Problems for the

Middle School
problem corner

Problem Editor : R. Athmaraman

Problems for
Problems for Solution
Solution
Problem III-1-M.1 Problem III-1-M.5
Show that the following number is a perfect Find the value of the following (no calculators!):
square for every positive integer 𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛:
2014� 2012�
111111
�������� ����� − 222
… 111111 �����
… 222
�� . � �−� �.
2012 × 2013 2013 × 2014
�� digits � digits

For example, 11 − 2 = 9 and 1111 − 22 = 1089 Here the symbol ⌊ ⌋ has the following meaning: if 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥
are perfect squares. is any real number, ⌊𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥⌋ is the largest integer not
greater than 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥. For example, ⌊3.2⌋ = 3, and
Problem III-1-M.2
⌊−1.7⌋ = −2. It is called the “greatest integer
On a digital clock, the display reads 6 ∶ 38. What
function”.
will the clock display twenty-eight digit changes
later? � � �

Problem III-1-M.3
�he �igure shows a hall 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 with right angles
at its corners. Its area is 2520 sq units, and
𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴, 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐴𝐴𝐴 units, 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = 60 units. A point 𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃
is located on 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 such that line 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 divides the hall ��

into two parts with equal area. Find the length 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴. � �� �

Problem III-1-M.4
In a circle with radius 4 units, a rectangle and an
equilateral triangle are inscribed. If their areas
are equal, �ind the dimensions of the rectangle. � �

68 At Right Angles | Vol. 3, No. 1, March 2014

 SOLUTIONS OFProblems
Solutions of PROBLEMS IN ISSUE-II-3
in Issue - II - 3
Solution to problem II-3-M.1 𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎. For 𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 to be a square, 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 would
Find the value of the following (no calculators!): have to be 11 times a square (this would lead to
𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎� × a square). Since 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 and 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 are digits, the
(2013� − 2019) × (2013� + 4023) × 2014
. sum 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 cannot exceed 18. Hence if 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 is 11
2010 × 2012 × 2015 × 2016
times a square, it must be that 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎 11.
Let 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎 2013; then 2019 𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 6, 4023 𝑎𝑎 2𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 3 , Therefore 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 is one of the following: 29, 92, 38, 83,
etc., so the given expression equals: 47, 74, 56, 65. For each of these, 𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎� .
�𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎� − 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎� + 2𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎 Solution to problem II-3-M.5
(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 3)(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 1)(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 2)(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 3) The rectangle shown has been divided into equal
(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 3)(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 2)(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 3)(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 1)(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 1) squares. The squares along the perimeter are
𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 1. shaded red; the rest of the squares are shaded
(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 3)(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 1)(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 2)(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 3)
green. Note that the number of red squares is
So the expression simpli�ies to 2014. greater than the number of green squares. What
Solution to problem II-3-M.2 should be the dimensions of the rectangle if the
�an you �ind a pair of perfect squares that differ by number of red squares equals the number of green
2014? squares?
The answer is No. For suppose that
𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎� − 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏� 𝑎𝑎 2014 where 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 are integers. Then
(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎 2014. Since 2014 is even, at
least one of the quantities 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏, 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 is an even
number. But 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 and 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 have the same parity
(they are both odd or both even), so if one of them
is even, then so is the other one. This means that
the product (𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 is a multiple of 4.
Let the dimensions of the rectangle be 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 × 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏, with
However, 2014 is not a multiple of 4. Hence the
𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏. The inner rectangle (shaded green) has
given representation is not possible.
dimensions (𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 2) × (𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏𝑏. For the areas of the
Solution to problem II-3-M.3 red and green regions to be the same, the area of
From a two-digit number 𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛 we subtract the number the green region must be half the area of the large
obtained by reversing its digits. The answer is a rectangle, so we must have:
perfect cube. What could 𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛 be?
𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎 2(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 2)(𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑎𝑎
Let 𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛 𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 where 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 are digits. On
subtracting its reversal, 10𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 + 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎, we get the ∴ 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎 2(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 2𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑎𝑎
number 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎 𝑎� (𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏. For 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 to be a ∴ 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 4𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎 0.
cube, 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 would have to be 3 times a cube (this
would lead to 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 𝑎𝑎 𝑎� × a cube). Since 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 and 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 are �e must therefore �ind pairs (𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 of positive
digits, the absolute value of 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 cannot exceed 9. integers that satisfy the equation
Hence if 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 is 3 times a cube, it must be that 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 4𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎 0. The way we do this is based
𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎 3 or −3. Therefore 𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛 is one of the on factorization. (It is a fairly standard
following: 14, 41, 25, 52, 36, 63, 47, 74, 58, 85, 69, procedure.) It draws on the observation that
96. For each of these, 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 𝑎𝑎 𝑥𝑥27 𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑥𝑥3)� . 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 4𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏 is `almost' equal to the product
(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 4)(𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏𝑏, but not quite: we get 16 in place of
Solution to problem II-3-M.4
8. This prompts the following:
To a certain two-digit number 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 we add the
number obtained by reversing its digits. The 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 4𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎 0𝑎𝑎
answer is a perfect square. What could 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 be? ∴ 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 4𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎 8𝑎𝑎
Let 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 where 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 are digits. On adding
its reversal, 10𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 + 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎, we get the number ∴ (𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 − 4)(𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎 8.

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Vol. 3, No. 1, March 2014 | At Right Angles
 Hence are a pair of positive integers large rectangle are either 12 × 5 or 8 × 6. Observe
whose product is 8. In what ways can 8 be that these satisfy the stated conditions:
expressed as a product of two integers? The only 12 × 5 = 60, (12 − 2) × (5 − 2) = 30,
ways are: 8 × 1 and 4 × 2. Hence 30 = half of 60, 8 × 6 = 48, (8 − 2) × (6 − 2) = 24,
or (4, 2), and therefore, 24 = half of 48.
or (8, 6). So the dimensions of the

1 2 3 4

5 6

8 9 10 11

12 13

14 15

16 17 18 19

20

Clues Across : Clues Down :

1. Half of 16 A 1. 16A divided by 4D
3. The first digit is followed by its successor 3. One less than a positive multiple of 10
and then by its predecessor 4. A dozen more than 19D
5. The middle digit is the sum of the end digits 6. 14 D written in reverse
6. Area of a square of side 74 7. Twice the difference between 15D and 17D
9. Digits in arithmetic progression 8. Two and a half times 20A
10. The square root of 417316 9. A score of unlucky numbers
12. Two complete rotations and two degrees 10. 3 D times the cube of 3
13. Two centuries, two decades and two years 11. 9 times the second 3 digit prime.
14. A perfect square between 30 and 40
15. Square root of 12 A written in reverse
16. One day short of 10 weeks
17. 2 score and 2
19. One tenth of 9D

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At Right Angles | Vol. 3, No. 1, March 2014