American Mathematics Olympiad 2017

Secondary 2 Contest Paper

Name: ______________________________________________
School: ______________________________________________

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Please DO NOT OPEN the contest booklet until the Proctor has given permission to start.

2. TIME : 1 hour 30 minutes

3. Attempt all 25 questions. Each question scores 1 point. No points are deducted for incorrect
answers.

4. Write your answers neatly on the answer sheet.

5. PROCTORING : No one may help any student in any way during the contest.

6. No calculators are allowed.

7. All students must fill in your Name and School.

8. MINIMUM TIME: Students must stay in the exam hall at least 1h 15 min.

9. Students must show detailed working and put answers on the answer sheet.

10. No spare papers can be used in writing this contest. Enough space is provided for your
working of each question.

Remark: Counting numbers are whole numbers except 0, i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …

AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 1
Find the sum of the digits of the product of 2017 × 99999.

Question 2
The first 5 instances of a pattern involving the sum of three
squares are shown at the right. Find the value of 𝐵 + 𝐷 − 𝐴 − 𝐶.

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 3
3
Write the expression √36 − √36 as an integer.

Question 4
Find the value of (9.87)2 + 19.74 × 0.13 + 0.0169.

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 5
The whole numbers are arranged five at a time, in every row, as shown. What is the
sum of the row number and the column number of 2017?
1st column 2nd column 3rd column 4th column 5th column
1st row 1 2 3 4 5
2nd row 10 9 8 7 6
3rd row 11 12 13 14 15
4th row 20 19 18 17 16
5th row 21 22 23 24 25
… …

Question 6
If 2016 = 2A × 3B × 7C for positive integers A, B, and C, what is the simplified value of
AB + C?

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 7
How many different sums can be obtained by adding two different integers chosen from
the following list?
{−102, −101, −100, … , 86, 87, 88}

Question 8
The spinner at the right is divided into 5 equal parts. Spin the needle
5 1
once. If it lands on a perfect square number flip a fair coin once. If it
2
lands on a prime number do not flip the coin. What is the probability 4
3
that you did not flip a coin? [A fair coin is one that lands on heads half
the time.]
𝑝
(If your answer is 𝑞, then write 𝑝 + 𝑞)

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 9
Find the positive difference between the sum of all possible integers 𝑥 and the sum of
all possible integers 𝑦 that satisfy the equation 𝑥 𝑦 = 81.

Question 10
Suppose the simplest form of the product of
98 97 96 3 2 1
× × × …× × ×
100 99 98 5 4 3
𝑎
is 𝑏 , what is 𝑎 + 𝑏 − 4000?

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 11
𝑎 1 1 𝑎
is a fraction in simplest form where √49 − 625 = 𝑏. Find the value of 𝑎 + 𝑏.
𝑏

Question 12
A survey of 45 students at the MOEMS Prep Academy found that 32 take Spanish and
40 take Algebra. What is the fewest (least) possible number of students surveyed who
are taking both Spanish and Algebra?

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 13
Some of the 12 edges of a cube are to be coloured red, so that each face
has exactly 3 red edges. What is the number of red edges?

Question 14
There are exactly n whole number cubes between 76 and 59 . Find n. Do not include 76
or 59 in your count.

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 15
The cardboard pattern shown is composed of six numbered
2
squares, and is folded to form a cube. What is the greatest product
6 11 4 3
of the numbers on three faces that meet at a common vertex?
5

Question 16
If the product of 450 and the positive integer N is a perfect cube number, what is the
least possible value of N?

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 17
In rectangle ABCD, X is the midpoint of AB and Y is the
midpoint of AD. What is the area of triangle XYC, in cm2 ,
if the area of rectangle ABCD is 880 cm2 ?

Question 18
How many four-digit positive integers consist of distinct non-zero digits such that the
sum of the four digits equals 14?

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 19
Two squares with integer length sides overlap so that two sides of the
smaller square rest along two sides of the larger square as shown. The
area of the L-shaped shaded region is 27 square units.
Find the sum of the two possible lengths of the side of the smaller square.

