2018 AMC 12B Problem 18

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 18 of the 2018 AMC 12B, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2018 AMC 12B solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:recursiontelescoping

Difficulty rating: 2150

18.

A function ff is defined recursively by f(1)=f(2)=1f(1)=f(2)=1 and f(n)=f(n1)f(n2)+n f(n)=f(n-1)-f(n-2)+n for all integers n3.n\ge3. What is f(2018)?f(2018)?

20162016

20172017

20182018

20192019

20202020

Solution:

Repeatedly substituting the recursion into itself gives f(n)=f(n6)+6. f(n)=f(n-6)+6. So ff increases by 66 every time nn increases by 6.6.

Since 2018=2+6336,2018=2+6\cdot336, we have f(2018)=f(2)+6336=1+2016=2017.f(2018)=f(2)+6\cdot336=1+2016=2017.

Thus, the correct answer is B.

Problem 18 in Other Years