Solutions Pamphlet

American Mathematics Competitions

62nd Annual

AMC 12 B
American Mathematics Contest 12 B
Wednesday, February 23, 2011

This Pamphlet gives at least one solution for each problem on this year’s contest and shows
that all problems can be solved without the use of a calculator. When more than one solution
is provided, this is done to illustrate a significant contrast in methods, e.g., algebraic vs
geometric, computational vs conceptual, elementary vs advanced. These solutions are by no
means the only ones possible, nor are they superior to others the reader may devise.
We hope that teachers will inform their students about these solutions, both as illustrations
of the kinds of ingenuity needed to solve nonroutine problems and as examples of good
mathematical exposition. However, the publication, reproduction or communication of the problems
or solutions of the AMC 12 during the period when students are eligible to participate seriously
jeopardizes the integrity of the results. Dissemination via copier, telephone, e-mail, World Wide Web
or media of any type during this period is a violation of the competition rules.
After the contest period, permission to make copies of problems in paper or electronic form including posting on
web-pages for educational use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or
commercial advantage and that copies bear the copyright notice.
Correspondence about the problems/solutions for this AMC 12 and orders for any publications should be addressed to:
American Mathematics Competitions
University of Nebraska, P.O. Box 81606, Lincoln, NE 68501-1606
Phone: 402-472-2257; Fax: 402-472-6087; email: amcinfo@maa.org
The problems and solutions for this AMC 12 were prepared by the MAA’s Committee on the
AMC 10 and AMC 12 under the direction of AMC 12 Subcommittee Chair:
Prof. Bernardo M. Abrego
bernardo.abrego@csun.edu

© 2011 Mathematical Association of America

 Solutions 2011 AMC 12 B 2

1. Answer (C): The given expression is equal to

12 9 4 3 16 − 9 7
− = − = = .
9 12 3 4 12 12

2. Answer (E): The sum of her first 5 test scores is 385, yielding an average of
77. To raise her average to 80, her 6th test score must be the difference between
6 · 80 = 480 and 385, which is 95.

3. Answer (C): Bernardo has paid B − A dollars more than LeRoy. If LeRoy
2 , then each will have paid the same
gives Bernardo half of that difference, B−A
amount.

4. Answer (E): Because 161 = 23 · 7, the only two digit factor of 161 is 23. The
correct product must have been 32 · 7 = 224.

5. Answer (A):
Because N is divisible by 3, 4, and 5, the prime factorization of N must contain
one 3, two 2s, and one 5. Furthermore 22 · 3 · 5 = 60 is divisible by every integer
less than 7. Therefore the numbers with this property are precisely the positive
multiples of 60. The second smallest positive multiple of 60 is 120, and the sum
of its digits is 3.

6. Answer (C): Let O be the center of the circle, and let the degree measures of
the minor and major arcs be 2x and 3x, respectively. Because 2x + 3x = 360◦ ,
it follows that x = 72◦ and ∠BOC = 2x = 144◦ . In quadrilateral ABOC, the
segments AB and AC are tangent to the circle, thus ∠ABO = ∠ACO = 90◦
and ∠BAC = 360◦ − (144◦ + 90◦ + 90◦ ) = 36◦ .

7. Answer (B): Because x ≤ 99 and 12 (x + y) = 60, it follows that y = 120 − x ≥

120 − 99 = 21. Thus the maximum value of xy is 99
21 = 7 .
33

8. Answer (A): The only parts of the track that are longer walking on the
outside edge rather than the inside edge are the two semicircular portions. If
the radius of the inner semicircle is r, then the difference in the lengths of the
two paths is 2π(r + 6) − 2πr = 12π. Let x be her speed in meters per second.
Then 36x = 12π, and x = π3 .
 Solutions 2011 AMC 12 B 3

9. Answer (D): Consider all ordered pairs (a, b) with each of the numbers a
and b in the closed interval [−20, 10]. These pairs fill a 30 × 30 square in the
coordinate plane, with an area of 900 square units. Ordered pairs in the first
and third quadrants have the desired property, namely a · b > 0. The areas of
the portions of the 30 × 30 square in the first and third quadrants are 102 = 100
and 202 = 400, respectively. Therefore the probability of a positive product is
100+400
900 = 59 .
OR
Each of the numbers is positive with probability 13 and negative with probability
3 . Their product is positive if and only ifboth numbers are positive or both are
2
2  2
negative, so the requested probability is 13 + 23 = 59 .