Question 20
Jethro wishes to tile a 10 cm x 15 cm rectangular floor using giant “J”
shaped tiles. Each “J” shaped tile has an area of 6 cm2 and is composed of 1
cm x 1 cm square sections as shown. What is the smallest area, in cm2, of
the 10 cm x 15 cm floor that cannot be covered using Jethro’s “J” shaped tiles? Tiles
cannot be cut or overlapped.

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 21
For how many whole numbers from 4002 to 4499 does the product of the middle two
digits exceed 6?

Question 22
Mel sells jumbo cheesy pretzel nuggets in a 5 nugget “diet” size, a 8 nugget “share”
size, and a 14 nugget “party” size. What is the greatest total number of jumbo cheesy
pretzel nuggets that cannot be purchased from Mel? [Example: It is possible to buy 8
nuggets but not possible to buy 9 nuggets.]

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 23
Two squares overlap so that a vertex of the larger 25 cm square 24
lies at the center of the smaller 24 cm square as shown. If the 13 B
distance from A to B is 13 cm, find the number of centimeters in A
the perimeter of the quadrilateral determined by the overlapping 25
shaded region.

Question 24
How many four-digit whole numbers contain the digit pair “27” without other
intervening digits? [Note: 3127 is one such example, but 3217 is not.]

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 25
A cricket can climb a staircase by leaping either 1 step up or 2 steps up with each
bound. In how many different ways can the cricket climb a 8-step staircase?

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 1
Find the sum of the digits of the product of 2017 × 99999.
Solution
Strategy: Write 99999 as 100,000-1
2017 × 99999 = 2017 × (100,000 − 1) = 2017 × 100,000 − 2017 = 201697983
Sum of the digits is 2 + 0 + 1 + 6 + 7 + 9 + 8 + 3 = 𝟑𝟔
Answer: 036

Question 2
The first 5 instances of a pattern involving the sum of three
squares are shown at the right. Find the sum 𝐵 + 𝐷 − 𝐴 − 𝐶.
Solution
Strategy: Find the pattern of terms from line to line.
1st term: always 4, so A = 4.
2nd term: add 8 to the second term in the previous row: 36 + 8 = 44, so B = 44.
3rd term: add the next multiple of 8 (add 16, add 24, add 32) to the third term in the
previous row: the next multiple of 8 is 40. 78 + 40 = 118, so C = 118.
The sum also adds consecutive multiples of 8 {16, 24, 32}, so add 40 to the previous
sum: 86 + 40 = 126, and D = 126.
Finally 𝐵 + 𝐷 − 𝐴 − 𝐶 = 44 + 126 − 4 − 118 = 𝟒𝟖.
Answer: 048

Question 3
3
Write the expression √36 − √36 as an integer.
Solution
METHOD 1: Strategy: Use the information in the note.
3
Simplify: √36 − √36 = √(33 )(33 ) − √(32 )(32 )(32 ) = 33 − 32 = 27 − 9 = 𝟏𝟖
3

METHOD 2: Strategy: Use the law of exponents that 𝑎𝑏/𝑐 = √𝑎𝑏 .

𝑐

6 6
3
Rewrite and simplify: √36 − √36 = 32 − 33 = 33 − 32 = 27 − 9 = 𝟏𝟖.
Answer: 018

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 4
Find the value of (9.87)2 + 19.74 × 0.13 + 0.0169
Solution
Strategy: Use the formula 𝑎2 + 2𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏2 = (𝑎 + 𝑏)2 .
Let 𝑘 = (9.87)2 + 19.74 × 0.13 + 0.0169. Then,
𝑘 = (9.87)2 + 2(9.87)(0.13) + (0.13)2
𝑘 = (9.87 + 0.13)2 = (10)2 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎
Answer: 100

