2020 CMC 12A Solutions Document

Christmas Math Competitions

David Altizio, Allen Baranov, Luke Choi,
Federico Clerici, Mason Fang, Raymond Feng,
Preston Fu, Justin Lee, Kyle Lee, Kaiwen Li,
Sean Li, Eric Shen, Anthony Wang, Andrew Wen,
Nathan Xiong, and Joseph Zhang

Friday, December 27, 2019

1. Answer (C): The function n 7→ 2n is strictly increasing, so it is injective. Thus we

must have 2n = n2 . This holds for the integers 2, 4. To see that no other integers work,
note that n must be a power of 2; otherwise for some odd prime p, νp (2n ) = 0 but
νp (n2 ) 6= 0.
However if n = 2k , then 2n = n2 = 22k , so again n = 2k. This means k = 2k−1 , which
only occurs twice. The solutions are n = 2 and n = 4, and the answer is 2.

2. Answer (C): The sum of all six weights is 5 + 5 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 20 = 60, so on the

left side of the press, the weights must sum to 30. If we choose the 20-pound weight,
we can either choose a single 10-pound weight or two 5-pound weights, giving 2 ways.
Otherwise, our choices for the left side are 10 + 10 + 10 and 10 + 10 + 5 + 5. Thus a
total of 4 ways are possible.

3. Answer (B): Write

f (2019) = 20192 + 2 · 2019 + 1 = (2019 + 1)2 = 20202 .

We know 2020 factors as 22 · 5 · 101, so the requested sum is 2 + 5 + 101 = 108.

4. Answer (C): The resulting set is S 0 = {2, 3, 10, 15, 26, 35, n ± 1}. If the median of S
is not n, then n ± 1 must be the median of S, and also one of {1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36}. This
two assertions contradict each other, so n must be the median of S.
This forces 9 < n < 16. If the median of S 0 is also n ± 1, then n 6= n ± 1, so the median
of S 0 is either 9 or 16. It follows that n ∈ {10, 15}, both of which can be easily seen to
work. The answer is 2.

5. Answer (A): The sequence begins 21 , 23 , 43 , . . .. This pattern leads to the conjecture
n
that an = n+1 . Checking the base case n = 0 and observing that for n ≥ 1,

1 1 1 n
an = = n−1 = n+1 =
2 − an−1 2− n n
n+1

confirms the conjecture. Therefore

1 2 2019 1
a1 a2 · · · a2019 = · ··· = ,
2 3 2020 2020
the answer.
2020 CMC 12A Solutions Document 2

6. Answer (D): Tasty’s 6-sided die is weighted so that the output is 1 (mod 5) with
probability 13 , and any other residue with probability 16 each. This implies that to
maximize Stacy’s chances of winning, her die should maximize the probability of rolling
a number 4 (mod 5). It is clear that a 9-sided die is the best of the answer choices.
7. Answer (C): The first statement must be true. Otherwise, the fourth statement is
false, and the first statement is true, contradiction. As a corollary, the fourth statement
must be false, and we are left to determine the states of the middle two statements.
If the second statement is true, then the third statement is true. If the second statement
is false, then the third statement can be both true or false. The number of subsets is
then 1 + 2 = 3.
8. Answer (A): Write z = a + bi. The left-hand expression rewrites to

(a + bi − 1)(a − bi + 1) = a2 − (1 − bi)2 = a2 + b2 − 1 + 2bi.

Then a2 + b2 = 2020, and we want to maximize 2

√ 2b. By the trivial inequality, a ≥ 0, so
2 2
b = 2020 − a ≤ 2020. At equality, 2b ≤ 2 2020 < 90, so the largest possible n is 89.
9. Answer (D): To pick a starting point for our search, we consider the least b4 so that
b4
42
> 6b62 ; that is,
9 b6 24 − b4 96
> = =⇒ b4 > > 7.
4 b4 b4 13
As such, we check (b4 , b6 ) = (8, 16). This yields
8 12 16
> 2 > 2,
42 5 6
so b5 = 12.
Note: To see that no other b4 > 8 work, check that in these cases,
b4 b6 9 15 7 2
− ≥ − = > ,
42 62 16 36 48 25
so we conclude by the Pidgeonhole Principle that there are at least two b5 /52 , with
b5 ∈ Z, obeying
b4 b5 b6
2
> 2 > 2.
4 5 6
10. Answer (C): Let the common value be x. Write
√ 1000
x= n+x= .
n+x
√
If y = n + x, then y = 1000/y, so y 3/2 = 1000 and y = 100. This tells us the common
value is x = 10, so n = 100 − 10 = 90.
11. Answer (B): Without loss of generality A, B, C, D have x-coordinates 1, 2, 4, 3
respectively. Inscribe the rectangle ABCD in a rectangle W XY Z as shown.
W 2 D 1 Z
u
v C

A v
u

X 1 B 2 Y
2020 CMC 12A Solutions Document 3

Let u = AX = CZ and v = AW = CY . By hypothesis, BX = DZ = 1 and

BY = DW = 2. Since ∠XAB = 90◦ − ∠ABX = ∠Y BC, by AA, 4AXB ∼ 4BY C,
so
u 2
= =⇒ uv = 2.
1 v
The area of ABCD is given by 3(u + v), the areas of 4AXB and 4CZD are both
given by u/2, and the areas of 4BY C and 4DW A are both given by v. As such,
u √
Area(W XY Z) = 3(u + v) − 2 · − 2 · v = u + 2v ≥ 2 2uv = 4,
2
where the inequality is given by the AM-GM inequality. Take the equality case of the
inequality, u = 2v ⇐⇒ (u, v) = (1, 2), to achieve the lower bound of 4.

