2000 AMC 10 Problem 11

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 11 of the 2000 AMC 10, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2000 AMC 10 solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:primeparitybounding to limit cases

Difficulty rating: 1370

11.

Two different prime numbers between 44 and 1818 are chosen. When their sum is subtracted from their product, which of the following numbers could be obtained?

2121

6060

119119

180180

231231

Solution:

The primes between 44 and 1818 are 5,7,11,13,5, 7, 11, 13, and 17.17. The product of two of them is odd and the sum is even, so xy(x+y)xy - (x + y) is odd.

Since xy(x+y)=(x1)(y1)1xy - (x + y) = (x - 1)(y - 1) - 1 increases as either prime increases, the result ranges from 5712=235 \cdot 7 - 12 = 23 up to 131730=191.13 \cdot 17 - 30 = 191.

The only odd option in [23,191][23, 191] is 119=1113(11+13).119 = 11 \cdot 13 - (11 + 13).

Thus, the correct answer is C.

Problem 11 in Other Years