The Eighth Colonial Mathematics Challenge took place Thursday, 24 April 2008.

There were 79 students representing nine schools participating. The individual contest winners, in a 3-way tie for First Place, were Van Dinh,
Masterman, Yongfeng Gao, South Philadelphia and Tex Kubacki, Masterman. The Team Contest winners were from
Masterman Team #2: Manjima Dhar, Patrick Henry, Robert Johnson, Spencer Katz

b
b

Mathematics Department

b
b

b
b

24 April 2008

Name:
School:

Sex (Optional):
Age (Optional):

1:
11:

2:
12:

3:
13:

4:
14:

5:
15:

6:
16:

7:
17:

8:

18:

9:

19:

10:

20:

Community College of Philadelphia

at
h

M
M athe
M athe mat
i
M athe mat cs C
i
at
he mat cs C hal
ic
m
le
h
s
M
n
a
at em tics Ch alle ge
he
n
a
a
m tics Ch lle ge
ng
at
a
C
l
ic
s C hal leng e
le
e
h
Ei
Ch alle nge
Ei ghth
Ch alle nge
n
al
Ei ghth
l e ge
ng
Ei ghth Co
e
Ei ghth Co loni
Ei ghth Co loni al
Ei ghth Co loni al
gh
l
a
t h Col oni a l
Co on
lM
Co lon ial M ath
Co lon ial M ath ema
i
Co lon al M ath ema tics
lo ial
at em tics
ni
al Mat hem atic
s
M
he
at
i
M athe mat cs C
i
M athe mat cs C hal
i
M athe mat cs C hal leng
i
at
he mat cs C hal leng e
ic
m
l
s C hal eng e
at
ic
s C hal leng e
le
e
h
Ei
Ch alle nge
Ei ghth
Ch alle nge
Ei ghth
Ch alle nge
n
al
Ei ghth
l e ge
g
ng
Ei hth Co
e
g
lo
C
h
Ei
ni
th
o
Ei ghth Co loni al
Ei ghth Co loni al
gh
l
a
t h Col oni a l M
Co on
l M ath
Co lon ial M ath ema
Co lon ial M ath ema tics
lo ial
at em tics
ni
al Mat hem atic
s
M
he
at
i
M athe mat cs
i
M athe mat cs C
i
M athe mat cs C hal
i
M athe mat cs C hal leng
i
at
he mat cs C hal leng e
i
m
l
at cs C hal eng e
ic
s C hal leng e
le
e
h
Ei
Ch alle nge
a
Ei ghth
Ch l l e nge
gh
ng
al
E
t
le
ng e E i gh h
e
ig th
Ei hth Co
g
Ei hth Co loni
Ei ghth Co loni al
gh
lo
al
C
n
th
o
Co lon ial M
Co lon ial M ath
Co lon ial M ath ema
Co lon ial M ath ema tics
lo ial
at em tics
ni
al Mat hem atic
s
M
he
at
i
M athe mat cs C
i
M athe mat cs C hal
i
a
m
l
M t he
at cs C hal eng
i
at
he mat cs C hal leng e
i
m
l
at cs C hal eng e
ic
s C hal leng e
le
e
h
Ei
Ch alle nge
Ei ghth
Ch alle nge
n
al
Ei ghth
l e ge
ng
Ei ghth
e
Ei ghth Co
gh
l
t h Col oni a
Co on
l
lo ial
ni
al
M
at
he
m
at
ic
s
M

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Individual Contest

1 Find the value of

1

1+

1+

1+

1
1

2 In the magic square, the three numbers in each row, in each column, and in each diagonal add up to the same
number. When the magic square below is completed, what is the sum of the missing entries?
13
10
9

3 Given that there is a unique digit d {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9} so that the nine-digit number 19700019d is prime,
find it.

4 Gabriel walks along a level road and then up a mountain. Upon reaching the summit, he immediately turns and
walks back to his starting point. He walks 4 km/h on level ground, 3 km/h uphill, and 6 km/h downhill. If the
entire walk takes 6 hours, what was the distance covered, in km, over the entire trajectory?

5 A greyhound chases a rabbit which is 60 rabbit-jumps ahead of it. Three greyhound-jumps are equivalent in
length to seven rabbit-jumps. While the greyhound executes 6 jumps, the rabbit executes 9. How many greyhoundjumps must the greyhound execute in order to catch up the rabbit?

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Individual Contest

6 The positive integers a, b, c satisfy the equations

a2 b2 c2 = 101,

bc = 72.

