Find the degree measure of an angle whose

complement is 25% of its supplement.

(A) 48 (B) 60 (C) 75 (D) 120 (E) 150

2002 AMC 12 A, Problem #4—

“The supplement of angle x = (180 − x).”

Solution
Answer (B): The appropriate angle x satisfies
1
90 − x = (180 − x), so 360 − 4x = 180 − x.
4
Solving for x gives 3x = 180, so x = 60.

Difficulty: Medium-easy
NCTM Standard: Number and Operations Standard for Grades 9–12: Understand numbers, ways
of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems.
Mathworld.com Classification: Geometry > Trigonometry > Angles
 Two different positive numbers a and b each differ
from their reciprocals by 1. What is a + b ?
√ √
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 5 (D) 6 (E) 3

2002 AMC 12 A, Problem #13—

“A number x differs by one from its reciprocal if and
only if x − 1 = 1/x or x + 1 = 1/x .”

Solution
Answer (C): A number x differs by one from its reciprocal if and only
if x − 1 = 1/x or x + 1 = 1/x. These equations are equivalent to
x2 − x − 1 = 0 and x2 + x − 1 = 0. Solving these by the quadratic formula
yields the positive solutions
√ √
1+ 5 −1 + 5
and ,
2 2
√
which are reciprocals of each other. The sum of the two numbers is 5.

Difficulty: Hard
NCTM Standard: Number and Operations Standard for Grades 9–12: Understand numbers, ways
of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems.
Mathworld.com Classification: Number Theory > Arithmetic > Multiplication and Division >
Reciprocal
 For all positive integers n, let f (n) = log2002 n2. Let
N = f (11) + f (13) + f (14).
Which of the following relations is true?

(A) N > 1 (B) N = 1 (C) 1 < N < 2 (D) N = 2 (E) N > 2

2002 AMC 12 A, Problem #14—

“loga x + log ay = loga x · y .”

Solution
Answer (D): We have

N = log2002 112 +log2002 132 +log2002 142 = log2002 112 · 132 · 142 = log2002 (11 · 13 · 14)2 .

Simplifying gives

N = log2002 (11 · 13 · 14)2 = log2002 20022 = 2.

Difficulty: Medium-hard
NCTM Standard: Number and Operations Standard for Grades 9–12: Understand meanings of
operations and how they relate to one another.
Mathworld.com Classification: Calculus and Analysis > Special Functions > Logarithms
 Several sets of prime numbers, such as
{7, 83, 421, 659}, use each of the nine nonzero
digits exactly once. What is the smallest possible
sum such a set of primes could have?

(A) 193 (B) 207 (C) 225 (D) 252 (E) 477

2002 AMC 12 A, Problem #17—

“Observe that 4, 6, and 8 cannot be the units digit of
any two-digit prime, so they must contribute at least
40 + 60 + 80 = 180 to the sum.”

Solution
Answer (B): First, observe that 4, 6, and 8 cannot be the units digit of
any two-digit prime, so they must contribute at least 40+60+80 = 180 to
the sum. The remaining digits must contribute at least 1+2+3+5+7+9 =
27 to the sum. Thus, the sum must be at least 207, and we can achieve this
minimum only if we can construct a set of three one-digit primes and three
two-digit primes. Using the facts that nine is not prime and neither two
nor five can be the units digit of any two-digit prime, we can construct the
sets {2, 3, 5, 41, 67, 89}, {2, 3, 5, 47, 61, 89}, or {2, 5, 7, 43, 61, 89}, each
of which yields a sum of 207.

Difficulty: Hard
NCTM Standard: Number and Operations Standard for Grades 9–12: Understand numbers, ways
of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems.
Mathworld.com Classification: History and Terminology > Notation > Prime
 Let C1 and C2 be circles defined by
(x − 10)2 + y 2 = 36
and
(x + 15)2 + y 2 = 81,
respectively. What is the length of the shortest line
segment P Q that is tangent to C1 at P and to C2 at
Q?

(A) 15 (B) 18 (C) 20 (D) 21 (E) 24

2002 AMC 12 A, Problem #18—

“Connect P Q and AB, use similarity to solve the
problem.”

