2019 AMC

2019 AMC Senior Solutions

Senior Solutions
Solutions – Senior Division
1. 201 × 9 = 1809,
hence (B).

2. (Also I4)
The shaded triangle has base b = 6 m and perpendicular height h = 4 m.
1 1
Its area is A = bh = × 6 × 4 = 12 square metres,
2 2
hence (B).

19 380
3. × 20 = = 3.8,
100 100
hence (D).

4. (Also J13)
In the right-hand triangle, a = 180 − 45 − 50 = 85. z◦ 45◦
Since a and b are vertically opposite, b = 85. b◦
◦
a
Finally, z = 180 − 85 − 60 = 35, 60 ◦ 50◦
hence (B).

5. 20 + 19 = 1 + 1 = 2,
hence (B).

6. f (−2) = 3(−2)2 − 2(−2) = 3 × 4 + 4 = 16,

hence (C).

10 3
7. The angle sum of a quadrilateral is 360◦ . So θ = 360, and θ = × 360 = 108,
3 10
hence (E).

8. (Also I9)
The pattern repeats 1, 4, 7, 4.
Since 1 + 4 + 7 + 4 = 16, each full cycle contributes 16, and then there is an additional
amount that is 0, 1, 1 + 4 = 5 or 1 + 4 + 7 = 12.
That is, the sum is of the form 16n, 16n + 1, 16n + 5 or 16n + 12. Of the numbers given,
only 65 = 16 × 4 + 1 can be written this way,
hence (E).

9. They meet after 60 × 20 = 1200 seconds. In this time, Mia has walked 1200 × 1.5 = 1800
metres, or 1.8 km, and Crystal has walked 1200 × 2 = 2400 metres, or 2.4 km. So the track
is 1.8 + 2.4 = 4.2 km long,
hence (B).

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10. We evaluate 11 + 22 + 33 = 1 + 4 + 27 = 32 and 44 = 28 = 256 = 8 × 32. Then

11 + 22 + 33 + 44 32 + 8 × 32
= = 9 = 32
1 +2 +3
1 2 3 32
hence (B).

11. Let N = P 679Q, then N is divisible by 9 and divisible by 8.

Since any number of thousands is divisible by 8, and 800 is divisible by 8, the 5-digit
number P 6800 is a known multiple of 8 near N . From this N = P 6792 and Q = 2.
For N to be divisible by 9, its digit sum P + 6 + 7 + 9 + 2 = P + 24 must be divisible by
9. Then P + 24 = 27 and P = 3,
hence (C).

12. Label the triangle as shown. C

Then ABC shares two angles with ACD and also with
CBD, so that these three triangles are similar. h
h 6 √ √
Thus = and h2 = 24 and h = 24 = 2 6.
4 h √
√ A 4 D 6 B
10h 20 6
Then ABC has area = = 10 6,
2 2
hence (A).

13. (Also I16)

Alternative 1
If originally there were 7x apples in the box, then 3x were red and 4x were green. Now
5
there are 4x + 5 green apples, given as of the total number of apples of 7x + 5. Hence
8

4x + 5 = 5/8(7x + 5)
8(4x + 5) = 5(7x + 5)
32x + 40 = 35x + 25
15 = 3x

and so x = 5. So the total number of apples is now 7x + 5 = 35 + 5 = 40,

hence (D).
Alternative 2
3
The number of red apples doesn’t change. At the start of the apples are red, and at the
7
3
end these are of the apples.
8
So for every 3 red apples in the box, there are a total of 7 apples in the box at the start
and 8 apples at the end. There is an increase of 1 green apple for every 3 red apples.
Since the actual increase in green apples is 5, at the start the box contains 15 red apples
and 20 green apples, and at the end it contains 15 red apples and 25 green apples, for a
total of 40 apples,
hence (D).

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14. The problem is to find the maximum value of x − x2 .

This can be done by graphing y = x−x2 or y = x(1−x), which is an upside-down parabola
with x-intercepts at 0 and 1. It has maximum value when x = 1 ,
2
hence (A).
B
15. Inscribe the nonagram into a circle with centre O and let AB, BC
2
be two sides of the nonagram. Then ∠AOB = 360◦ × = 80◦ .
9 A C
Since AOB is isosceles, ∠OBA = ∠OAB = 50◦ .
O
Similarly ∠OBC = 50◦ .
Thus ∠ABC = 100◦ ,
hence (A).
360◦
Note: The standard formula θ = 180◦ − for angles in a regular polygon generalises
n
360◦
to stars. In this formula, is the exterior angle at each vertex, equal to the change
n
in direction of the path at that corner. A robot walking around the polygon will turn n
360◦
angles of , giving a total turning angle of 360◦ .
n
For a regular p-pointed star, there are still p angles, but the robot will have a total turning
angle of 360q ◦ where q is the number of times the robot orbits the centre. So the exterior
360q ◦ 360◦ 360◦
angle is = and the interior angle is θ = 180◦ − .
p p/q p/q
360◦
In the current case, θ = 180◦ − = 100◦ , which is as if we used our standard formula
9/2
1
for a regular polygon with n = 4 sides.
2