Question 5
The whole number are arranged five at a time, in every row, as shown. What is the sum
of the row number and the column number of 2017?
1st column 2nd column 3rd column 4th column 5th column
1st row 1 2 3 4 5
2nd row 10 9 8 7 6
3rd row 11 12 13 14 15
4th row 20 19 18 17 16
5th row 21 22 23 24 25
… …

Solution
Strategy: Find a formula to locate every number in the pattern.
Row: To find the location of a number we need to find the row and then its position in
the row. For example, the number 23 is the third smallest number in row 5. To find this
result, divide 23 by 5 to get 4 with remainder 3. Add 1 to the whole number quotient to
find the row while the position is just the remainder. If the remainder is 0, the quotient
is the row and the number is the greatest number in the row. To find the location for
2017, we find 2017 ÷ 5 = 403 with remainder 2. So, 2017 will be the second smallest
number in row 403 + 1 = 404.
Column: The next to the last number in rows 2, 4, 6, and so on, have a units digit of 7.
The last number in each of these rows is the least number and is one less than the
number to its left. Therefore, 2017 will be the next to the last number in a row that has
a last number of 2016, the least number in the row. Hence, 2017 will be in the 4th
column.
Therefore, the sum of the row number and the column number of 2017 is 404 + 4 =
𝟒𝟎𝟖.
Answer: 408

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 6
If 2016 = 2A × 3B × 7C for positive integers A, B, and C, what is the simplified value of
AB + C?
Solution
Strategy: Factorize 2016.

The circled values indicate the prime factors of 2016.

So 2016 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 × 7 = 25 × 32 × 7 and 𝐴 = 5, 𝐵 = 2, and 𝐶 = 1.
Therefore 𝐴𝐵 + 𝐶 = 52 + 1 = 𝟐𝟔.
Answer: 026

Question 7
How many different sums can be obtained by adding two different integers chosen from
the following list?
{−102, −101, −100, … , 86, 87, 88}
Solution
Strategy: Find the least and greatest possible sums.
The least possible sum is obtained by adding -102 and -101. The greatest possible sum
is obtained by adding 87 and 88. Every integer between these extremes is also a
possible sum. By examining a number line from -203 to +175 inclusive, you should see
203 negative sums, 175 positive sums, and zero. There are 203 + 175 + 1 = 𝟑𝟕𝟗
different sums that can be obtained.
Answer: 379

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 8
The spinner at the right is divided into 5 equal parts. Spin the needle
once. If it lands on a perfect square number flip a fair coin once. If it 5 1
lands on a prime number do not flip the coin. What is the probability 2
that you did not flip a coin? 4
3
[A fair coin is one that lands on heads half the time.]
(If your answer is p/q, then write p+q)
Solution
Strategy: Use the basic definition of probability
Since the perfect squares are 1 and 4 and the prime numbers are 2, 3, and 5, the
3
probability that you will not flip a coin is 5. Thus, 𝑝 + 𝑞 = 3 + 5 = 𝟖.

Answer: 008

Question 9
Find the positive difference between the sum of all possible integers x and the sum of all
possible integers y that satisfy the equation 𝑥 𝑦 = 81.
Solution
Strategy: Factor and group by powers.
Case I: 81 = 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 34 so (3, 4) satisfies the equation.
Case II: 81 = 9 × 9 = 92 so (9, 2) satisfies the equation.
Case III: 81 = 811 so (81, 1) satisfies the equation.
Case IV: 81 = (−3)4 so (-3, 4) satisfies the equation.
Case V: 81 = (−9)2 so (-9, 2) satisfies the equation.
The sum of the x’s is 3 + 9 + 81 + (– 3) + (– 9) = 81 and the sum of the
y’s is 4 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 = 13. The positive difference between the sum of the x’s and y’s
is 81 − 13 = 𝟔𝟖.
Answer: 068

Question 10
Suppose the simplest form of the product of
98 97 96 3 2 1
× × × …× × ×
100 99 98 5 4 3
𝑎
is 𝑏 , what is 𝑎 + 𝑏 − 4000?

