Canadian

Mathematics
Competition
An activity of the Centre for Education
in Mathematics and Computing,
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario

2007 Hypatia Contest

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Solutions

c 2007 Waterloo Mathematics Foundation

2007 Hypatia Contest Solutions Page 2

1. (a) The possible routes are:

A→B→C→D→A A→B→D→C→A
A→C→B→D→A A→C→D→B→A
A→D→B→C→A A→D→C→B→A
(b) We list each route and its length:
A→B→C→D → A: Length AB + BC + CD + DA = 80 + 120 + 90 + 40 = 330 km
A→B→D→C → A: Length AB + BD + DC + CA = 80 + 60 + 90 + 105 = 335 km
A→C→B→D → A: Length AC + CB + BD + DA = 105 + 120 + 60 + 40 = 325 km
A→C→D→B → A: Length AC + CD + DB + BA = 105 + 90 + 60 + 80 = 335 km
A→D→B→C → A: Length AD + DB + BC + CA = 40 + 60 + 120 + 105 = 325 km
A→D→C→B → A: Length AD + DC + CB + BA = 40 + 90 + 120 + 80 = 330 km
The two routes of shortest length are A → C → B → D → A and A → D → B → C → A,
which are each of length 325 km.
The two routes of longest length are A → B → D → C → A and A → C → D → B → A,
which are each of length 335 km.
(c) Solution 1
We can list the possible routes:
A→B→C→E→D→A A→B→D→E→C→A
A→C→B→E→D→A A→C→D→E→B→A
A→D→B→E→C→A A→D→C→E→B→A
Therefore, there are 6 possible routes.
(Note that in fact each route from (a) gives a route here in (c) by adding an E between
the third and fourth stops on the original route.)

Solution 2
Consider a route A → x → y → E → z → A.
There are 3 possibilities for x (B, C or D).
For each of these possibilities, there are 2 possibilities for y.
After x and y are chosen, there is only 1 possibility of z.
So there are 3 × 2 = 6 possible routes.
(d) From the first piece of information, AD + DC + CE + EB + BA = 600 km so 40 + 90 +
CE + EB + 80 = 600 km or CE + EB = 390 km.
From the second piece of information, AC + CD + DE + EB + BA = 700 km so
105 + 90 + 225 + EB + 80 = 700 km or EB = 200 km.
Since EB = 200 km and CE + EB = 390 km, then CE = 190 km, so the distance from
C to E is 190 km.

2. (a) Here is a sequence of moves that works:

Move # P Q R S Comment
9 9 1 5
1 8 8 4 4 3 added to R
2 7 7 7 3 3 added to R
3 6 6 6 6 3 added to S
There are other sequences of moves that will work.
(b) i. In total, there are 31 + 27 + 27 + 7 = 92 marbles, so if there is an equal number in
each pail, there must be 23 in each pail.
2007 Hypatia Contest Solutions Page 3

Here is a sequence of moves that works:

Move # P Q R S Comment
31 27 27 7
1 30 26 26 10 3 added to S
2 29 25 25 13 3 added to S
3 28 24 24 16 3 added to S
4 27 23 23 19 3 added to S
5 26 22 22 22 3 added to S
6 25 21 21 25 3 added to S
7 24 24 20 24 3 added to Q
8 23 23 23 23 3 added to R
There are other sequences of moves that will work.
ii. Initially, pail P contains 31 marbles.
We want pail P to contain 23 marbles, so we must decrease the number of marbles in
pail P by 8.
In any legal move, the number of marbles in pail P decreases by at most 1 (that is, it
decreases by 1 or increases by 3).
Therefore, we need at least 8 legal moves in which the number of marbles in pail P
decreases (and potentially some where the number of marbles in pail P increases).
Thus, it takes at least 8 legal moves to obtain the same number of marbles in each
pail.
(Note that in part (i), we showed that we could do this in 8 legal moves, so 8 is the
minimum number of moves needed.)
(c) Solution 1
Starting with 10, 8, 11, and 7 marbles in the pails, there are 10 + 8 + 11 + 7 = 36 marbles
in total.
To have an equal number of marbles in each pail, we would need 36 ÷ 4 = 9 marbles in
each pail.
On any legal move, the number of marbles in any pail decreases by 1 or increases by 3.
If the pail contains an even number n of marbles before a legal move, then it will contain
either n−1 or n+3 marbles after the legal move, so will contain an odd number of marbles.
Similarly, if the pail contains an odd number of marbles before a legal move, then it will
contain an even number of marbles after the legal move.
But we start with two pails containing an even number of marbles and two pails containing
an odd number of marbles.
After the first legal move, the pails originally containing an even number of marbles will
contain an odd number of marbles and the pails originally containing an odd number of
marbles will contain an even number of marbles.
This gets us back to the the same situation – two pails with an even number and two pails
with an odd number of marbles.
Therefore, after any move, this situation will not change.
Therefore, it is impossible to ever have 9 marbles in each pail, as there will always be two
pails containing an even number of marbles.

