High School Mathematics Contest

Elon University Mathematics Department

Saturday, April 12, 2014

2 Elon University High School Math Contest

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1. The point P is 10 cm away from the center of the circle which has radius 2 cm. The line P Q is tangent
to the circle.
Q

What is the length of the line segment P Q, rounded to the nearest tenth of a centimeter?

(a) 9.4 cm.

(b) 9.5 cm.
(c) 9.6 cm.
(d) 9.7 cm.
(e) 9.8 cm.
1
2. √ √ is equivalent to
1− 3
2+ 34
√
(a) 1 + 3 2.
√
(b) 13 − 13 3 2.
√
(c) − 13 + 13 3 2.
√
(d) −1 + 3 2.
√
(e) 13 + 13 3 2.

3. Painters A and B can paint a wall in 10 hours when working at the same time. Painter B works twice
as fast as A. How long would it take painter B to paint it if he worked alone?

(a) 18 hours.
(b) 17.2 hours.
(c) 20 hours.
(d) 15 hours.
(e) 30 hours.

4. Let c be a positive integer and suppose x1 = 3 and x2 = 7 with xn+1 = cxn + (c + 1)xn−1 for n ≥ 2. It
xn+1
can be shown that limn→∞ exists for all values of c > 0. How many values of c are there so that
xn
xn+1
limn→∞ is an integer?
xn
(a) 0.
(b) 3.
(c) 7.
(d) 15.
(e) More than 15.
Spring 2014 3

5. For how many values of n (where n is an integer greater than one) is subtraction, defined on the
integers modulo n, associative?

(a) None.
(b) One.
(c) Two.
(d) Three.
(e) Infinitely many.

6. What is the radius of a sphere circumscribed about a cube, with each edge measuring 3cm?
√
3 3
(a) .
2
√
(b) 3 3.
√
(c) 3 2.
√
3 2
(d) .
2
(e) 5.

7. Let ABCD be a trapezoid with the measure of AB twice that of base DC, and let E be the point of
intersection of the diagonals. If the measure of diagonal AC is 11, find the measure of segment EC.

(a) 11/2.
√
(b) 125.
(c) 11/3.
√
(d) 130.
√
(e) 65.

8. How many distinct prime divisors does 318 − 218 have?

(a) 3.
(b) 4.
(c) 5.
(d) 6.
(e) more than 6.
4 Elon University High School Math Contest

9. Find the greatest common divisor of 2900 + 1 and 2675 + 1.

(a) 1.
(b) 2225 − 1.
(c) 2225 .
(d) 2225 + 1.
(e) 2675 + 1.

10. If a3 − b3 = 24 and a − b = 2, how many possible values are there for a + b?

(a) 0.
(b) 1.
(c) 2.
(d) 3.
(e) more than 3.
11. Alice, Bob, Carol, and Dave are rescued from a desert island by a pirate who forces them to play a
game. Each of the four, in alphabetical order by first name, is forced to roll two fair six-sided dice. If
the total on the two dice is either 8 or 9, the person rolling the dice is forced to walk the plank. The
players go in order until one player loses. What is the probability that Dave survives?
(a) 1/4.
(b) 44/175.
(c) 148/175.
(d) 97/350.
(e) 227/350.

12. Jase and Willie are playing Risk. Jase rolls one six-sided die while Wille rolls two of them. What is
the probability that Jase’s roll is greater than or equal to Willie’s larger number?

(a) 1/2.
(b) 11/36.
(c) 5/36.
(d) 91/216.
(e) 31/216.
Spring 2014 5

13. How many possible quiz-bowl teams with four people (one being a captain) can be chosen from ten
people?

(a) 24.
(b) 40.
(c) 210.
(d) 840.
(e) 3,628,800.

14. In an alley between two buildings, there are two ladders. One is 10 feet long, while the other is 11 feet
long. They form an x, with one ladder leaning against the base of one building, the other leaning the
opposite way, across the alley. The two ladders intersect at a point that is 3 feet above the ground.
How far apart are the two buildings?

(a) 7.246 feet.

(b) 4.653 feet.
(c) 5.262 feet.
(d) 8.503 feet.
(e) 6.978 feet.