Solution
Answer (C): The centers are at A = (10, 0) and B = (−15, 0),
and the radii are 6 and 9, respectively. Since the internal tangent
is shorter than the external tangent, P Q intersects AB at a point
D that divides AB into parts proportional to the radii. The right
triangles 4AP D and 4BQD are similar with ratio of similarity 2 : 3.
Therefore, D = (0, 0), P D = 8, and QD = 12. Thus P Q = 20.
Q
9
D A (10, 0)
B (215, 0)
6
P

Difficulty: Hard
NCTM Standard: Geometry Standard for Grades 9–12: Explore relationships (including
congruence and similarity) among classes of two- and three-dimensional geometric objects, make
and test conjectures about them, and solve problems involving them.
Mathworld.com Classification: Geometry > Plane Geometry > Triangles > Special Triangles >
Other Triangles > Similar Triangles
 The graph of the function f is shown below. How
many solutions does the equation f (f (x)) = 6 have?
y
(22 , 6 ) 6 (1,6)
5
4
3
2
1

27 26 25 24 23 22 21 1 2 3 4 5 6 x
21
22
23
(2 7,24 ) 24
25
26 ( 5,26 )

(A) 2 (B) 4 (C) 5 (D) 6 (E) 7

2002 AMC 12 A, Problem #19—

“The equation f (f (x)) = 6 implies that f (x) = −2 or
f (x) = 1 .”

Solution
Answer (D): The equation f (f (x)) = 6 implies that f (x) = −2 or
f (x) = 1. The horizontal line y = −2 intersects the graph of f twice, so
f (x) = −2 has two solutions. Similarly, f (x) = 1 has 4 solutions, so there
are 6 solutions of f (f (x)) = 6.

Difficulty: Hard
NCTM Standard: Algebra Standard for Grades 9–12: Analyze change in various contexts.

Mathworld.com Classification: Discrete Mathematics > Graph Theory > General Graph Theory
 Suppose that a and b are digits, not both nine and not
both zero, and the repeating decimal 0.ab is expressed
as a fraction in lowest terms. How many different
denominators are possible?

(A) 3 (B) 4 (C) 5 (D) 8 (E) 9

2002 AMC 12 A, Problem #20—

ab
“Since 0.ab = 99 , the denominator must be a factor of
2
99 = 3 · 11 .”

Solution
ab
Answer (C): Since 0.ab = 99 , the denominator must be a factor of
2
99 = 3 · 11. The factors of 99 are 1, 3, 9, 11, 33, and 99. Since a and
b are not both nine, the denominator cannot be 1. By choosing a and b
appropriately, we can make fractions with each of the other denominators.

Difficulty: Hard
NCTM Standard: Number and Operations Standard for Grades 9–12: Understand numbers, ways
of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems.
Mathworld.com Classification: Number Theory > Arithmetic > Number Bases > Repeating
Decimal
 Consider the sequence of numbers: 4, 7, 1, 8, 9, 7,
6, . . .. For n > 2, the nth term of the sequence is
the units digit of the sum of the two previous terms.
Let Sn denote the sum of the first n terms of this
sequence. The smallest value of n for which Sn >
10, 000 is:

(A) 1992 (B) 1999 (C) 2001 (D) 2002 (E) 2004

2002 AMC 12 A, Problem #21—

“Write out more terms of the sequence and analyze the
pattern.”

Solution
Answer (B): Writing out more terms of the sequence yields

4, 7, 1, 8, 9, 7, 6, 3, 9, 2, 1, 3, 4, 7, 1 . . . .

The sequence repeats itself, starting with the 13th term. Since S12 = 60,
S12k = 60k for all positive integers k. The largest k for which S12k ≤
10, 000 is ¹ º
10, 000
k= = 166,
60
and S12·166 = 60 · 166 = 9960. To have Sn > 10, 000, we need to add
enough additional terms for their sum to exceed 40. This can be done by
adding the next 7 terms of the sequence, since their sum is 42. Thus, the
smallest value of n is 12 · 166 + 7 = 1999.

Difficulty: Hard
NCTM Standard: Algebra Standard for Grades 9–12: Understand patterns, relations, and
functions.
Mathworld.com Classification: Number Theory > Sequences
 Triangle ABC is a right triangle with ∠ACB as its
right angle, m∠ABC = 60◦, and AB = 10. Let
P be randomly chosen inside 4ABC, and extend
BP to meet
√ AC at D. What is the probability that
BD > 5 2 ?
B

C D A

√ √ √
2− 2 1 3− 3 1 5− 5
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E)
2 3 3 2 5
2002 AMC 12 A, Problem #22—
√
“Find out when BD = 5 2 .”