16. Alternative 1
Note that the first sequence can be written as an = 5 + 3(n − 1) in terms of n, where
n = 1, 2, . . . . The second sequence can be written as am = 3 + 4(m − 1) in terms of m,
where m = 1, 2, . . . . If some terms are the same, then

5 + 3(n − 1) = 3 + 4(m − 1) for some n and m

Hence, 3n + 2 = 4m − 1. So we get
4m m
n= −1=m+ −1
3 3
Since m and n are positive integers, m = 3k, where k is a positive integer. Therefore,
n = 4k − 1. Hence,
1 ≤ 4k − 1 ≤ 900
1 901
≤k≤
2 4
Thus 1 ≤ k ≤ 225, which means the two given sequences have 225 common terms,
hence (D).

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Alternative 2
The two sequences both have 11 as their third term. Since the first sequence is increasing
by 3 and the second sequence is increasing by 4, the sequence of numbers common to both
sequences will increase by 12: 11, 23, 34, . . . . These are every 4th term (starting at the 11)
in the first sequence and every 3rd term (starting at the 11) in the second sequence.
There will be 900 ÷ 4 = 225 of these numbers in the first sequence and 900 ÷ 3 = 300 of
these numbers in the second. So 225 of these numbers will be common to both sequences,
hence (D).

17. Let the gateway have diameter 10 units, so that it has radius 5 and area 25π.
The gate has height 8 and diagonal 10. By Pythagoras’ theorem, the gate has width 6,
and so it has area 48.
48
Thus, the gate is of the area of the circular gateway,
25π
hence (A).

18. Label the triangle ABC where AB = AC = 5 and BC = x. Since ABC is isosceles,
the only angle that can be obtuse is ∠A.
√
Then ∠A increases as x is increased. When x = 5 2, ∠A = 90◦ so that ABC is not
obtuse. When x =√10, ∠A = 180◦ so that ABC is no longer a triangle. Thus x must be
strictly between 5 2 and 10,
hence (E).

19. Suppose the sides √are a and b, so that ab = 20 and a + b = 11. By Pythagoras’ theorem,
the
√ diagonals are a2 + b2 long. Then a2 + b2 = (a + b)2 − 2ab = 121 − 40 = 81 and so
a2 + b2 = 9,
hence (E).

20. The trapezium has area 1 (10 + 6)4 = 32.

2 B(6, 4)
Since DCB is larger than ABD, the line A(0, 4) E(10 − y, y)
through D that halves ABCD must lie below
the line DB. That is, it will pass through a C(10, 0)
point E on side BC. Since BC has equation D(0, 0)
x + y = 10, we can write E = (10 − y, y).
Now the area of DCE is 1 · 10 · y = 5y, so that 5y = 16 and y = 3.2. Then E = (6.8, 3.2)
2
3.2 32 8
and DE has slope m = = = ,
6.8 68 17
hence (C).

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21. (Also I23)

Alternative 1
Let d be the distance from home at which Manny gets a flat tyre, in kilometres, and let
H, W and F be the total time taken in minutes using each of the three strategies listed.
Since he can ride or walk the total distance of 8 km in 24 min or 104 min, respectively, each
kilometre takes him 3 minutes or 13 minutes. Therefore

ride, walk home, drive: H = 3d + 13d + 12 = 16d + 12

ride, walk to work: W = 3d + 13(8 − d) = 104 − 10d
ride, fix, ride: F = 24 + 20 = 44

The graph shows the total time for each strategy as a function of the distance d, with the
best overall strategy in bold. Thus, finding where the strategy should change amounts to
solving the equations H = F and W = F .

time
H H=F : 16d + 12 = 44
16d = 32
104
d=2

44 F W = F : 104 − 10d = 44
12
W −10d = −60
? ? 8
d d=6

Therefore the strategies should change at distances of 2 km and 6 km from home,

hence (C).
Alternative 2
Each kilometre takes 12÷8 = 1.5 minutes driving, 24÷8 = 3 minutes cycling or 104÷8 = 13
minutes walking.
Comparing strategies (i) and (iii), strategy (iii) always takes exactly 24 + 20 = 44 minutes.
Suppose he has cycled 0 km when he has the flat tyre—it occurs outside his home. Then
strategy (i) takes 12 minutes, or is 32 minutes quicker. Each additional 1 km cycling
requires 3 minutes cycling and 13 minutes walking, or 16 minutes longer. So strategy (i)
will be quicker when the distance he has cycled is less than 2 km.
Comparing strategies (ii) and (iii), strategy (iii) still takes 44 minutes. Suppose he has 0 km
to go when he has the flat tyre—it occurs as he arrives. Then strategy (ii) is 20 minutes
quicker. For each 1 km he has to walk, he has 3 minutes less cycling but 13 minutes more
walking, so strategy (ii) takes 10 minutes longer. So strategy (ii) will be quicker when he
has less than 2 km to go.
So the two points Manny changes strategy are 2 km from home and 2 km from work. These
points are 4 km apart,
hence (C).