Solution 2
Starting with 10, 8, 11, and 7 marbles in the pails, there are 10 + 8 + 11 + 7 = 36 marbles
in total.
To have an equal number of marbles in each pail, we would need 36 ÷ 4 = 9 marbles in
2007 Hypatia Contest Solutions Page 4

each pail.
On any legal move, the number of marbles in any pail decreases by 1 or increases by 3.

Assume that it is possible to end up with 9 marbles in each pail.

We show that this cannot happen by proving the following fact:
If it is possible to end up with 9 marbles in each pail, then after each move, the
difference between the number of marbles in any two pails must be a multiple
of 4.
Assume that this fact was true after a certain move. (We know that it is true at the end,
since the difference between the numbers in any pair of pails is 0.)
Suppose that there were a, b, c and d marbles in the pails.
Pick two of the four pails (say, the pails with a and b marbles). Before this move (that
is, after the previous move), either these two pails each had 1 more marble in each (so
a + 1 and b + 1 marbles which preserves the difference) or one pail had 1 more marble and
the other had 3 fewer marbles (so a + 1 and b − 3 or a − 3 and b + 1 which changes the
difference by 4).
Therefore, before this move, the differences between the number of marbles in the pails
are all multiples of 4.
This tells us that, to end up with 9 marbles in each pail, the difference between the num-
bers of marbles in any pair of pails is always a multiple of 4.
But this is not true with our initial condition of 10, 8, 11 and 7 marbles (since, for example,
11 − 10 is not a multiple of 4).
Therefore, it is impossible to end up with an equal number of marbles in each pail.

3. (a) If f (x) = 0, then x2 − 4x − 21 = 0.

Factoring the left side, we obtain (x − 7)(x + 3) = 0, so x = 7 or x = −3.
(We could obtain the same values of x by using the quadratic formula.)
(b) Solution 1
Completing the square in the original function,

f (x) = x2 − 4x − 21 = x2 − 4x + 4 − 4 − 21 = (x − 2)2 − 25

so the axis of symmetry of the parabola y = f (x) is the vertical line x = 2. (The axis of
symmetry could also have been found using the average of the roots from (a).)
If f (s) = f (t), then s and t are symmetrically located around the axis of symmetry.
y

s t x

x=2

In other words, the average value of s and t is the x-coordinate of the axis of symmetry,
so 12 (s + t) = 2 or s + t = 4.
2007 Hypatia Contest Solutions Page 5

(Note that this agrees with our answer from part (a), but that we needed to proceed
formally here to make sure that there were no other answers.)

Solution 2
Rearranging,

s2 − 4s − 21 = t2 − 4t − 21
s2 − t2 − 4s + 4t = 0
(s + t)(s − t) − 4(s − t) = 0
(s + t − 4)(s − t) = 0

Therefore, s + t − 4 = 0 or s − t = 0.
Since we are told that s and t are different real numbers, then s − t 6= 0.
Therefore, s + t − 4 = 0 or s + t = 4.
(c) Solution 1
Proceeding algebraically in a similar way to part (b), Solution 2,

(a2 − 4a − 21) − (b2 − 4b − 21) = 4

a2 − b2 − 4a + 4b = 4
(a + b − 4)(a − b) = 4

Since a and b are integers, then a + b − 4 and a − b are integers as well. In particular, they
are integers whose product is 4.
We make a table to check the possibilities:
a + b − 4 a − b 2a − 4 a b
9 7
4 1 5 2 2
2 2 4 4 2
9 1
1 4 5 2 2
−4 −1 −5 − 12 12
−2 −2 −4 0 2
−1 −4 −5 − 12 72
Therefore, the one pairs of positive integer values of a and b that works is (a, b) = (4, 2).
(Note that we could have cut down our work in this table by noticing that if a + b − 4 = x
and a − b = y, then 2a = x + y, so x + y (that is, the sum of the values of a + b − 4 and
a − b) must be even, which eliminates all but two of the rows in the table.)

Solution 2
As in part (b), the axis of symmetry of the parabola y = f (x) is x = 2.
Since the parabola has leading coefficient +1, then it is the same shape as the parabola
y = x2 .
In the parabola y = x2 (and so in the parabola y = f (x)), the lattice points moving to
the right from the axis of symmetry are (0, 0), (1, 1), (2, 4), (3, 9), (4, 16), and so on. The
vertical distances moving from one point to the next are 1, 3, 5, 7, and so on.
A similar pattern is true when we move successive units to the left from the axis of sym-
metry.
Starting from the left, the sequence of successive vertical differences is thus

. . . , −7, −5, −3, −1, 1, 3, 5, 7, . . .

2007 Hypatia Contest Solutions Page 6

For f (a) − f (b) = 4 with a and b integers, we must find a sequence of consecutive differ-
ences that add to 4 or −4 (depending on whether a or b is further to the left).
We can only get 4 or −4 by using (−3) + (−1) or 1 + 3. The relative positions of these are
starting at the axis of symmetry and moving two units to the right, or starting two units
to the left of the axis of symmetry and moving two units to the right.
Since the axis of symmetry for the given parabola is x = 2, then the only solution is
(a, b) = (4, 2), since a and b must both be positive.