15. How many distinct sets of four letters can be formed from the word TRIANGLE if we want at least
one vowel and do not want to repeat any letters?

(a) 40.
(b) 360.
(c) 10.
(d) 70.
(e) 65.

16. Let a,b and x be positive real numbers. If

( )2
1
2 logb x = 2 logb (1 − a) + 2 logb (1 + a) − logb −a
a

Find x.

(a) a.
(b) b.
(c) a2 .
(d) b2 .
(e) 1.
6 Elon University High School Math Contest

√
17. Let i = −1. Find how many real solutions are there to the following equation.

x5 + (8 − i)x3 + (18 − 8i)x2 + (16 − 16i)x + 1312 = 0

(a) 0.
(b) 1.
(c) 2.
(d) 3.
(e) 4.

18. Suppose a,b and c are positive real numbers with ca = 1.3871 and cb = 1.3882. If c > 1 then to 4
a+b
decimal places what is c 2 ?
(a) 1.3876.
(b) 1.3877.
(c) 1.3878.
(d) 1.3879.
(e) 1.3880.

19. There is a list of 71 consecutive positive integers such that the sum of the squares of the first 36 is
equal to the sum of the squares of the last 35. Find the last integer in the list.

(a) 2552.
(b) 2553.
(c) 2554.
(d) 2555.
(e) 2556.

20. What is the vertex of the parabola given by x2 − 8x + 21?

(a) (-4,69).
(b) (-5,86).
(c) (4,5).
(d) (5,6).
(e) None of the above.
Spring 2014 7

21. The curves y = tan(x) (in radians) and y = x intersect an infinite number of times. Let x0 = 0, x1
be the first positive root of tan(x) = x, x2 be the second, and so forth. What is limn→∞ xn+1 − xn ,
rounded to the first decimal place?

(a) 1.6.
(b) 2.9.
(c) 3.0.
(d) 3.1.
(e) Does not exist.
√
22. A binary operation ∗ is defined on the positive real numbers by x ∗ y = yx. If z is also a real number
greater than 1 then (x ∗ y) ∗ z is equal to
√
(a) xyz.
√√
(b) xyz.
√
(c) 4 xyz 2 .
√
(d) 4 x2 yz.
(e) None of the above.

23. Given the elliptical region by x2 + 9y 2 ≤ 36, which of the following points lies outside the given region?

(a) (1,1).
(b) (−3,1).
(c) (0,2).
(d) (2, − 1).
(e) (1,2).

24. Consider the following logical premises:

• q →∼ p
• p∨r
• ∼r
Which of the following conclusions makes the argument valid?

(a) ∼ p.
(b) q.
(c) ∼ q.
(d) r.
(e) None of these..
8 Elon University High School Math Contest

25. Let x1 = c for some positive number c, and let xn+1 = 2xn −2 . What is the set of values of c such that
the sequence x1 , x2 , x3 , . . . converges?

(a) Empty.
(b) (0, 2).
(c) (0, 2].
(d) (0, 4).
(e) (0, 4].

26. The ones digit of (2013)2014 is

(a) 0.
(b) 1.
(c) 3.
(d) 7.
(e) 9.

27. When 1.237 is written as a rational number in lowest terms, the sum of the numerator and denominator
is

(a) 745.
(b) 746.
(c) 747.
(d) 748.
(e) 749.

28. Let x ̸= −1 be a real number. If x, 2x + 2, 3x + 3, . . . are in a geometric progression then the 4th term
is

(a) 27.
(b) -13.5.
(c) -12.
(d) 12.
(e) 13.5.
Spring 2014 9

29. Let r be any real number. Which of the following is always greater than r?

(a) 2r.
(b) 3.2(6r2 − 3) + 9.5.
(c) 60r100 .
( 2 )
2r 2
(d) 2.5 + .
5 5
(e) (r + 1)3 + (r + 1)2 .
30. For each real number x define the function f (x) to be the minimum of the numbers in the list {3x +
1, x + 1, −2x + 5}. What is the absolute maximum value of f (x)?
4
(a) .
3
4
(b) .
5
17
(c) .
5
7
(d) .
3
(e) 1.