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ELMO 2019 Rubrics P2

Carl wants to mark the centroid of n points in the plane using a device that divides a line segment into m equal parts. The pairs (m,n) for which Carl can accomplish this regardless of the points given are those where m is divisible by the radical of 2n. The solution shows that m must be divisible by 2, and then proves the full condition that m is divisible by the radical of 2n, through constructions.

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Vincent Huang
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241 views1 page

ELMO 2019 Rubrics P2

Carl wants to mark the centroid of n points in the plane using a device that divides a line segment into m equal parts. The pairs (m,n) for which Carl can accomplish this regardless of the points given are those where m is divisible by the radical of 2n. The solution shows that m must be divisible by 2, and then proves the full condition that m is divisible by the radical of 2n, through constructions.

Uploaded by

Vincent Huang
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Problem 2. Let m, n ≥ 2 be integers.

Carl is given n marked points in the plane and wishes to mark their
centroid1 . He has no standard compass or straightedge. Instead, he has a device which, given marked points
A and B, marks the m − 1 points that divide segment AB into m congruent parts (but does not draw the
segment).
For which pairs (m, n) can Carl necessarily accomplish his task, regardless of which n points he is given?

Solution Path.
Step 1 (1 point). Claim that the answer is all pairs (m, n) for which rad(2n)|m.

Step 2 (2 points). Sufficiency of rad(2n)|m.


1. (1 point) Student provides a construction for some odd n ≥ 5 that generalizes to any n.
2. (2 points) Student provides a construction that works for all n.

Step 3 (2 points). Necessity of rad(2n)|m.


1. (1 point) Student shows that 2 must divide m.
2. (2 points) Student shows that rad(2n)|m.
Remark 1. The points from Steps 1.2 to 1.3 are additive, except that 1 + 1 = 3, 1 + 2 = 4, and 2 + 2 = 6. If
one wishes, one can express this rule
 by writing that a paper that earns x points for sufficiency and y points
for necessity should get x + y + xy 2 points (in addition to possibly the one point for getting the correct
answer).
Remark 2. If a student completes the entire proof except for showing that 2|m, the student should receive
4 points instead of the assigned 3 points.

Remark 3. Graders may deduct one point at the end for lack of sufficiency if the student does not realize the
subtlety of prime powers and provides a construction that, while showing that some larger number dividing
m will suffice, does not scale down to show that rad(2n)|m is sufficient. For example, if a student claims
that the answer is all pairs (m, n) for which 2n|m, shows that all primes p dividing 2n must divide m, and
gives a construction by which an n-centroid can be marked with a 2n-dissector, this student should receive
5 points, losing one for the wrong answer and one for a flawed construction.

 
1 Here, x1 +···+xn y1 +···+yn
the centroid of n points with coordinates (x1 , y1 ), . . . , (xn , yn ) is the point with coordinates n
, n
.

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