Find the value of their sum a + b + c.

7 Determine the sum of the 23 fractions:

2
2
2
2
+
+
+ +
.
123 234 345
23 24 25

8 How many different sums can be made when two non-necessarily distinct numbers from the set {1, 3, 4, 5, 7} are
taken?

9 How many degrees does the hour hand travel when running from 2 : 30 AM to 2 : 50 AM?

10 In the figure below, the segment AE bisects A of 4ABC. Given that DE k AB, CD = 4, CE = 3 and DE = 6,
find the length of EB.
C
b

D
b

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Individual Contest

11 Find the least positive integer n satisfying the inequality

n+1

1
n<
.
10

12 Judith was imprisoned by a band of mathematicians and sent to Guantanamo for crimes against Mathematics.
Through the mercy of the Brahmin mathematician, she was given the choice of being released after 10 years or be
given freedom if she climbed the 100 steps of a 100-step staircase subject to the following rules:

1. She climbs up or down only one step per day.

2. She climbs up on every day of January, March, May, July, September, and November.

3. She goes down on every day of February, April, June, August, October, and December.

Being adept at climbing, she chose this later option. If Judith started on January 1 2001, when will she gain her
freedom? Give the date in the form MM-DD-YYYY.

. . 9} . How many 8s are in the product AB?

13 Let A = |9 .{z
. . 9} and B = |9 .{z
30 nines

20 nines

14 Find the least value of abc + def , where {a, b, c, d, e, f } = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}.

15 A rep-digit is an integer all whose digits are the same. For example, 1, 222, and 9999999 are rep-digits. How
many digits has the smallest positive rep-digit that is divisible by 847?

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Individual Contest

16 The set S is formed according to the following rules:

1. 2 belongs to S;

2. if n is in S then n + 5 is also in S;

3. if n is in S then 3n is also in S.

Find the largest integer in the set

{1, 2, 3, . . . , 2008}
that does not belong to S.

17 How many polynomials p(x) of degree at least one and integer coefficients satisfy

16p(x2 ) = (p(2x))2 ,

for all real numbers x?

18 The gluttonous race of Sweet-toothers is planning to conquer planet Caramel. Planet Caramel is in the form of a
cube, with an edge of 1 km. The planet is enveloped by a dense anti-glutton foam atmosphere in order to impede
the landing of the Sweet-toothers to at least

1
km from the surface of the planet. What is the least volume of the
2

foam that will accomplish this?

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Individual Contest

19 Recall that in a triangle, the orthocenter is the point of concurrency of the altitudes of the triangle and the
circumcenter is the point of concurrency of the perpendicular bisectors to the sides of the triangle. 4ABC has
orthocenter H, circumcenter O, M as the midpoint of segment BC and F as the foot of the altitude from A. If
HOM F is a rectangle with HO = 11 and OM = 5, compute the length of BC.

20 Five burglars stole a purse with gold coins. The five burglars took each different amounts according to their
meanness, with the meanest among the five taking the largest amount of coins and the meekest of the five taking
the least amount of coins. Unfair sharing caused a fight that was brought to an end by an arbitrator. He ordered
that the meanest burglar should double the shares of the other four burglars below him. Once this was accomplished, the second meanest burglar should double the shares of the other three burglars below him. Once this was
accomplished, the third meanest burglar should double the shares of the two burglars below him. Once this was
accomplished, the fourth meanest burglar should double the shares of the meekest burglar. After this procedure
was terminated, each burglar received the same amount of money. How many coins were in a purse if the meanest
of the burglars took 240 coins initially?

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2006

Group Contest

21 (3 minutes) Find the smallest positive integer n for which for which n2 + n + 11 is a composite integer.

22 (3 minutes) The two circles below are concentric. The chord shown is tangent to the inner circle and has length
2a. What is the area of the annular region shaded?

23 (4 minutes) Compute
1
2
1
3

1
3
1
4

1
4
1
5

1
5
1
6

1
6
1
7

1
7
1
8

1
48
1
49

1
49
1
50

24 (6 minutes) Given that 232 1 has exactly two divisors a and b satisfying the inequalities
50 < a < b < 100,

find the product ab.

25 (4 minutes) If 49x + 49x = 7, find 7x + 7x .

26 (7 minutes) Suppose there are constants A, B, C, D such that the equality

x3 = A + B(x 3) + C(x 3)(x 2) + D(x 3)(x 2)(x 1)

holds for all real values of x. Find the value of A + B + C + D.