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22. (Also I25) 1 π/2 1

Each 90◦ turn of the coin moves it from one corner to the next.
1 π
Its circumference is 2π cm so its centre will move × 2π = cm.
4 2
That is, the start and finish points of this 90◦ roll are as illustrated.
π
From this diagram, the side of the square is 2 + ,
2
hence (E).

23. At the start of the pass, suppose both fronts are at X and the backs of the passenger and
goods train are at A and B, as pictured. At the end of the pass, suppose both back ends
are at Y .
Start 0.2 km 2 km

80 km/h 20 km/h
Finish

A X Y B

During the pass, the passenger train travels four times the distance that the goods train
4
travels, so AY = 4BY . Then AY = AB = 0.8 × (0.2 + 2.0) = 1.76 km and XY =
5
1.76 − 0.2 = 1.56 km,
hence (C).
√
3 3 √
24. Choose a unit so that H has side length 2. Then the area of H is × 22 = 6 3, the
√ 2
radius of C  is 3 and the area of C  is 3π.
√
Let r be
√ the radius of C, also equal√to the side
√ length
√ of H  . Then πr2 = 6 3 so that
6 3 3 3 2 3 36 3 27
r2 = . Then the area of H  is r = = .
π 2 2 π π
27
Finally, the ratio of areas H to C is
 
: 3π = 9 : π 2 ,
π
hence (C).

25. Alternative 1
1
The three pieces have volume each. Two of these pieces are (when inverted) triangular
3
pyramids with a similar pyramid sliced off the top. One of these is in the diagram below,
where the full pyramid has height 1 + h and the removed pyramid has height h. The length
x
x = P V is the length to be found. Using similar triangles, h = .
1−x
The volume of the large pyramid is V1 = 1 (h + 1) and the volume of
6
the small pyramid is V2 = x h. Then V1 − V2 = 1 so that
1 2
6 3 h
2 = 6(V1 − V2 ) = h + 1 − x2 h
x
1 = (1 − x2 )h = (1 − x2 ) = x2 + x V P
1−x x
√
−1 ± 5 1
x=
2
√
−1 + 5 1
However, x = P V > 0 so that P V = ,
2
hence (E).

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Alternative 2
Extend the planes that slice the cube and the front and back faces, creating the slanted
triangular prism OSP QXR shown. This prism includes the middle third of the cube plus
two equal triangular pyramids RZN X and OU M S.
Let z = U P = U M = N Z = QZ. Since OU M is right-isosceles, z = OU , OU M has
area 12 z 2 , and pyramid OU M S has volume 16 z 2 , as does pyramid RZN X.

X Q z Z z R
S M z
BASE 1
Z z N
Q
M R O z U z P V
O U z P N
V

Now, OSP has area z, so prism OP SQXR has volume z.

z2 1 z2 z2 + 1
Adding the three pieces, z = + + = , giving z 2 − 3z + 1 = 0. Since z < 1,
√ 6 3
√ 6 3
3− 5 5−1
z= . Then P V = 1 − z = ,
2 2
hence (E).

26. (Also I28)

Let the two digits be a and b. Then 10a + b = (a + 2)(b + 2).
Then 0 = (a + 2)(b + 2) − 10a − b = ab + b − 8a + 4 = (a + 1)(b − 8) + 12 so that
(a + 1)(8 − b) = 12. Since a and b are digits, this factorisation of 12 has two positive
factors. Checking factorisations, there are 4 solutions:

a+1 1 2 3 4 6 12
8−b 12 6 4 3 2 1
a 0 1 2 3 5 11
b −4 2 4 5 6 7
10a + b — 12 24 35 56 —

The sum of these 4 solutions is 12 + 24 + 35 + 56 = 127,

hence (127).

27. (Also J29)

The problem is unchanged if we replace each odd number with 1 and each even number
with 0. Then there are 500 of each digit in the list and we want to maximise the number
of odd-sum triples:
001 010 100 111
In a sequence of 1000 digits, there are 998 triples. If all 998 were odd-sum triples (no
even-sum triples) then the list must follow one of these two patterns:

. . . 0010010010010 . . . . . . 111111111 . . .