12. Answer (D): Consider the diagram below. Let O be the center of Γ, K the center
of a circle ω ∈ S, T the touch point of Γ and ω, X the touch point of ω and AB, and
Y the point on KX such that the tangent ` from Y to Γ is parallel to AB (and thus `
is fixed).
Y

X O
Seeing that XY = OT is the radius of Γ and KX = KT is the radius of ω, we deduce
KY = KO. Thus K lies on a parabola with focus O and directrix `.

13. Answer (D): The answer is 30. To see that 30 is achievable, consider the set defined
by S = {1, 2, 3, . . . , 30}. Only the first 10 primes divide some element of S.
To see that no S with |S| = 31 has primality 10, note that the 11 primes 2, 3, . . ., 31
all divide at least one number in S, as any consecutive stretch of n numbers contains
some number divisible by n.

14. Answer (C): We use the estimate

j k
m = log(9!9! ) = b9! log(9!)c ≈ 9! log(9!).

Since 9! log(9!) > 300, 000, this bound has almost zero effect on the answer. Similarly,
n ≈ 10! log(10!), so
 
n 10! log(10!) 1
= = 10 log9! (10!) = 10 1 + .
m 9! log(9!) log(9!)

The estimate 5 < log(9!) < 6 gives

n
11.56 < < 12.
m
1 1 1 1
Since x 7→ 1/x is convex, 11.5 is closer to 12 than 11 , so the answer must be 12 .
2020 CMC 12A Solutions Document 4

15. Answer (D): Let G be the centroid and M the midpoint of BC. In general, the area
of P QRS is 49 of the area of 4ABC.
A

S R

B P M Q C

Let d(X, `) be the distance from X to ` and d(`1 , `2 ) be the distance between parallel
lines `1 , `2 . Since d(A, BC) = 3d(G, BC) and G is the center of P QRS, we have
d(RS, BC) = 32 d(A, BC). This implies AR = 13 AC and AS = 12 AB.
Now AG bisects RS by homothety, so the midpoint of P Q is M . Then P Q = RS =
1
3 BC, so BP = P Q = QC. Finally
[ASR] 1 [BP S] 2 [CQR] 2
= , = , = ,
[ABC] 9 [ABC] 9 [ABC] 9
and combining these results yields the desired conclusion. Alternatively the base of
P QRS is 31 that of 4ABC, and its height is 32 that of 4ABC, and the result readily
follows as well.
From the given numbers, [ABC] = 756, so the answer is 336.
16. Answer (C): Note that a and b end up in the numerator and denominator respec-
tively, but c, d, e can go anywhere. That is, for all x, y, z ∈ {1, −1}, the expression can
attain ab−1 cx dy ez . Optimally the exponents of 2, 3, 5, 7, 9 in N are all ±1, whereas all
other exponents are 0. Say that there are p exponents of 1 and q exponents of −1.
We can choose a in p ways and b in q ways. Next, c, d, e may be any of the 6
permutations of the remaining primes, and x, y, z follow accordingly. Then the number
of permutations is given by 6pq ≤ 6 · 2 · 3 = 36, the answer.
17. Answer (D): Let x = log a and y = log(b/a), so that x, x + y, log γ, x + 3y form a
geometric progression. It follows that
x + 3y (x + y)2
= =⇒ y 2 (3x + y) = 0 =⇒ y = −3x.
x+y x2
Then x log C = (x − 3x)2 , so log γ = 4 log a and γ = a4 = 4.
18. Answer (C): Observe that
π  sin θ cos θ 2
tan θ + tan −θ = + = ,
2 cos θ sin θ sin(2θ)
so the sum can be written as
√ √
 
1 1 1
2 + + = 96 + 8,
sin(π/12) sin(π/4) sin(5π/12)
and the requested sum is 96 + 8 = 104.
19. Answer (B): Let x = log2 a and y = log2 b, so that
xy xy
+ 4x = 135 and + 4y = 263.
2 2
Seeing as 135 and 263 are both 7 away from a power of 2, we conjecture xy/2 = 7, or
xy = 14. Indeed, 4x = 128 =⇒ x = 7/2 and 4y = 256 =⇒ y = 4, which work.
√
Thus ab = 215/2 = 128 2, and the requested sum is 128 + 2 = 130.
2020 CMC 12A Solutions Document 5

20. Answer (C): Note that G must be the center of homothety between ABCD and
P8 P7 P5 P3 , so G lies on ∠P1 AP8 . It follows that
P1 P8 1 √
tan ∠BAG = = 3 = 5 − 2,
AP1 ϕ
√
1+ 5
where ϕ = 2 .