Solution
√
Answer (C): Since AB is 10, we have BC
√ = 5 and AC = 5 3. Choose
E√on AC so that CE = 5. Then BE = 5 2. For BD to be greater than
5 2, P has to be inside 4ABE. The probability that P is inside 4ABE
is
1
√ √ √
Area of 4ABE EA · BC EA 5 3 − 5 3 − 1 3 − 3
= 21 = = √ = √ = .
Area of 4ABC 2
CA · BC AC 5 3 3 3

5 10

C 5 E A

Difficulty: Hard
NCTM Standard: Geometry Standard for Grades 9–12: Analyze characteristics and properties of
two- and three-dimensional geometric shapes and develop mathematical arguments about geometric
relationships.
Mathworld.com Classification: Geometry > Plane Geometry > Triangles > Special Triangles >
Other Triangles > Right Triangle
 In triangle ABC, side AC and the perpendicular
bisector of BC meet in point D, and BD bisects
∠ABC. If AD = 9 and DC = 7, what is the area
of triangle ABD ?
√ √
(A) 14 (B) 21 (C) 28 (D) 14 5 (E) 28 5

2002 AMC 12 A, Problem #23—

AB
“By the angle-bisector theorem, BC = 97 .”

Solution
AB
Answer (D): By the angle-bisector theorem, BC = 97 . Let AB = 9x and
BC = 7x, let m∠ABD = m∠CBD = θ, and let M be the midpoint
of BC. Since M is on the perpendicular bisector of BC, we have BD =
DC = 7. Then
7x
x
cos θ = 2 = .
7 2
B

A C
9 D 7

Applying the Law of Cosines to 4ABD yields

³x´
92 = (9x)2 + 72 − 2(9x)(7) ,
2
from which x = 4/3 and √
AB = 12. Apply Heron’s
√ formula to obtain the
area of triangle ABD as 14 · 2 · 5 · 7 = 14 5.

Difficulty: Hard
NCTM Standard: Geometry Standard for Grades 9–12: Analyze characteristics and properties of
two- and three-dimensional geometric shapes and develop mathematical arguments about geometric
relationships.
Mathworld.com Classification: Geometry > Plane Geometry > Triangles > Special Triangles >
Other Triangles > Right Triangle
 Find the number of ordered pairs of real numbers (a, b)
such that (a + bi)2002 = a − bi .

(A) 1001 (B) 1002 (C) 2001 (D) 2002 (E) 2004

2002 AMC 12 A, Problem #24—

√
“Let z = a + bi, z = a − bi, and |z| = a2 + b2 . Use z to
explore the relation.”

Solution
√
Answer (E): Let z = a + bi, z = a − bi, and |z| = a2 + b2 . The given
relation becomes z 2002 = z. Note that
¯ ¯
|z|2002 = ¯z 2002 ¯ = |z| = |z|,

from which it follows that

¡ ¢
|z| |z|2001 − 1 = 0.

Hence |z| = 0, and (a, b) = (0, 0), or |z| = 1. In the case |z| = 1, we
have z 2002 = z, which is equivalent to z 2003 = z · z = |z|2 = 1. Since
the equation z 2003 = 1 has 2003 distinct solutions, there are altogether
1 + 2003 = 2004 ordered pairs that meet the required conditions.

Difficulty: Hard
NCTM Standard: Number and Operations Standard for Grades 9–12: Understand numbers, ways
of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems.
Mathworld.com Classification: Number Theory > Real Numbers
 The nonzero coefficients of a polynomial P with real
coefficients are all replaced by their mean to form a
polynomial Q. Which of the following could be a
graph of y = P (x) and y = Q(x) over the interval
−4 ≤ x ≤ 4 ?
(A) y
(B) y
(C) y

4 x 4 x –4 –1 1 4 x
–4 –1 1 –4 –1 1

(D) y
(E) y

–1

–4 1 4x
–4 –1 1 4 x

2002 AMC 12 A, Problem #25—

“The sum of the coefficients of P and the sum of the
coefficients of Q will be equal, so P (1) = Q(1).”

Solution
Answer (B): The sum of the coefficients of P and the sum of the
coefficients of Q will be equal, so P (1) = Q(1). The only answer choice
with an intersection at x = 1 is (B). (The polynomials in graph B are
P (x) = 2x4 − 3x2 − 3x − 4 and Q(x) = −2x4 − 2x2 − 2x − 2.)

Difficulty: Hard
NCTM Standard: Algebra Standard for Grades 9–12: Represent and analyze mathematical
situations and structures using algebraic symbols.
Mathworld.com Classification: Algebra > Polynomials