27 (3 minutes) Consider three circles as shown in the figure below. The two smaller circles are congruent and

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2006

Group Contest

mutually tangential, their point of tangency being the center of the large circle. They are also internally tangent to
the larger circle. If the area of the shaded region is 2, find the area of the larger circle.

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2006

Group Contest

28 (5 minutes) The positive real numbers r, s, t, u satisfy

5r + s
6r + s
=
,
5t + u
6t + u

7r + s
= 9.
7t + u

Find the value of

29 (4 minutes) Find all real numbers x satisfying the equation

x+1+ x1

= 3.
x+1 x1
30 (7 minutes) The circle with center O below has radius 15. The radius EO is perpendicular to the diameter AB.
AD meets OE at C. If OC = 8, find the length of CD.
E
b
b
b

C
b

31 (5 minutes) Let a and b be, respectively, the largest and the smallest integers in the set {1, 2, 3, . . . , 100} for which
x2009 + x2008 is a square. Find a + b.

32 3 minutes A textbook is opened at random. If the product of the numbers of the two facing pages is 930, what
is the sum of the page numbers?

33 3 minutes The students in Ms. Smiths gym class stand equally spaced around a circle. John is standing directly
across from Linda. They count off around the circle starting with Mary. That is, Mary says one and the next
person says two and continue counting off all the way around the circle. If John says seven and Linda says
10

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

thirty-three, how many students are in the circle?

34 3 minutes Multiply and simplify the product

(x a)(x b)(x c) (x y)(x z).

11

Spring 2006

Group Contest

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Solutions

1 Plainly,
1
1+
1+

1
1
1
1+
1

1+

1
1+

1
2

1
1
1+
3
2

1
2
1+
3

1
3
= .
5
5
3

2 The completed square follows.

11

13

10 12

14

The sum of the missing entries is thus 6 + 8 + 12 + 14 + 11 = 51.

3 d cannot be even, as then the number would be divisible by 2. Now, 1 + 9 + 7 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 1 + 9 + d = 27 + d. If

d {3, 6, 9}, then the sum of the digital sum would be divisible by 3, and so the number would be divisible by 3. If
d = 5, the number would be divisible by 5. If d = 7, the number would be divisible by 197. This leaves d = 1 as the
only possible digit, and so it must be this one.

4 Let d be the distance covered from the starting point along the level road to the foot of the mountain, and d0 the
distance from the foot of the mountain to the summit. We want 2(d + d0 ). Now,

6=

2d d0
d0
d + d0
+ +
= 6 =
= 2(d + d0 ) = 24.
4
3
6
2

He covered 24 km.

5 Let g be the number of greyhound-jumps that it takes the greyhound to catch up the rabbit, and let r be the
number of rabbit-jumps that the rabbit executes until it is caught. The given data yields
g
r
= ,
6
9

g
3
=
= g = 72, r = 108.
60 + r
7

So, 72 greyhound-jumps.

12

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Solutions

6 We have

a2 b2 2bc c2 = 101 2 72 = 43 = a2 (b + c)2 = 43 = (a b c)(a + b + c) = 43.

Since 43 is prime, we must have a + b + c = 43.

7 Observe that
2
1
1
=

,
(k 1)k(k + 1)
(k 1)k k(k + 1)
from where
2
2
2
2
+
+
+ +
123 234 345
23 24 25

1
1

1 2 24 25

299
.
600

1
1

12 23

1
1

23 34

1
1

23 24 24 25

8 From the addition table

+

10

11

10

12

10

11

12

14

the different sums belong to the set {2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14}, and so there are eleven different sums.
9 10 . When running from 2 : 30 AM to 2 : 50 AM, the minute hand travels
hand, proportionally, travels

20
1
= of a circumference. The hour
60
3

1
of the way of the 30 that there are between 2 and 3, that is, 10 .
3

13

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

10 We have 4ABC 4DEC and so corresponding sides are proportional. Thus

Solutions

AB
DC
6
3
=
=
= . By the
CA
DE
4
2

angle bisector theorem,

AB
BE
AB
3
9
=
= BE =
EC = 3 = .
CA
EC
CA
2
2
11 From the identity x2 y 2 = (x y)(x + y) and using the fact that

n<

n + 1, we obtain

1
1
n + 1 n = 1 = ( n + 1 n)( n + 1 + n) = 1 = n + 1 n =
.
>
n+1+ n
2 n+1
Hence,

1
1

<
= 5 < n + 1 = 25 < n + 1 = n > 24.
10
2 n+1
Since 5.12 = 26.01 > 26, we have

26 < 5.1. Hence,

1
26 25 < 5.1 5 =
,
10

and so n = 25 fulfills the inequality.

