a green border. What is the area of one of the white squares, in square feet?

52 5\sqrt2

10 10

102 10\sqrt2

50 50

502 50\sqrt2

Difficulty rating: 1070

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The total surface area is 61010=600.6\cdot 10\cdot 10 = 600. Therefore, 600300=300600-300 = 300 square feet aren't covered. This would be 3006=50 \dfrac{300}{6} = 50 square feet per face.

Thus, the answer is D .

22.

Let RR be a set of nine distinct integers. Six of the elements are 2,2, 3,3, 4,4, 6,6, 9,9, and 14.14. What is the number of possible values of the median of R?R?

4 4

5 5

6 6

7 7

8 8

Difficulty rating: 1720

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In a sorted set of nine distinct integers, the median is the fifth number.

The median cannot be below 33, since then 3,4,6,9,143,4,6,9,14 would already give at least five larger elements. It cannot be above 99, since 2,3,4,6,92,3,4,6,9 would already give at least five smaller elements.

Each integer from 33 through 99 can be made the median by choosing the three missing integers appropriately. Therefore there are 77 possible medians. Thus, the answer is D .

23.

An equilateral triangle and a regular hexagon have equal perimeters. If the triangle's area is 44, what is the area of the hexagon?

4 4

5 5

6 6

43 4\sqrt3

63 6\sqrt3

Difficulty rating: 1540

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Let the side length of the triangle be s.s. This means the perimeter is 3s.3s. Therefore, the side length for the hexagon is 3s6=s2. \frac{3s}{6} = \frac s2.

A hexagon can be made of 66 equilateral triangles with side length s2 \dfrac{s}{2} as shown above. Each triangle is the original triangle scaled down by 12,\dfrac{1}{2}, so the area is scaled down by (12)2=14. (\dfrac{1}{2})^2 = \dfrac{1}{4} . Therefore, the area of each of these triangles is 414=1.4 \cdot \dfrac{1}{4} = 1. Since there are 66 of them, the area is 61=6.6\cdot 1 = 6.

Thus, the answer is C .

24.

A circle of radius 2 is cut into four congruent arcs. The four arcs are joined to form the star figure shown. What is the ratio of the area of the star figure to the area of the original circle?

4ππ \dfrac{4-\pi}{\pi}

1π \dfrac{1}\pi

2π \dfrac{\sqrt2}{\pi}

π1π \dfrac{\pi-1}{\pi}

3π \dfrac{3}\pi

Difficulty rating: 1860

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The area of the original circle is π22=4π\pi\cdot2^2=4\pi.

Join the four quarter-circle endpoints to form a square. The square has diagonals 44 and 44, so its area is 1244=8\frac12\cdot4\cdot4=8.

The part inside the circle but outside this square has area 4π84\pi-8. Those four pieces are congruent to the pieces inside the square but outside the star.

Thus the star area is 8(4π8)=164π8-(4\pi-8)=16-4\pi. The desired ratio is 164π4π=4ππ\dfrac{16-4\pi}{4\pi}=\dfrac{4-\pi}{\pi}. Thus, the answer is A .

25.

A square with area 44 is inscribed in a square with area 55, with one vertex of the smaller square on each side of the larger square. A vertex of the smaller square divides a side of the larger square into two segments, one of length aa and the other of length bb. What is the value of ab? ab ?

15 \dfrac{1}5

25 \dfrac{2}5

12 \dfrac{1}{2}

1 1

4 4

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Since all the triangles can be made from each other by rotating them around, they are all congruent. Therefore, we can place the aa as we have. The total area of the triangles is 54=1,5-4 = 1, so we have 4 4 congruent triangles with a combined area of 1.1. This means the area of each triangle is 14. \dfrac{1}{4}. The area of each triangle is also ab2, \frac {ab}2, so ab2=14. \frac{ab}2 = \dfrac{1}{4}. This means ab=12.ab = \dfrac{1}{2} .

Thus, the correct answer is C .