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Solution
Strategy: Cancellation of identical numbers
The numbers in the numerators are 98, 97, 96, 95 … , 3, 2, 1
The numbers in the numerators are 100, 99, 98, 97 … , 5, 4, 3
Since the operation involved is only multiplication of fractions, then a number 𝑥 in the
numerator cancels the number 𝑥 in the denominator.
After cancellation of identical numbers, the remaining numbers are 2 and 1 in the
numerator and 100 and 99 in the denominator. Hence, the product is
2 1 1
= 50(99) = 4950 . It follows that 𝑎 + 𝑏 − 4000 = 1 + 4950 − 4000 = 𝟗𝟓𝟏.
100(99)

Answer: 951

Question 11
𝑎 1 1 𝑎
is a fraction in simplest form where √49 − 625 = 𝑏. Find the value of 𝑎 + 𝑏.
𝑏

Solution
Strategy: Solve using the arithmetic of fractions and square roots.
1 1 625−49 576 (24)2 24 24 𝑎 24
Simplify: √ − =√ =√ = √(7)2 (25)2 = = . So, = and 𝑎 +
49 625 (49)(625) (49)(625) 7(25) 175 𝑏 175
𝑏 = 24 + 175 = 𝟏𝟗𝟗.
Answer: 199

Question 12
A survey of 45 students at the MOEMS Prep Academy found that 32 take Spanish and
40 take Algebra. What is the fewest (least) possible number of students surveyed who
are taking both Spanish and Algebra?
Solution
METHOD 1: Strategy: Apply logical reasoning.
If 32 students take Spanish and 40 take Algebra, some students must be taking both
since only 45 students were surveyed. If all students surveyed take at least one of the
subjects, we will minimize the number taking both subjects. Since 32 + 40 = 72 and
72 − 45 = 27, the least number of students surveyed who are taking both Spanish and
Algebra is 27.

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

METHOD 2: Strategy: Make a Venn (Euler) diagram and use algebra.

Let x be the number of students taking both and let y be the number of students taking
neither. We can set up and solve the following equation: 45 − 𝑦 = 32 + 40 − 𝑥 → 𝑥 =
27 + 𝑦. To minimize x we want to let 𝑦 = 0. Therefore the least value of x, the number
of students taking both subjects is 27.
Answer: 027

Question 13
Some of the 12 edges of a cube are to be coloured red, so that each face
has exactly 3 red edges. What is the number of red edges?
Solution
Strategy: Apply logical reasoning.
A cube has 12 edges. Since every face is a square that has exactly 3 red edges, it must
3 1
also have exactly 1 black edge. It follows that 4 of the edges are red and 4 are black.
Therefore there are 9 red edges.
Answer: 009

Question 14
There are exactly n whole number cubes between 76 and 59 . Find n. Do not include 76
or 59 in your count.
Solution
Strategy: Apply the rules of exponents to form cubic numbers.
Rewrite 76 = (72 )3 and 59 = (53 )3 . Since 72 = 49 and 53 = 125, there are 125 − 49 −
1 = 77 numbers between 49 and 125 so 𝑛 = 𝟕𝟕.
Answer: 077

Question 15
The cardboard pattern shown is composed of six numbered
squares, and is folded to form a cube. What is the greatest product 2
of the numbers on three faces that meet at a common vertex? 6 11 4 3
5

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Solution
METHOD 1: Strategy: Consider opposite faces that can never meet.
Once folded, the numbers 4 and 6 lie on opposite faces, 11 and 3 lie on opposite faces,
and 2 and 5 lie on opposite faces. Opposite faces can never meet at a common vertex
or a common edge. Choose the greatest number from each pair of opposite faces listed
above: 6, 11, and 5. These faces all meet at a vertex and their product is the greatest
possible product: 6 × 11 × 5 = 𝟑𝟑𝟎.
METHOD 2: Strategy: Change your perspective.
TOP
If the cube is transparent and you look at it up close
from the front, this is what you would see. If the back FRONT
is numbered 4, the right face could be 3, the left face LEFT BACK RIGHT
11, the top 2, and the bottom 5. The front would have
the number 6. The front, left, and bottom faces meet
BOTTOM
at a vertex. The product of these numbers is 6 × 11 ×
5 = 𝟑𝟑𝟎. This is the greatest possible product for 3
faces that meet at a vertex.
Answer: 330