12 Let us see what happens in a typical non-leap year, and in a typical leap year.

In a non-leap year

14

Community College of Philadelphia

by the end of

she has climbed

31 January

31 steps

28 February

31 28 = 3 steps

31 March

3 + 31 = 34 steps

30 April

34 30 = 4 steps

31 May

31 + 4 = 35 steps

30 June

35 30 = 5 steps

31 July

31 + 5 = 36 steps

31 August

36 31 = 5 steps

30 September

30 + 5 = 35 steps

31 October

35 31 = 4 steps

30 November

30 + 4 = 34 steps

31 December

34 31 = 3 steps

Colonial Maths Challenge

15

Spring 2008

Solutions

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Solutions

In a leap year

by the end of

she has climbed

31 January

31 steps

29 February

31 29 = 2 steps

31 March

2 + 31 = 33 steps

30 April

33 30 = 3 steps

31 May

31 + 3 = 34 steps

30 June

34 30 = 4 steps

31 July

31 + 4 = 35 steps

31 August

35 31 = 4 steps

30 September

30 + 4 = 34 steps

31 October

34 31 = 3 steps

30 November

30 + 3 = 33 steps

31 December

33 31 = 2 steps

Now, 100 36 = 64. Let us see how many years it takes her to climb 64 steps. By the end of the four-year range
2001 2004, she climbs 3 + 3 + 3 + 2 = 11 steps. By the end of the four-year range 2005 2008, she has climbed 22
steps. By the end of the four-year range 2009 20012, she has climbed 33 steps. By the end of the four-year range
2013 2016, she has climbed 44 steps. By the end of the four-year range 2017 2020, she has climbed 55 steps. By
the end of the four-year range 2021 2024, she has climbed 66 steps. In fact, by 31 December 2023 she has climbed
64 steps, and by 31 July 2024 she has climbed 64 + 35 = 99 steps. This means that she needs to go into 2025. By 31
March 2025 she has climbed 66 + 34 = 100 steps and she is now free. Answer: 03-31-2025.

16

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Solutions

13 We have

A = 1030 1,

B = 1020 1 = AB = (1030 1)(1020 1) = 1050 1030 1020 + 1.

Now,
T := (1050 + 1) 1030 = |9 .{z
. . 9}

0| .{z
. . 0} 1

20 nines 29 zeroes

and

. . 0} 1,
T 1020 = |9 .{z
. . 9} 89999999999 |0 .{z
19 zeroes

19 nines

so there is only one 8.

14 By the Arithmetic-Mean-Geometric Inequality,

p

M + N 2 M N = 2 abcdef = 2 6! 53.67,

and thus M N 26.83. There will never be equality, since M + N is an integer and 2 6! irrational. One achieves
the minimum by letting {a, b, c} = {1, 5, 6} and {d, e, f } = {2, 3, 4}, giving

1 5 6 + 2 3 4 = 54 = d 2 6! e.
We also obtain 54 on taking {a, b, c} = {1, 4, 6} and {d, e, f } = {2, 3, 5}.
15 Let a > 0 be a digit. The integer sought has the form
a
N=a
. . a} = (10n 1).
| .{z
9
n times

Since 847 = 7 112 , the integer sought must be divisible by 7 and by 11. Since it is divisible by 11, n must be even,
say n = 2k. But then

N
is also divisible by 11 and
11
N
= 0a0a . . . 0a
11 | {z }
k times

indicates that k must be a multiple of 11. Thus the smallest possible n is n = 2 11 = 22.
17

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Solutions

16 Observe that applying k times the second rule, n + 5k is in S. Similarly, 3k 2 is in S by applying k times the third
rule. Since 2 is in S, 2 + 5k is in S, that is, numbers that leave remainder 2 upon division by 5 are in S. This means
that
{2, 7, 12, 2002, 2007} S.
Since 3 2 = 6 is in S, then the numbers 6 + 5k = 1 + 5(k + 1) are in S, that is, numbers 6 or higher that leave
remainder 1 upon division by 5. Thus the numbers

{6, 11, 16, 2001, 2006} S.

Since 3 6 = 18 is in S, then the numbers 18 + 5k = 3 + 5(k + 3) are in S, that is, numbers 18 or higher that leave
remainder 3 upon division by 5. Thus the numbers

{18, 23, 28, 2003, 2008} S.

