2024 AIME II Problem 3

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 3 of the 2024 AIME II, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2024 AIME II solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:digitsplace valuestars and bars

Difficulty rating: 2300

3.

Find the number of ways to place a digit in each cell of a 2×32 \times 3 grid so that the sum of the two numbers formed by reading left to right is 999,999, and the sum of the three numbers formed by reading top to bottom is 99.99. The grid below is an example of such an arrangement because 8+991=9998 + 991 = 999 and 9+9+81=99.9 + 9 + 81 = 99.

Solution:

Let the top row hold digits a,b,ca, b, c and the bottom row d,e,f.d, e, f. In the sum of the two row numbers, the units digits satisfy c+f9(mod10),c + f \equiv 9 \pmod{10}, and since c+f18c + f \le 18 in fact c+f=9c + f = 9 with no carry. Repeating the argument in the tens and hundreds places gives b+e=9b + e = 9 and a+d=9.a + d = 9.

The three column numbers add to 10(a+b+c)+(d+e+f)=99.10(a + b + c) + (d + e + f) = 99. Writing S=a+b+c,S = a + b + c, the bottom digits sum to 27S,27 - S, so 10S+27S=9910S + 27 - S = 99 and S=8.S = 8.

Conversely, any digits with a+b+c=8a + b + c = 8 determine the bottom row by d=9a,d = 9 - a, e=9b,e = 9 - b, f=9c,f = 9 - c, and both conditions hold. The number of solutions of a+b+c=8a + b + c = 8 in nonnegative digits is (102)=45.\binom{10}{2} = 45.

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