Question 16
If the product of 450 and the positive integer N is a perfect cube number, what is the
least possible value of N?
Solution
Strategy: Prime factorize 450
Since 450 = 2 × 32 × 52 , then we need to multiply it by 22 × 3 × 5 to get the least
possible perfect cube, which is 23 × 33 × 53 . Hence, 𝑁 = 22 × 3 × 5 = 𝟔𝟎.
Answer: 060

Question 17
In rectangle ABCD, X is the midpoint of AB and Y is the
midpoint of AD. What is the area of triangle XYC, in cm2 ,
if the area of rectangle ABCD is 880 cm2 ?
Solution
Strategy: Compare their parts and use the area of
triangle formula.
Based on the given, we have 𝐴𝐵 × 𝐵𝐶 = 880. Also,
(𝐴𝑋)(𝐴𝑌) (𝐴𝑋)(𝐴𝐷) (𝐴𝑋)(𝐵𝐶) (𝐴𝐵)(𝐵𝐶) 880
Area of Δ𝐴𝑋𝑌 = = = = = = 110
2 4 4 8 8

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

(𝐷𝐶)(𝑌𝐷) (𝐷𝐶)(𝐴𝐷) (𝐴𝐵)(𝐵𝐶) 880

Area of Δ𝑌𝐷𝐶 = = = = = 220
2 4 4 4
(𝑋𝐵)(𝐵𝐶) (𝐴𝐵)(𝐵𝐶) 880
Area of Δ𝑋𝐵𝐶 = = = = 220
2 4 4

Then we obtain
Area of Δ𝑋𝑌𝐶 = Area of ABCD – (Area of Δ𝐴𝑋𝑌 + Area of Δ𝑌𝐷𝐶 + Area of Δ𝑋𝐵𝐶)
Area of Δ𝑋𝑌𝐶 = 880 − (110 + 220 + 220) = 𝟑𝟑𝟎 𝑐𝑚2
Answer: 330

Question 18
How many four-digit positive integers consist of distinct non-zero digits such that the
sum of the four digits equals 14?
Solution
METHOD 1: Strategy: Compute the sums in an organized manner.
Greatest Digit Remaining Sum Possibility
8 6 1+2+3
7 7 1+2+4
6 8 1+2+5
6 8 1+3+4
5 9 2+3+4
Since we are forming 4-digit integers consisting of distinct non-zero digits, the order of
the digits can be rearranged. For each possibility of four digits listed above, there are 4!
or 24 arrangements. Hence, there are 5 × 24 = 𝟏𝟐𝟎 that satisfy the conditions.
[Note: The largest possible integer is 8, since 9 + 1 + 2 + 3 = 15, which is greater than
14.]
METHOD 2: Strategy: Count in a systematic fashion.
Step 1: List the distinct digits (whose sum is 14) from least to greatest to avoid
duplication.
Step 2: Apply the multiplication principle to count the number of possible
rearrangements of the digits.
The least digit can only be a 1 or a 2 since if it were 3 or greater, the sum of the four
digits would be greater than 14.
Here is a list of sets of possible digits: {1, 2, 3, 8}, {1, 2, 4, 7}, {1, 2, 5, 6}, {1, 3, 4, 6},
and {2, 3, 4, 5}. There are only five such sets of four distinct digits that sum to 14. The
four digits in each set can be arranged in 4 × 3 × 2 × 1 = 24 ways. Altogether, there are
5 × 24 = 𝟏𝟐𝟎 whole numbers.
Answer: 120
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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 19
Two squares with integer length sides overlap so that two sides of the
smaller square rest along two sides of the larger square as shown. The
area of the L-shaped shaded region is 27 square units.
Find the sum of the two possible lengths of the side of the smaller square.
Solution
Strategy: Apply an algebraic technique.
Let 𝑥 and 𝑦 be the side of the larger square and smaller square, respectively.
Since 𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 = (𝑥 − 𝑦)(𝑥 + 𝑦) = 27, we are looking for 2 positive integers that multiply
to be 27. The only possibilities are 1 and 27 or 3 and 9. Using 1 and 27, we need to find
x and y such that 𝑥 − 𝑦 = 1 and 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 27. Since the integers differ by 1, they must be
13 and 14. Notice that 142 − 132 = 196 − 169 = 27. Similarly, if
𝑥 − 𝑦 = 3 and 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 9, the values of x and y must be 6 and 3. The sum of the lengths
of the two possible sides of the smaller square is 13 + 3 = 𝟏𝟔.
Answer: 016

