Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001

Ciphering – Alpha Division

0. What is the secant of the smaller angle between the vectors [3, 4] and [12, − 5] ?
 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

1. How many times do the graphs of y = 1000( x − 1)( x − 2 )( x − 3) and y = ln ( x ) intersect?

 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

2. Evaluate:
(sin 225°)(tan 300°)
cos150°
 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

3. What is the sum of the infinite geometric series whose first term is 2520 and whose second
term is 1680?
 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

4. What is the smallest natural number with exactly nine positive integral factors?
 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

2
5. The probability of event A occurring, given that event B occurs, is . The probability of
3
3
event B occurring, given that event A does not occur, is . If the probability that neither event
4
1
occurs is , what is the probability of both events occurring?
10
 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

6. What is the sum of the reciprocals of the complex roots of 3x 3 − 22 x 2 + 13x − 42 = 0 ?

 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

7. Solve for x: log 8 (log 81 (log 6 x )) = −

2
3
 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

8. A triangle with a perimeter of twelve centimeters has an inscribed circle with an area of π
square centimeters. What is the area of the triangle, in square centimeters?
 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

9. What is the sum of the positive integral factors of 144?

 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

10. What is the area of a triangle whose sides have lengths of 13 , 17 , and 2 10 ?
 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

11. What is the sum of the cubes of the twenty smallest natural numbers?
 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

12. In how many ways can five boys (Bob, Bill, Butch, Bernard, and Beau) and three girls (Gail,
Glenda, and Gertrude) sit next to one another in a row of eight seats if no two girls may sit
together?
 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

13. Evaluate: sin 2 10° + sin 2 40° + sin 2 50° + sin 2 80°
 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

14. Determine the sum of all values of x between 0 and 2π inclusive for which sin (2 x ) =
1
.
2
 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

∞
1
15. Evaluate: ∑n
n=2
2
+n−2
 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

16. Chords AB and CD of lengths 10 and 12, respectively, intersect at point E in circle O,
intersecting in such a way that at least one of the segments produced ( AE , BE , CE , and DE )
has a length of 4. Determine all possible lengths of AE .
 Mu Alpha Theta National Convention: Denver, 2001
Ciphering – Alpha Division

17. Determine the equation of the parabola with vertex (5, 3) which passes through the point
(1, 2) and whose axis of symmetry is parallel to the x-axis.