10. Answer (E): Sides AB and CD are parallel, so ∠CDM = ∠AM D. Because
∠AM D = ∠CM D, it follows that CM D is isosceles and CD = CM = 6.
Therefore M CB is a 30 – 60 – 90◦ right triangle with ∠BM C = 30◦ . Finally,
2 · ∠AM D + 30◦ = ∠AM D + ∠CM D + 30◦ = 180◦ , so ∠AM D = 75◦ .

M
A B

D C
6

11. Answer (B): Because AB = 1, the smallest number of jumps is at least 2.

The perpendicular bisector of AB is the line with equation x = 12 , which has
no points with integer coordinates, so 2 jumps are not possible. A sequence of
3 jumps is possible; one such sequence is (0, 0) to (3, 4) to (6, 0) to (1, 0).

12. Answer (A): Assume the octagon’s√

edge is 1. Then the corner triangles have
hypotenuse 1 and thus legs 2 and area 14 each; the four rectangles are 1 by
2
√ √
2 and have area 22 each, and the center square has area 1. The total area is
2
√ √
4 · 14 + 4 · 22 + 1 = 2 + 2 2. The probability that the dart hits the center square
√
is 2+21√2 = 2−1 2 .
 Solutions 2011 AMC 12 B 4
1
1 √
2
2
√
2
2
1

13. Answer (B): The largest pairwise difference is 9, so w − z = 9. Let n be

either x or y. Because n is between w and z,

9 = w − z = (w − n) + (n − z).

Therefore the positive differences w − n and n − z must sum to 9. The given

pairwise differences that sum to 9 are 3 + 6 and 4 + 5. The remaining pairwise
difference must be x − y = 1.
The second largest pairwise difference is 6, so either w − y = 6 or x − z = 6. In
the first case the set of four numbers may be expressed as {w, w−5, w−6, w−9}.
Hence 4w − 20 = 44, so w = 16. In the second case w − x = 3, and the four
numbers may be expressed as {w, w − 3, w − 4, w − 9}. Therefore 4w − 16 = 44,
so w = 15. The sum of the possible values for w is 16 + 15 = 31.
Note: The possible sets of four numbers are {16, 11, 10, 7} and {15, 12, 11, 6}.

14. Answer (D): Let  be the directrix of the parabola, and let C and D be the
projections of F and B onto , respectively. For any point in the parabola, its
distance to F and to  are the same. Because V and B are on the parabola, it
follows that p = F
√V = V C and 2p√= F C = BD = F B. By the Pythagorean
Theorem, V B = F V 2 + F B 2 = 5p, and thus cos(∠F V B) = VF VB = √p5p =
√
5 .
5
Because ∠AV B = 2(∠F V B), it follows that
 √ 2
5 2 3
cos(∠AV B) = 2 cos (∠F V B) − 1 = 2
2
−1= −1=− .
5 5 5
 Solutions 2011 AMC 12 B 5

OR
√
Establish as in the first solution that F V = p, F B = 2p, and V B = 5p. Then
AB = 2 · F B = 4p, and by the Law of Cosines applied to ABV ,

V A2 + V B 2 − AB 2 5p2 + 5p2 − 16p2 3

cos ∠AV B = = =− .
2(V A)(V B) 2(5p2 ) 5

Note: The segment AB is called the latus rectum.

15. Answer (D): Factoring results in the following product of primes:

224 − 1 = (212 − 1)(212 + 1) = (26 − 1)(26 + 1)(24 + 1)(28 − 24 + 1)

= 63 · 65 · 17 · 241 = 3 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 13 · 17 · 241.

The two-digit integers that can be formed from these prime factors are:

17, 3 · 17 = 51, 5 · 17 = 85,

13, 3 · 13 = 39, 5 · 13 = 65, 7 · 13 = 91,
3 · 7 = 21, 5 · 7 = 35, 3 · 3 · 7 = 63,
3 · 5 = 15, and 3 · 3 · 5 = 45.

Thus there are 12 positive two-digit factors.