21. Answer (A): Note that 216, 000 = 603 = 26 · 33 · 53 . Let p ∈ {2, 3, 5} be prime, and
let x = νp (a), y = νp (b), z = νp (c). Note that it is equivalent that x, y, z has no unique
maximum1 .
Say that e is the exponent of p. There are e + 1 ways to choose x = y = z. Furthermore,
if x = y > z, then x = y ∈ {1, . . . , e}, and z can be chosen in x = y ways. Thus the
number of ways to determine x, y, z is
e
X 3e(e + 1) (3e + 2)(e + 1)
(e + 1) + 3 i=e+1+ = .
2 2
i=1

This equals 70 when e = 6 and 22 when e = 3, so the answer is 70 · 222 = 33, 880.

22. Answer (C): Note that A, B, C are the D-, E-, F -excenters of 4DEF . Henceforth
let a = EF , b = F D, c = DE, s = 12 (a + b + c), and let K be the area. Hence

K K K
= 2, = 3, = 6.
s−a s−b s−c
From this,
1 1 1 s−a s−b s−c s
1= + + = + + = ,
2 3 6 K K K K
so s = K.
By Heron’s formula, K 2 = s(s − a)(s − b)(s − c), so K = (s − a)(s − b)(s − c) and

K K K
K2 = · · = 36,
s−a s−b s−c
whence K = 6.

23. Answer (A):

First solution, by Allen Baranov (unedited) Draw the angle bisector AD. Let
CD = m and BD = n. Then,
b c b+c b+c
= = = = 2 cos C.
m n m+n a
b
Therefore, m = 2 cos C and b = 2m cos C. Applying Law of Cosines on triangle ADC
for AD shows AD = m. Therefore, ∠DAC = ∠C.
Let ∠DAC = a. Then ∠B + ∠A + ∠C = 30 + 2a + a = 180◦ and 2a = 100◦ .
OR
Second solution, by Kaiwen Li (unedited) Note that 2 b+c cos C = a =⇒ a =
2

b(b + c). Thus, if we construct a point D on ray BA such that AD = AC, it would
follow that circle (ADC) is tangent to BC. Trivial angle chasing yields ∠A = 100◦ .
OR
1
that is, the largest and second-largest among x, y, z are equal
2020 CMC 12A Solutions Document 6

Third solution, by Eric Shen Alternatively we can just force the good ol’ sine ratio
trick. Draw in the angle bisector AD, and let ∠A = 2θ. Note that ∠ADC = 30◦ + θ
and ∠ACB = 150◦ − 2θ. Then by the law of sines,
sin(30◦ + θ) AB sin 2C sin(300◦ − 4θ)
= = 2 cos C = = .
sin θ BD sin C sin(150◦ − 2θ)
From here it is clear θ = 50◦ , and ∠A = 100◦ .
24. Answer (C):
Solution by Justin Lee For each four-digit number abcd, we first pick the two pairs
of numbers that have an equal sum. There are 3 ways to do this.
This common sum could range from 1 to 18; if the sum equals 1, then there is 1 way
to pick the pair of numbers that includes a, and there are 2 ways for the other pair.
Repeating this until 18, we see there are a total of
3(1 · 2 + 2 · 3 + 3 · 4 + · · · + 9 · 10 + 9 · 9 + 8 · 8 + · · · + 1 · 1) = 1845
numbers. However, we overcounted some numbers — in partiular, aabb, abab, abba. As
there are two ways to form an equal sum for each of these numbers when a 6= b, we
must subtract 3 · 81. Now when the number is of the form aaaa we must subtract two
ways, giving 1845 − 3 · 81 − 2 · 9 = 1584.
25. Answer (B):
Solution, by Federico Clerici (unedited) Let 0 ≤ m, h < 12 be the positions of
the minute and hour hands, respectively. Note that we are talking about the position on
the clock, and not about the number of minutes: hence, for example, 9:30 corresponds
to (h, m) = (9.5, 6).
m
Clearly, using this notation, {h} = 12 =⇒ m = 12{h}. Hence, all the times when we
can’t exactly read the clock are the pairs (h, m) = (x, y) = (y, x), that is to say, all the
points of intersections of lines x = 12{y} and y = 12{x} with x 6= y. We can see that
the solutions lie on the set of parallel lines y = x + 12k
13 , where |k| = 1, 2, . . . , 11.
Since we require |x − y| ≤ 3 =⇒ 12|k|
13 ≤ 3 =⇒ |k| ≤ 3. Hence, the maximum error
is |x − y| = 12·3
13 hours, and in minutes this corresponds to 60 · 12·3
13 ≈ 166.15, and the
answer is 166.