4. (a) Join P Q, P R, P S, RQ, and RS.

Since the circles with centre Q, R and S are all tangent to BC, then QR and RS are each
parallel to BC (as the centres Q, R and S are each 1 unit above BC).
This tells us that QS passes through R.
When the centres of tangent circles are joined, the line segments formed pass through the
associated point of tangency, and so have lengths equal to the sum of the radii of those
circles.
Therefore, QR = RS = P R = P S = 1 + 1 = 2.

Q R S

Since P R = P S = RS, then 4P RS is equilateral, so ∠P SR = ∠P RS = 60◦ .

Since ∠P RS = 60◦ and QRS is a straight line, then ∠QRP = 180◦ − 60◦ = 120◦ .
Since QR = RP , then 4QRP is isosceles, so ∠P QR = 21 (180◦ − 120◦ ) = 30◦ .
Since ∠P QS = 30◦ and ∠P SQ = 60◦ , then ∠QP S = 180◦ − 30◦ − 60◦ = 90◦ , so 4P QS
is a 30◦ -60◦ -90◦ triangle.
(b) In (a), we saw that QS is parallel to BC.
Similarly, since P and S are each one unit from AC, then P S is parallel to AC.
Also, since P and Q are each one unit from AB, then P Q is parallel to AB.
Therefore, the sides of 4P QS are parallel to the corresponding sides of 4ABC.
Thus, the angles of 4ABC are equal to the corresponding angles of 4P QS, so 4ABC is
a 30◦ -60◦ -90◦ triangle.
This means that if we can determine one of the side lengths of 4ABC, we can then
determine the lengths of the other two sides using the side ratios in a 30◦ -60◦ -90◦ triangle.
Consider side AC.
Since the circle with centre P is tangent to sides AB and AC, then the line through A
and P bisects ∠BAC. Thus, ∠P AC = 45◦ .
Similarly, the line through C and S bisects ∠ACB. Thus, ∠SCA = 30◦ .
We extract trapezoid AP SC from the diagram, obtaining
S 2 P

1 1
30 45
C Z X A

or
2007 Hypatia Contest Solutions Page 7
A X Z C
45 30
1 1

P 2 S

depending on your perspective. Drop perpendiculars from P and S to X and Z on side

AC.
Since P S is parallel to AC and P X and SZ are perpendicular to AC, then P XZS is a
rectangle, so XZ = P S = 2.
Since 4AXP is right-angled at X, has P X = 1 (the radius of the circle), and ∠P AX =
45◦ , then AX = P X = 1.
Since 4CZS√is right-angled
√ at Z, has SZ = 1 (the radius of the circle), and ∠SCZ = 30◦ ,
then CZ = 3SZ = √ 3 (since √ 4SZC is also a 30◦ -60◦ -90◦ triangle).
Thus, AC = 1 + 2 + 3 = 3 + 3.
Since 4ABC√is a 30◦ -60◦ -90√ ◦
triangle,√with ∠ACB
√ =√60◦ and ∠CAB = 90◦ , then BC =
2AC = 6 + 2 3, and AB = 3AC = 3(3 + 3) √ = 3 3 + 3. √ √
Therefore, the side lengths of 4ABC are AC = 3+ 3, AB = 3 3+3, and BC = 6+2 3.
(c) After the described transformation, we obtain the following diagram.
A

Q R
S
B C

Drop perpendiculars from Q, R and S to D, E and F respectively on BC. Since the

circles with centres Q, R and S are tangent to BC, then D, E and F are the points of
tangency of these circles to BC.
Thus, QD = SF = 1 and RE = r.
Join QR, RS, P S, P Q, and P R.
Since we are connecting centres of tangent circles, then P Q = P S = 2
and QR = RS = P R = 1 + r.
Join QS.
By symmetry, P RE is a straight line (that is, P E passes through R).
Since QS is parallel to BC as in parts (a) and (b), then QS is perpendicular to P R,
meeting at Y .

Q Y S
R

D E F

Since QD = 1, then Y E = 1. Since RE = r, then Y R = 1 − r.

Since QR = 1 + r, Y R = 1 − r and 4QY R is right-angled at Y , then, by the Pythagorean
2007 Hypatia Contest Solutions Page 8

Theorem,

QY 2 = QR2 − Y R2 = (1 + r)2 − (1 − r)2 = (1 + 2r + r2 ) − (1 − 2r + r2 ) = 4r

Since P R = 1 + r and Y R = 1 − r, then P Y = P R − Y R = 2r.

Since 4P Y Q is right-angled at Y , then

P Y 2 + Y Q2 = P Q2
(2r)2 + 4r = 22
4r2 + 4r = 4
r2 + r − 1 = 0
p √
−1 ± 12 − 4(1)(−1) −1 ± 5
By the quadratic formula, r = = .
√ 2 2
−1 + 5
Since r > 0, then r = (which is the reciprocal of the famous “golden ratio”).
2