16. Answer (C): Let E and H be the midpoints of AB and BC, respectively. The
line drawn perpendicular to AB through E divides the rhombus into two regions:
points that are closer to vertex A than B, and points that are closer to vertex B
than A. Let F be the intersection of this line with diagonal AC. Similarly, let
point G be the intersection of the diagonal AC with the perpendicular to BC
drawn from H. Then the desired region R is the pentagon BEF GH.
Note that AF E is a 30 –√60 – 90◦ triangle with AE = 1. Hence the area
of AF E is 12 · 1 · √13 = 63 . Both BF E and BGH are congruent to
AF E, so they have the same areas. Also ∠F BG = 120◦ − ∠F BE − ∠GBH =
 Solutions 2011 AMC 12 B 6

60◦ , so F BG is an equilateral triangle. In fact, the altitude from B to F G

divides F BG √
into two
√
triangles, each congruent to AF E. Hence the area of
BEF GH is 4 · 63 = 2 3 3 .
D C
G

F H

A B
E

17. Answer (B): Note that

 
1010x  
h1 (x) = log10 = log10 1010x−1 = 10x − 1.
10

Therefore h2 (x) = 102 x − (1 + 10), h3 (x) = 103 x − (1 + 10 + 102 ), and in general,


n−1
hn (x) = 10n x − 10k .
k=0

Hence hn (1) is an n-digit integer whose units digit is 9 and whose other digits
are all 8’s. The sum of the digits of h2011 (1) is 8 · 2010 + 9 = 16,089.

18. Answer (A): Let A be the apex of the pyramid, √ and let the base be the
square BCDE. Then AB = AD = 1 and BD = 2, so BAD is an isosceles
right triangle. Let the cube have edge length x. The intersection
√ of the cube
with √
the plane of BAD √ is a rectangle with height
√ x and width 2x. It follows
that 2 = BD = 2x + 2x, from which x = 2 − 1.

√
2x

B √ D
2
 Solutions 2011 AMC 12 B 7

Hence the cube has volume

√ √ √ √ √
( 2 − 1)3 = ( 2)3 − 3( 2)2 + 3 2 − 1 = 5 2 − 7.

OR

Let A be the apex of the pyramid, let O be the center of the base, let P be the
midpoint of one base edge, and let the cube intersect AP at Q. Let a coordinate
plane intersect
 the pyramid so that O is the origin, A on the positive y-axis,
and P = 12 , 0 . Segment AP is an altitude
 of a lateral side of the pyramid,
√ √
so AP = 2 ,
3
and it follows that A = 0, 22 . Thus the equation of line AP
√ √
is y = 22 − 2x. If the side length of the cube is s, then Q = ( 2s , s), so
√ √ √
s = 22 − 2 · 2s . Solving gives s = 2 − 1, and the result follows that in the
first solution.

19. Answer (B): For  0<x≤  100, the nearest

 lattice point
 directly above the
line y = 21 x + 2 is x, 12 x + 3 if x is even and x, 12 x + 52 if x is odd. The slope
of the line that contains this point and (0, 2) is 12 + x1 if x is even and 12 + 2x
1
if
x is odd. The minimum value of the slope is 100 if x is even and 99 if x is odd.
51 50

Therefore the line y = mx + 2 contains no lattice point with 0 < x ≤ 100 for
2 < m < 99 .
1 50

20. Answer (C): Because DE is parallel to AC and EF is parallel to AB it

follows that ∠BDE = ∠BAC = ∠EF C. By the Inscribed Angle Theorem,
∠BDE = ∠BXE and ∠EF C = ∠EXC. Therefore ∠BXE = ∠EXC. Fur-
thermore BE = EC, so by the Angle Bisector Theorem XB = XC. Note that
∠BXC = 2∠BXE = 2∠BDE = 2∠BAC, and by the Inscribed Angle Theo-
rem, it follows that X is the circumcenter of ABC, so XA = XB = XC = R
the circumradius of ABC.
 Solutions 2011 AMC 12 B 8

Let a = BC, b = AC, and c = AB. The area of ABC equals 4R 1

(abc), and by

Heron’s Formula it also equals s(s − a)(s − b)(s − c), where s = 12 (a + b + c).
Thus
abc 13 · 14 · 15 65
R=  = √ = ,
4 s (s − a) (s − b) (s − c) 4 21 · 8 · 7 · 6 8
and XA + XB + XC = 3R = 8 .
195

21. Answer (D): Let the arithmetic and geometric means of x and y be 10a + b
and 10b + a, respectively. Then
x+y
= 10a + b ⇒ (x + y)2 = 400a2 + 80ab + 4b2
2
and
√
xy = 10b + a ⇒ xy = 100b2 + 20ab + a2 ,
so
(x − y)2 = (x + y)2 − 4xy = 396(a2 − b2 ) = 11 · 62 · (a + b)(a − b)
Because x and y are distinct, a and b are distinct digits, and the last expression
is a perfect square if and only if a + b = 11 and a − b is a perfect square. The
cases a − b = 1, 4, and 9 give solutions (a, b) = (6, 5), (7.5, 3.5), and (10, 1),
respectively. Because a and b are digits only the first solution is valid. Thus
(x − y)2 = 11 · 62 · 11 = 662 and |x − y| = 66. Note that the given conditions
are satisfied if {x, y} = {32, 98}.

