2023 AMC 8 Problem 12

Attempt Problem 12 of the 2023 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 2023 AMC 8 solutions, or check the answer key.

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

12.

The figure below shows a large unshaded circle with a number of smaller unshaded and shaded circles in its interior. What fraction of the interior of the large unshaded circle is shaded?
14\dfrac{1}{4}
1136\dfrac{11}{36}
13\dfrac{1}{3}
1936\dfrac{19}{36}
59\dfrac{5}{9}
Answer: B
Concepts:circle areaarea ratio
Small hint:
Circle areas are proportional to the square of the radius
Big hint:
Count shaded area in units of the smallest circle’s area
Video solution:
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Written solution:
Let each smallest circle have radius 1.1.
This means that there are 33 shaded unit circles, which total to 3⋅12π=3π3 \cdot 1^2 \pi = 3 \pi area.
There is also a shaded circle with radius 44 with two unshaded circles of radius 22 inside.
This gives us an extra shaded area of 42π−2⋅22π=16π−8π=8π.\begin{align*} 4^2 \pi - 2 \cdot 2^2 \pi &= 16 \pi - 8 \pi \\ &= 8 \pi. \end{align*}
The total shaded area is 8π+3π=11π. 8\pi + 3\pi = 11\pi. The area of the large unshaded circle is 62π=36π. 6^2\pi = 36\pi. Therefore, the desired fraction is 11π36π=1136. \dfrac{11\pi}{36\pi} = \dfrac{11}{36}.
Thus, B is the correct answer.
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