PRMO 2017-18_20-08-2017 (SOLUTIONS) [1]

PRMO 2017-18 : QUESTIONS & SOLUTIONS

1. How many positive integers less than 1000 have the property that the sum of the digits of each such
number is divisible by 7 and the number itself is divisible by 3 ?
Soln. (28)
Let n be the positive integer less than 1000 and s be the sum of its digits, then
3|n and 7|s.
3|n 3|s
21| s
Also n < 1000 s 27
s 21
Clearly, n must be a 3 digit number.
Let x1, x2, x3 be the digits, then
x1 + x2 + x3 = 21 (1)
where 1 x1 9,0 x 2 ,x 3 9
x 2 x 3 21 x1 18
x1 3
For x1 = 3, 4, ...., 9, the equation (1) has 1, 2, 3, ...., 7 solutions
total possible solution of equation (1)
78
1 2 ... 7 28
2
9
2. Suppose a, b are positive real numbers such that a a b b 183, a b b a 182 . Find (a b) .
5
Soln. (73)
a a b b 183 (1)

a b b a 182 (2)
From (1) & (2),
3 3
a b 3 a b
a b 183 3 182

3
a b 729

a b 9 (3)
From (2),

a b a b 182
182
a b (4)
9
From (3) & (4),
9
5
(a b)
9
5 a b
2
2 a b
9 182
81 2 = 73
5 9
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3. A contractor has two teams of workers : team A and team B. Team A can complete a job in 12 days and
team B can do the same job in 36 days. Team A starts working on the job and team B joins team A after
four days. The team A withdraws after two more days. For how many more days should team B work to
complete the job ?
Soln. (16)
1
Team As one day work
12

1
Team Bs one day work
36

1 1
Work done by team A in 6 days 6
12 2

1 1
Work done by team B in 2 days 2
36 18

1 1 4
Remaining work after team A left 1
2 18 9
4/9
No. of days required for team B to complete the remaining work 16
1/ 36
4. Let a, b be integers such that all the roots of the equation (x 2 ax 20)(x 2 17x b) 0 are negative
integers. What is the smallest possible value of a + b ?
Soln. (25)
Let < 0 be the roots of x2 + ax + 20 = 0 and 0 be the roots of x2 + 17x + b = 0,
then 20, a
b, 17
possible values of (, ) are ( 20, 1), (10, 2), (5, 4)

and that of ( , ) are (16, 1), (15, 2),...,(9, 8).

Smallest value of a = (54) = 9 and that of b = (16) (1) = 16
smallest value of a + b = 9 +16 = 25.
5. Let u, v, w be real numbers in geometric progression such that u > v > w. Suppose u40 = vn = w60. Find the
value of n.
Soln. (48)
u, v, w are in G.P.
v 2 uw v uw
u40 = vn = w60
u40 w 60 w u40/60 u2/3
n
u40 v n uw
n/2

u u2/3 u5n/6

5n
40 n 48
6

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9 1 p
6. Let the sum n1
n(n 1)(n 2)
written in its lowest terms be . Find the value of q p.
q
Soln. (83)
9 9
1 1 (n 2) n
n(n 1)(n 2) 2 n(n 1)(n 2)
n1 n 1

1 9 1 1

2 n1 n(n 1) (n 1)(n 2)

1 1 1 1 1 1 1
...
2 1.2 2.3 2.3 3.4 9.10 10.11

1 1 1 27 p

2 2 110 110 q

q p 110 27 83
7. Find the number of positive integers n, such that n n 1 11 .
Soln. (29)
n n 1 11 (1)

n 1 11 n
squaring both sides,
n 1 121 n 22 n

22 n 120

60 3600
n n
11 121
n 29
number of positive integers satisfying (1) is 29.
8. A pen costs 11 and a notebook costs 13. Find the number of ways in which a person can spend
exactly 1000 to buy pens and notebooks.
Soln. (7)
Let the person buys x pens and y notebooks, then
11x + 13y = 1000 (1)
11x 1000 13y (1001 11y) (2y 1) = 11 (91 y) (2y + 1)
11|2y 1
Let 2y + 1 = 11 (2k 1), k
y 11k 6
11x 11(97 11k) 11(2k 1)
x 98 13k

98
But x > 0 k k7
13
for each k {1,2,....,7} , we get a unique pair (x, y) = (98 13k, 11k 6) satisfying equation (1)
Hence 7 ways are possible.