22. Answer (D): Let Tn = ABC. Suppose a = BC, b = AC, and c = AB.
Because BD and BE are both tangent to the incircle of ABC, it follows that
BD = BE. Similarly, AD = AF and CE = CF . Then
2BE = BE + BD = BE + CE + BD + AD − (AF + CF )
= a + c − b,

that is, BE = 21 (a + c − b). Similarly AD = 12 (b + c − a) and CF = 12 (a + b − c).

In the given ABC, suppose that AB = x + 1, BC = x − 1, and AC = x. Using
the formulas for BE, AD, and CF derived before, it must be true that
1 1
BE = ((x − 1) + (x + 1) − x) = x,
2 2
1 1
AD = (x + (x + 1) − (x − 1)) = x + 1, and
2 2
1 1
CF = ((x − 1) + x − (x + 1)) = x − 1.
2 2
Hence both (BC, CA, AB) and (CF, BE, AD) are of the form (y − 1, y, y + 1).
This is independent of the values of a, b, and c, so it holds for all Tn . Further-
more, adding the formulas for BE, AD, and CF shows that the perimeter of
 Solutions 2011 AMC 12 B 9

Tn+1 equals 12 (a + b + c), and consequently the perimeter of the last triangle TN
in the sequence is
1 1509
(2011 + 2012 + 2013) = N −3 .
2N −1 2
The last member TN of the sequence will fail to define a successor if for the first
time the new lengths fail the Triangle Inequality, that is, if
2012 2012 2012
−1 + + N ≤1+ N .
2N 2 2
Equivalently, 2012 ≤ 2N +1 which happens for the first time when N = 10. Thus
the required perimeter of TN is 1509
27 = 128 .
1509

23. Answer (C): Let X = (x, y). The distance traveled by the bug from A to X
is at least |x + 3| + |y − 2|. Similarly, the distance traveled by the bug from X
to B is at least |x − 3| + |y + 2|. It follows that X belongs to a path from A to
B traveled by the bug if and only if
d = |x − 3| + |x + 3| + |y − 2| + |y + 2| ≤ 20.
The expression for d is invariant if x is replaced by −x or y is replaced by −y.
By symmetry, it is enough to count the number of points X with x ≥ 0 and
y ≥ 0, multiply by 4, and subtract the points that were overcounted, that is
those in the x-axis or in the y-axis. Consider four cases:

Case 1. 0 ≤ x ≤ 3 and 0 ≤ y ≤ 2. In this case |x − 3| + |x + 3| = 6 and

|y − 2| + |y + 2| = 4. Thus d = 10 < 20 and there are 4 · 3 = 12 points X in this
case. This includes the origin and 5 other points for which xy = 0.
 Solutions 2011 AMC 12 B 10

Case 2. 0 ≤ x ≤ 3 and y ≥ 3. In this case |x−3|+|x+3| = 6 and |y−2|+|y+2| =

2y. Thus d = 6 + 2y ≤ 20 if and only if y ≤ 7. There are 4 · 5 = 20 points X in
this case. This includes 5 points for which xy = 0.
Case 3. x ≥ 4 and 0 ≤ y ≤ 2. In this case |x − 3| + |x + 3| = 2x and
|y − 2| + |y + 2| = 4. Thus d = 4 + 2x ≤ 20 if and only if x ≤ 8. There are
5 · 3 = 15 points X in this case. This includes 5 points for which xy = 0.
Case 4. x ≥ 4 and y ≥ 3. In this case |x−3|+|x+3| = 2x and |y−2|+|y+2| = 2y.
Thus d = 2x + 2y ≤ 20 if and only if x + y ≤ 10. The number of points X in
this case is equal to

 
7 10−x 
7 
7
1= (10 − x − 2) = (8 − x) = 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 10,
x=4 y=3 x=4 x=4

and there are no points with xy = 0.

By symmetry the required total is 4(12 + 20 + 15 + 10) − 2(5 + 5 + 5) − 3 =
4 · 57 − 2 · 15 − 3 = 195.

