2020 AMC 8 Problem 8

Attempt Problem 8 of the 2020 AMC 8 below, then check your answer against the video solution and professionally curated solution 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.

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

8.

Ricardo has 20202020 coins, some of which are pennies (11-cent coins) and the rest of which are nickels (55-cent coins). He has at least one penny and at least one nickel. What is the difference in cents between the greatest possible and least possible amounts of money that Ricardo can have?
80628062
80688068
80728072
80768076
80828082
Answer: C
Concepts:linear equationoptimization
Small hint:
Leave one coin of each type fixed
Big hint:
Changing one penny to one nickel changes the value by 44 cents
Video solution:
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Written solution:
The greatest value occurs with 20192019 nickels and 11 penny, while the least occurs with 11 nickel and 20192019 pennies.
Between these two cases, 20182018 pennies have been replaced by nickels. Each replacement adds 5−1=45-1=4 cents, so the difference is 2018⋅4=8072 2018\cdot4=8072 cents.
Thus, the correct answer is C.
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