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9. There are five cities A, B,C, D,E on a certain island. Each city is connected to every other city by road.
In how many ways can a person starting from city A come back to A after visiting some cities without
visiting a city more than once and without taking the same road more than once ? (The order in which he
visits the cities also matters : e.g., the routes A B C A and A C B A are different.)
Soln. (60)
Each possible route gives a permutation of (B, C, D, E) taken two or more at a time and vice-versa.
required no. of ways
= 4P4 + 4P3 4 P2
4 4
4 24 24 12 60
1 2
10. There are eight rooms on the first floor of a hotel, with four rooms on each side of the corridor, symmetrically
situated (that is each room is exactly opposite to one other room). Four guests have to be accommodated
in four of the eight rooms (that is, one in each) such that no two guests are in adjacent rooms or in
opposite rooms. In how many ways can the guests be accommodated ?
Soln. (48)
The rooms can be selected in only two possible ways as follows :
G G G G
G G or G G
In each case guests can be accommodated in 4 ways.
required number of ways 2 4 = 48.
x 3x
11. Let f(x) sin cos for all real x. Find the least natural number n such that f(n x) f(x) for all
3 10
real x.
Soln. (60)
x 3x
f(x) sin cos
3 10
x
period of sin 2 3 6
3
3x 10 20
period of cos 2
10 3 3
20
period of f(x) = L.C.M. of 6, 3

least value of n satisfying f(n x) f(x) is 60.
12. In a class, the total numbers of boys and girls are in the ratio 4 : 3. On one day it was found that 8 boys
and 14 girls were absent from the class, and that the number of boys was the square of the number of
girls. What is the total number of students in the class ?
Soln. (42)
Let the number of boys and girls in the class be 4x and 3x respectively, then according to question,
4x 8 = (3x 14)2
4x 8 9x 2 84x 196
9x 2 88x 204 0
(9x 34)(x 6) 0
34
x or 6
9
But x N, x 6
total no. of students in class = 4x + 3x = 42.
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13. In a rectangle ABCD, E is the midpoint of AB; F is a point on AC such that BF is perpendicular to AC; and
FE perpendicular to BD. Suppose BC 8 3 . Find AB.
Soln. (24)
Let BAC
Since E is mid point of hypotenous AB of right AFB , therefore
AE = FE = BE
D C
EFA FAE F
and FEB EAF EFA 2

EBD 90 BEF 90 2
B
A E
But FAE CAB DBA 902

90 2 30

BC
in ABC , tan
AB

AB BCcot 8 3 cot 30 = 24.

14. Suppose x is a positive real number such that {x}, [x] and x are in a geometric progression. Find the
least positive integer n such that xn > 100. (Here [x] denotes the integer part of x and {x} = x [x].)
Soln. (10)
A/Q, [x]2 = {x}x, x > 0
Let [x] = m and {x} = f, where m W and 0 f 1,
then m2 f (m f ) ( x m f )
m 2 mf f 2 0
m0 f 0 x0
m0
2
f f
1 0
m m
f 1 5

m 2

f f 5 1
But 0
m m 2

5 1
f m
2
But 0 f 1

5 1
0 m1
2

2 5 1
0m
5 1 2
m 1 ( m 0)

5 1
f
2

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5 1 5 1
x mf 1
2 2
n
5 1
Now n
x > 100 100
2
5 1 8