Since 3 18 = 54 is in S, then the numbers 54 + 5k = 4 + 5(k + 10) are in S, that is, numbers 54 or higher that leave
remainder 4 upon division by 5. Thus the numbers

{54, 59, 64, 2004} S.

Now, we claim that there are no multiples of 5 in S. For by combining the rules every number in S has the form
3a 2 + 5b, with a 0, b 0 integers. Since 3a 2 is never a multiple of 5, this establishes the claim. Hence the largest
element of
{1, 2, 3, . . . , 2008}
not in S is 2005.

17 Let p(x) = an xn + an1 xn1 + + a1 x + a0 with an 6= 0, n 1. Then

16p(x2 ) = (p(2x))2 = 16(an x2n + an1 x2n2 + + a1 x2 + a0 ) = 2n an xn + 2n1 an1 xn1 + + 2a1 x + a0
18

2

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Solutions

Since the coefficients on both sides of the equality must agree, we must have

16an = 22n a2n = 24 = 22n an

since an 6= 0. As an is an integer, we must have the following cases: n = 1, an = 4, n = 2, an = 1. Clearly we may

not have n 3. Thus such polynomials are either linear or quadratic. Also, for x = 0, 16p(0) = (p(0))2 and therefore
either p(0) = 0 or p(0) = 16.
For n = 1 we seek p(x) = 4x + a. Solving

16(4x2 + a) = (8x + a)2 = a = 0,

whence p(x) = 4x.

For n = 2, let p(x) = x2 + ax + b. Solving

16(x4 + ax2 + b) = (4x2 + 2ax + b)2 = a = 0.

Since p(0) = 0 or p(0) = 16, we must test p(x) = x2 and p(x) = x2 + 16. It is easy to see that only p(x) = x2 satisfies
the desired properties.
In conclusion, 4x and x2 are the only two such polynomials..

18 The cloud must be made of at least six parallelepipeds of dimension

the cube; twelve quarter-cylinders of height 1 km and radius
eights-of-a-sphere, each of radius

1
1 1 km3 , contiguous to each face of
2

1
km, each aligned to the edges of the cube; and eight
2

1
km, with center at the eight vertices of the cube. Thus the minimum volume is
2

1
1
1
1 4
1
11
1 1 + 12 12 2 + 8 3 = 3 +
km3 .
2
4
2
8 3
2
12

19 The centroid G lies on the line HO (this is the Euler line) and since GM =

1
3 AM ,

we must have HF =

1
3 AF ,

whence AF = 15. Triangles 4BF H and 4AF C are similar because they are both right triangles with HBC =
19

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Solutions

90 BCA = CAF . This yields

BF F C = F H AF = 75.
Hence,
BC 2 = (BF F C)2 + 4BF F C = (2M F )2 + 4 75 = 222 + 300 = 784
and so BC =

784 = 28.

20 Let there be a coins in the purse. There are five stages. The fifth stage is when all the burglars have the same
amount of money. Let
ak , bk , ck , dk , ek

be the amount of money that each burglar has, decreasing lexicographically, with the as denoting the amount of
the meanest burglar and ek denoting the amount of the meekest burglar. Observe that for all k we have

ak + bk + ck + dk + ek = a.

On stage five we are given that

a5 = b5 = c5 = d5 = e5 =

a
.
5

On stage four
a 4 = b 4 = c4 =

a
,
5

d4 =

a
a
3a
+
=
5 10
10

e4 =

a
.
10

On stage three we have

a3 = b 3 =

a
,
5

c3 =

a 3a
a
2a
+
+
=
5 20 20
5

d3 =

3a
20

e3 =

a
.
20

On stage two we have

a2 =

a
,
5

b2 =

a a 3a
a
a
+ +
+
= ,
5 5 40 40
2
20

c2 =

a
5

d2 =

3a
40

e2 =

a
.
40

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Solutions

On stage one we have

a1 =

a a
a
3a
a
3a
+ +
+
+
=
,
5 4 10 80 80
5

Since a1 = 240, we deduce

b1 =

a
,
4

c1 =

a
10

d1 =

3a
80

e1 =

a
.
80

3a
= 240 = a = 400.
5

Check: On the first stage the distribution is (from meanest to meekest):

240,

100,

40,

15,

5.

80,

200,

80 30,

10.

On the second stage we have

On the third stage we have

80,

80,

160,

60,

20.

