Question

In the following expression, Melanie changed some of the plus signs to minus signs:

$1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + \cdots + 97 + 99$

When the new expression was evaluated, it was negative. What is the least number of plus signs that Melanie could have changed to minus signs?

$14$

$15$

$16$

$17$

$18$

Solution:

The original expression sums the first $50$ odd numbers, giving $50^2 = 2500.$ Changing a term of value $v$ from $+$ to $-$ decreases the total by $2v,$ so to make the result negative the flipped terms must total more than $\dfrac{2500}{2} = 1250.$

To use as few terms as possible, flip the largest odd numbers $99, 97, 95, \ldots$ The largest $k$ of them sum to $k(100 - k).$ With $k = 14$ this is $14 \cdot 86 = 1204 \le 1250,$ but with $k = 15$ it is $15 \cdot 85 = 1275 \gt 1250.$ So $15$ sign changes suffice and $14$ do not.

Thus, the correct answer is B.

2024 AMC 12B Problem 5

Solution:

Problem 5 in Other Years