2020 AMC 8 Problem 19

Below is the video solution and professionally curated solution for Problem 19 of the 2020 AMC 8, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2020 AMC 8 solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:divisibilitydigits

Difficulty rating: 1270

19.

A number is called flippy if its digits alternate between two distinct digits. For example, 20202020 and 3737337373 are flippy, but 38833883 and 123123123123 are not. How many five-digit flippy numbers are divisible by 15?15?

33

44

55

66

88

Video solution:
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Written solution:

For a number to be divisible by 1515 the number must be divisible by 33 and by 5.5.

First, to ensure the number is divisible by 55 it must end in 00 or in 5.5.

Since the digits alternate between two distinct digits, we call the other digit d.d.

This would make our number either d0d0dd0d0d or 5d5d5.5d5d5. Since the last digit must be 00 or 55 and the first digit cannot be 0,0, the number must have the form 5d5d5.5d5d5.

Thus, we know our number is 5d5d55d5d5 for some digit d.d.

To ensure our number is also a multiple of 33 the sum of the digits must be a multiple of 3.3.

The sum of our digits is 5+d+5+d+5=15+2d.5+d+5+d+5 = 15+2d. Since 1515 is a multiple of 3,3, all that is required is that 2d2d is a multiple of 3,3, so dd is a multiple of 3.3.

This means dd can be 0,3,60,3,6 or 9.9.

Therefore, we have 44 solutions.

Thus, the correct answer is B.

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