Question 20
Jethro wishes to tile a 10 cm x 15 cm rectangular floor using giant “J”
shaped tiles. Each “J” shaped tile has an area of 6 cm2 and is composed of 1
cm x 1 cm square sections as shown. What is the smallest area (in cm2 of
the 10 cm x 15 cm floor that cannot be covered using Jethro’s “J” shaped
tiles? Tiles cannot be cut or overlapped.
Solution
Strategy: Combine two “J” shapes to form a rectangle.
Notice that two “J” shaped tiles form a 3
cm x 4 cm rectangle whose area is 12
cm2. Since we are trying to fill a floor that
is 10 cm x 15 cm which has an area of 150 cm2, the
best we can expect to fill with the rectangular pair of
tiles is 144 cm2 (12 × 12) with 6 cm2 without tile. To
see how this can be accomplished consider the
diagram. There are several other configurations that
also have 6 cm2 uncovered.
Answer: 006

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Question 21
For how many whole numbers from 4002 to 4499 does the product of the middle two
digits exceed 6?
Solution
METHOD 1: Strategy: Create an organized chart.
In the hundreds position, we can have 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4. For each of these numbers, list
numbers in the tens position that result in a product that exceeds 6.
Hundreds digit 0 1 2 3 4
Tens digit 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
None 7, 8, 9 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
9,
Count the amount of numbers in each box of the second row: 0 + 3 + 6 + 7 + 8 = 24.
Since the ones digit can be 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9, there are 24 whole numbers for
each of these 10 units digits. Altogether there are 240 numbers that satisfy the
conditions.
METHOD 2: Strategy: Find those numbers for which the product is less than or equal to
6.
Start as above, but now in the second row list those numbers that yield a product of 6
or less.
Hundreds digit 0 1 2 3 4
Tens digit 0, 1, 2,
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 0, 1, 2 0, 1
3
Count the amount of numbers in each box of the second row: 10 + 7 + 4 + 3 + 2 = 26.
Since the ones digit can be 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9, there are 26 whole numbers for
each of these 10 units digits. In the 260 numbers just counted, we have the number
5000. Thus there are only 259 numbers that do not satisfy the condition. Since there are
499 numbers between 4000 and 4500, exclusive of both end numbers, there are 499 −
259 = 𝟐𝟒𝟎 numbers which do satisfy the given conditions.
Answer: 240

Question 22
Mel sells jumbo cheesy pretzel nuggets in a 5 nugget “diet” size, a 8 nugget “share”
size, and a 14 nugget “party” size. What is the greatest total number of jumbo cheesy
pretzel nuggets that cannot be purchased from Mel? [Example: It is possible to buy 8
nuggets but not possible to buy 9 nuggets.]
Solution
Strategy: Find a string of five consecutive possible purchases.
Find the first instance of five consecutive quantities that can be purchased. Once found,
add multiples of 5 to each of the numbers in that string to get every quantity greater
than the numbers in the string.