80,

80,

80,

120,

40.

80,

80,

80,

80,

80.

On the fourth stage we have

On the fifth stage we have

21 For n = 0 through n = 10 the sequence of outputs is

11, 13, 17, 23, 31, 41, 53, 67, 83, 101, 121,

of which all are prime, except 121. Thus the smallest such n is n = 10.

22 Let R be the radius of the larger circle, and r the radius of the smaller circle. The area of the annulus is (R2 r2 ).
Using the Pythagorean Theorem, R2 = r2 + a2 , whence the area is

(R2 r2 ) = a2 .
21

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Solutions

23 We have,
1
2
1
3

1
3
1
4

1
4
1
5

1
5
1
6

1
6
1
7

1
7
1
8

1
48
1
49

1
49
1
50

=
=
=

1
23
1
34
1
2
1
50

1
45
1
56

1
67
1
78

1
4849
1
4950

25.

24 We have
232 1 =

(216 1)(216 + 1)

(28 1)(28 + 1)(216 + 1)

(24 1)(24 + 1)(28 + 1)(216 + 1)

(22 1)(22 + 1)(24 + 1)(28 + 1)(216 + 1)

(2 1)(2 + 1)(22 + 1)(24 + 1)(28 + 1)(216 + 1).

Since 28 + 1 = 257, a and b must be part of the product

(2 1)(2 + 1)(22 + 1)(24 + 1) = 255 = 3 5 17.

The only divisors of 255 in the desired range are 3 17 = 51 and 5 17 = 85, whence the desired product is
51 85 = 4335.
25 We have
7x + 7x

2

= 49x + 49x + 2 = 7 + 2 = 9 = 7x + 7x = 3,
22

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Solutions

since 7x + 7x is positive.

26 If x = 3 then
27 = A.

If x = 2 then
8 = A B = B = A 8 = 19.
If x = 1 then
1 = A 2B + 2C = C =

1 A + 2B
1 27 + 38
=
= 6.
2
2

Now, D must be equal to 1, since it is the coefficient of x3 in both dextral and sinistral side. Hence,

A + B + C + D = 27 + 19 + 6 + 1 = 53.

27 Let the smaller circles have radius r. Then the large circle has radius 2r and area (2r)2 = 4r2 . Double the
shaded area is 4, which is the area of the larger circle minus the area of the smaller circles. Thus

4 = 4r2 2(r2 ) = 2r2 = 4r2 = 8,

whence the area of the larger circle is 8.

28 If

a
c
a+c
c
= then ad = bc and (a + c)d = (b + d)c and so
= , that is adding the numerators and denominators
b
d
b+c
d

of fractions in proportion, keeps the proportion. Hence, if

k=

Since then

(6r + s) (5r + s)
r
= .
(6t + u) (5t + u)
t

5r
= k, this in turn gives
5t
k=

From 9 =

5r + s
6r + s
=k=
, then
5t + u
6t + u

5r + s 5r
s
= .
5t + u 5t
t

7r + s
9t + u
1
1
we deduce k = 9 and so
= = .
7t + u
9r + s
k
9
23

Community College of Philadelphia

29 We have

Colonial Maths Challenge

x+1+ x1

=3
x+1 x1

Spring 2008

x+1+ x1 = 3 x+13 x1

x+1=2 x1

Solutions

= x + 1 = 4x 4
5
.
3

= x =

30 By considering 4AOC, by the Pythagorean Theorem, AC = 17. CE = OE OC = 15 8 = 7. Let E 0 be

diametrically opposite to E. Then E 0 C = 23.
E
b
b
b

A
b

E0

From the power of a point formul or by arguing that 4DCE 4E 0 CA,

AC CD = EC CE 0 = CD =

161
7 23
=
.
17
17

31 Since x2009 + x2008 = x2008 (1 + x) and x and 1 + x are relatively prime, 1 + x must be a square. Thus a = 99 and
b = 3.

24

Community College of Philadelphia

Colonial Maths Challenge

Spring 2008

Solutions

32 If x and x + 1 are the pages, then x(x + 1) = 930. Roughly, x2 930 = x 30. One can easily check that
30 31 = 930 and the desired sum is 30 + 31 = 61.
33 Draw a line passing through John and Linda. Persons 8 through 32 constitute 32 8 + 1 = 25 people on one side
of the John and Linda line. There must be another 25 on the other side of the line, so there is a total of 25+25+2 = 52
students.

34 The 24th term of the expression is x x, hence the product is 0.

25