24. Answer (B): Factoring or using √ the quadratic formula √ with z as

4
√ the variable
yields
√ P (z) =√(z 4
− 1)(z
√
4
+ (4 3 + 7)).
√ Moreover, 4
√ 3 +
√ 7 = ( 3 + 2)2√and
2( 3+2) = 2 3+4 = ( 3+1)2 ; thus 4 3+7 = ( 12 ( 6+ 2))4 . If w = 12 ( 3+
1), then the eight zeros of P (z) are 1, −1, i, −i, w(1 + i), w(−1 + i), w(−1 − i),
and w(1 − i).
The distances from 1 to the other zeros are
√  √
|1 − (−1)| = 2, |1 ± i| = 2, |1 − w(1 ± i)| = (1 − w)2 + w2 = 2, and
 
√ √
|1 − w(−1 ± i)| = (1 + w)2 + w2 = 2 3 + 4 = 3 + 1.

Similarly, the distances from w(1 + i) to the other zeros are

√
|w(1 + i) − w(1 − i)| = |w(1 + i) − w(−1 + i)| = 2w = 3 + 1,
√ √ √
|w(1 + i) − w(−1 − i)| = 2 2w = 6 + 2,

and by symmetry,
√
|w(1 + i) − 1| = |w(1 + i) − i| = 2, and
√
|w(1 + i) + 1| = |w(1 + i) + i| = 3 + 1.

Because the set of zeros is 4-fold symmetric with respect to the origin,√ it follows
that every line segment joining two of the zeros has length at least 2. This √
shows that any polygon with vertices at the zeros has perimeter at least 8 2.
Finally, note that the polygon with consecutive vertices
√ 1, w(1 + i), i, w(−1 + i),
−1, w(−1 − i), −i, and w(1 − i) has perimeter 8 2.
 Solutions 2011 AMC 12 B 11

25. Answer (D): Let

k−1
100 = qk + r, with q, r ∈ Z and |r| ≤ , and
2
k−1
n = q1 k + r1 , with q1 , r1 ∈ Z and |r1 | ≤ ,
2
      n
so that 100k = q and nk = q1 . Note that n+mk k = k + m for every integer
m. Thus n satisfies the required identity if and only if n + mk satisfies the
identity for all integers m. Thus all members of a residue class mod k either
satisfy the required equality or not; moreover, k divides 99! for every 1 ≤ k ≤ 99,
so every residue class mod k in the interval 1 ≤ n ≤ 99! has the same number
of elements. Suppose r ≥ 0. If r1 ≥ r − k−1 2 , then

100 − n = (q − q1 ) k + (r − r1 ) ,
    n
where 0 ≤ r − r1 ≤ 2 .
k−1
Thus 100−n
k = q − q1 = 100 k − k . Similarly, if
2 , then
r1 < r − k−1

100 − n = (q − q1 + 1) k + (r − r1 − k) ,
 100−n    n
where − k−12 ≤ r − r1 − k ≤ −1. Thus k = q − q1 + 1 > 100k − k . It
follows that the only residue classes r1 that satisfy the identity are those in the
2 ≤ r1 ≤ 2 . Thus for r ≥ 0,
interval r − k−1 k−1

  
1 k−1 k−1 k−r |r|
P (k) = +1− r− = =1− .
k 2 2 k k
Similarly, if r < 0 then the identity is satisfied only by the residue classes r1 in
2 ≤ r1 ≤ r + 2 . Thus for r < 0,
the interval − k−1 k−1

  
1 k−1 k−1 k+r |r|
P (k) = r+ +1− − = =1− .
k 2 2 k k
To minimize P (k) in the range 1 ≤ k ≤ 99, where k is odd, first suppose that
2 . Note that P (k) = 2 + 2k , 100 = qk + 2 , and so 201 = k (2q + 1).
r = k−1 1 1 k−1
 Solutions 2011 AMC 12 B 12

The minimum of P (k) in this case is achieved by the largest possible k under
this restriction. Because 201 = 3·67, it follows that the largest factor k of 201 in
the given range is k = 67. In this case P (67) = 12 + 2·671
= 34
67 . Second, suppose
r = 2 . In this case P (k) = 2 + 2k and 199 = k(2q − 1). Because 199 is prime,
1−k 1 1

it follows that k = 1 and P (k) = 1 > 34

67 . Finally, if |r| ≤ 2 , then
k−3

|r| k−3 1 3
P (k) = 1 − >1− = +
k 2k 2 2k
1 3 1 1 34
≥ + > + = .
2 2 · 99 2 2 · 67 67
Therefore the minimum value of P (k) in the required range is 67 .
34

The problems and solutions in this contest were proposed by Bernardo Abrego,
Betsy Bennett, Steve Dunbar, Doug Faires, Sister Josanna Furey, Michelle Ghrist,
Peter Gilchrist, Jerrold Grossman, Joe Kennedy, Joachim Rebholz, Eugene Veklerov,
David Wells, and LeRoy Wenstrom

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