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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

Here is a list of the purchases that can be made: 5, 8, 5 + 5 = 10, 5 + 8 = 13, 14,
5 + 5 + 5 = 15, 8 + 8 = 16, 5 + 5 + 8 = 18, 5 + 14 = 19, 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 20,
8 + 8 + 5 = 21, 8 + 14 = 22
Since 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 can be purchased; adding 5 to each of these, we can also
purchase 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 nuggets. This process can be continued indefinitely. The
largest number that cannot be purchased is 17.
Answer: 017

Question 23
Two squares overlap so that a vertex of the larger 25 cm square 24
lies at the center of the smaller 24 cm square as shown. If the 13 B
distance from A to B is 13 cm, find the number of centimeters in A
the perimeter of the quadrilateral determined by the overlapping 25
shaded region.
Solution
Strategy: Draw two segments and use congruent right triangles.
Draw the perpendicular from point A to BC and the C
perpendicular from A to DE. Label the intersections P and 24
Q. The lengths of these segments are 12 cm each. Right 12 P5
ABP has a leg 12 cm and hypotenuse 13 cm, so the other A 13 B
leg must be 5 cm by Pythagoras theorem. Since ABP ≅ 12 E
13
ADQ by ASA, the length of AD is also 13 cm. Since 𝑃𝐸 = Q
5 9
12 cm and 𝑃𝐵 = 5 cm, 𝐵𝐸 = 7 cm. We find that 𝐷𝐸 = D
𝐷𝑄 + 𝑄𝐸 = 5 + 12 = 17 𝑐𝑚. Thus the perimeter of
quadrilateral 𝐷𝐴𝐵𝐸 = 13 + 13 + 7 + 17 = 𝟓𝟎 cm.
Answer: 050

Question 24
How many four-digit whole numbers contain the digit pair “27” without other
intervening digits? [Note: 3127 is one such example, but 3217 is not.]
Solution
Strategy: Examine all possible cases.
The digit pair 27 can either be in the first 2 positions, the middle 2 positions, or the last
2 positions.
Case I (2 7 _ _): There are 10 × 10 = 100 possible 4-digit numbers.
Case II (_ 2 7 _): There are 9 × 10 = 90 possible 4-digit numbers. [The leading digit
cannot be 0.]
Case III (_ _ 2 7): There are 9 × 10 = 90 possible 4-digit numbers.
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AMO 2017, Secondary 2 Contest

From the total of 100 + 90 + 90, it is necessary to subtract 1 since 2727 was counted
twice, once in case I and again in case III. Therefore there are 100 + 90 + 90 − 1 = 𝟐𝟕𝟗
4-digit numbers containing “27”.
Answer: 0279

Question 25
A cricket can climb a staircase by leaping either 1 step up or 2 steps up with each
bound. In how many different ways can the cricket climb a 8-step staircase?
[Example: the cricket can ascend a 3-step staircase in exactly 3 ways: 1 + 1 + 1, 1 + 2,
or 2 + 1.]

Solution
Strategy: Solve a simpler problem.
Case I: (1 step) Only 1 way.
Case II: (2 steps) Either 1-1 or 2, so 2 ways.
Case III: (3 steps) Possible ways are 1-1-1, 1-2, or 2-1, so 3 ways.
Case IV: (4 steps) If the crickets first move is to go up 1 step then 3 steps remain and
we know that there are 3 ways to get to the top. If the first move is to go up 2 steps,
there are 2 steps remaining and there are 2 ways to get to the top. So the total number
of ways is 3 + 2 = 5.
Case V: (5 steps) If first move is 1 step, 4 steps remain and if the first move is 2 steps,
3 steps remain. Therefore add the previous two results to get 5 + 3 = 8 ways. Continue
in this fashion to find the results for 6 steps (8 + 5 = 13 ways), for 7 steps (13 + 8 = 21
ways), and for 8 steps (21 + 13 = 𝟑𝟒).
(The pattern is a Fibonacci sequence: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34)
Answer: 034

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