Neither can have 500 of each digit, so there must be at least one even-sum triple.

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With one even-sum triple, we can join the two types of sequence above.
500 of 0 and 250 of 1 250 of 1
 
00100 . . . 100100111111 . . . 111

500 of 0 and 500 of 1

This pattern has 1 even-sum triple (underlined) and 997 odd-sum triples,
hence (997).

28. Let the lengths of the three remaining edges be x, y, z so that we obtain the equations

x2 + y 2 = 112 , y 2 + z 2 = 202 , z 2 + x2 = 212

By adding the first of these two equations and subtracting the third, we obtain
1
y 2 = (112 + 202 − 212 ) = 40
2
Similarly, we have
1 1
z 2 = (202 + 212 − 112 ) = 360 and x2 = (212 + 112 − 202 ) = 81
2 2
Since the solid shape is a tetrahedron with three faces at right angles to each other, its
volume is given by √ √
xyz 9 40 360
= = 180
6 6
hence (180).

29. Alternative 1
Let An denote the number of such tilings for an n × 3 rectangle. Let Bn denote the number
of such tilings for an n × 3 rectangle with the top-left square missing.
Then we have recursions: An = An−2 + 2Bn−1 and Bn = An−1 + Bn−2 . (Consider how the
middle square in the leftmost column will be occupied.)

n 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
An 1 0 3 0 11 0 41 0 153 0 571
Bn 0 1 0 4 0 15 0 56 0 209 0

hence (571).
Alternative 2
Call a tiling of a 3 × n rectangle with 2 × 1 tiles ‘solid’ if it has no vertical lines from top
to bottom. By construction, the only solid tilings are these 3 × 2n rectangles:

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We now consider the number of tilings of a 3 × 10 rectangle made up of different width

‘blocks’ of solid tilings.
Block widths Possibilities Tilings
2,2,2,2,2 35 243
2,2,2,4 33 × 2 54
2,2,4,2 33 × 2 54
2,4,2,2 33 × 2 54
4,2,2,2 33 × 2 54
2,2,6 2 × 32 18
2,6,2 2 × 32 18
6,2,2 2 × 32 18
2,4,4 3 × 22 12
4,2,4 3 × 22 12
4,4,2 3 × 22 12
2,8 2×3 6
8,2 2×3 6
4,6 22 4
6,4 22 4
10 2 2
571

hence (571).

30. Alternative 1
f (3) = f (f (2)) = f (f (f (1)) = 1 + 4 = 5
f (5) = f (f (3)) = f (f (f (2)) = 2 + 2 = 4
f (4) = f (f (5)) = f (f (f (3)) = 3 + 4 = 7
n 1 2 3 5 4 7 9 6 11
f (n) 2 3 5 4 7 9 6 11 13
f (f (n)) 3 5 4 7 9 6 11 13 8
f (f (f (n))) 5 4 7 9 6 11 13 8 15
So that f (n) = 2n − 1 if n is even, f (n) = n + 2 if n ≡ 3 (mod 4), and f (n) = 12 (n + 3) if
n ≡ 1 (mod 4). The graph shows the values of f (n) as a function of n, with the coloured
path showing the order in which values of f (n) can be deduced.
Following this pattern, f (777) = 390,
hence (390).
Alternative 2
Define a sequence by a1 = 1 and an+1 = f (an ), so that a2 = 2, a3 = 3 and ak+3 =
f (f (f (ak ))).
When ak is even, then ak+3 = ak + 2 is also even. In particular a2 = 2, so a5 = 4, a8 = 6,
. . . , a2+3n = 2n + 2.
When ak is odd, then ak+3 = ak + 4 and so ak+3n = ak + 4n. In particular with a1 = 1
we have that a1+3n = 4n + 1, and with a3 = 3, a3+3n = 3 + 4n, which can also be written
a3n = 4n − 1.
Now, 777 = 4n + 1, where n = 194, so that a3n+1 = 777. Then f (777) = f (a3n+1 ) =
a3n+2 = 2n + 2 = 390,
hence (390).

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Answer Key
Middle Upper
Question Junior Intermediate Senior
Primary Primary
1 D D D D B

2 B E D A B

3 C C D D D

4 C B C B B

5 E D E B B

6 A A B C C

7 B D D B E

8 C D E B E

9 D B D E B

10 A D C D B

11 E C C B C

12 D C B A A

13 B E B C D

14 E E B C A

15 E B C D A

16 B E C D D

17 E A A A A

18 C D E E E

19 B B D D E

20 C D C E C

21 A A C D C

22 A E A D E

23 C D D C C

24 D D C C C

25 C C E E E

26 390 110 224 252 127

27 234 72 252 119 997

28 162 125 119 127 180

29 224 15 997 331 571

30 125 80 331 103 390

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