2
3 and 3 81 n8

9 10
5 1 5 1
Now 100
2 2
least value of n is 10.
15. Integers 1, 2, 3......n, where n > 2, are written on a board. Two numbers m, k such that 1 < m < n, 1 <
k < n are removed and the average of the remaining numbers is found to be 17. What is the maximum
sum of the two removed numbers ?
Soln. (51)
(1 2 3 ... n) (m k)
A/Q, 17
n2
n(n 1)
(m k) 17(n 2)
2
n(n 1) n2 33n 68
mk 17(n 2)
2 2
But 5 m k 2n 3

n2 33n 68
5 2n 3
2
n2 33n 58 0 and n2 37n 74 0
(n 1 or n 32) and (3 n 34)
32 n 34
n 32 m k 18
n 33 m k 34
and n 34 m k 51
maximum value of m + k is 51.
16. Five distinct 2-digit numbers are in a geometric progression. Find the middle term.
Soln. (36)
Let the numbers be a, ar, ar2, ar3, ar4, where a N, 10 a 99 and r Q , r 1 .

100
ar 4 100 r4 10 r2
a
p
Let r in lowest form
q
then ar 4 q4 |a
q 2 or 3 ( 1 q4 a 100)
For q = 2, a 16k , k

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ar 4 k.p 4 100
p3 ( r 1, p q)
and k 3 4 100 k 1
For q = 3, a 81m, m
ar 4 m p 4 100
p3
but p > q = 3
no value of p in possible.
3
Hence only possible solution is a = 16 and r
2

2 9
Middle term ar 16 36
4
17. Suppose the altitudes of a triangle are 10, 12 and 15. What is its semi-perimeter ?
Soln. (Bonus)
Here ha = 10, hb = 12, hc = 15
1 1 1
a ha b hb c hc
2 2 2
2 10a 12b 15c 60 (say)
30,a 6,b 5 and c 4
a b c 15
s
2 2
s(s a)(s b)(s c)

15 3 5 7
30
2 2 2 2

30 4 8

15 7 7
15 8 60
s
2 7 7
18. If the real numbers x, y, z are such that x 2 4y 2 16z 2 48 and xy + 4yz + 2zx = 24 what is the value
of x2 + y2 + z2 ?
Soln. (21)
x2 + 4y2 + 16z2 = 48 (1)
xy + 4yz + 2zx = 24 (2)
From (1) & (2),
x2 + 4y2 + 16z2 2 (xy + 4yz + 2zx) = 0
1
{(x 2y)2 (2y 4z)2 (4z x)2 } 0
2
x 2y 4z
Now from (1),
3x 2 48 x 2 16
x2 x2
x 2 y 2 z2 x 2
4 16
= 16 + 4 + 1 = 21
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19. Suppose 1, 2, 3 are the roots of the equation x 4 ax 2 bx c . Find the value of c.
Soln. (36)
Let 4th root be , then
sum of roots = 1 2 3 0
6

Product of roots 1 2 3 ( 6) c
c 36
20. What is the number of triples (a, b, c) of positive integers such that (i) a < b < c < 10 and (ii) a, b, c, 10
form the sides of a quadrilateral ?
Soln. (73)
a b c 10
a,b,c,10 form a quadrilateral iff a + b + c > 10
i.e. a b c 11
Now 11 a b c c 2 c 1 c
3c 3 11 c 5
5 c 9
For c = 5, a b 6 and 1 a b 4
which has only two solutions (2, 4) & (3, 4).
For c = 6, a b 5 and 1 a b 5
which has 5C2 2 = 8 solutions.
For c = 7, a b 4 and 1 a b 6
which has 6C2 1 = 14 solutions.
For c = 8, a b 3 and 1 a b 7
which has 7C2 = 21 solutions.
For c = 9, a b 2 and 1 a b 8
which 8C2 = 28 solutions.
Total no. of solutions is 73.
21. Find the number of ordered triples (a, b, c) of positive integers such that abc = 108.
Soln. (60)
abc = 108 = 22 33
number of triplets (a, b, c)
= number of ways of distributing two 2s and three 3s among a, b, c
= 2+2C2 3+2C2
= 6 10 = 60 .
22. Suppose in the plane 10 pairwise nonparallel lines intersect one another. What is the maximum possible
number of polygons (with finite areas) that can be formed ?
Soln. (36)
Let there be n(n 2) lines in the plane. Now introducing a new line will cut each of the existing n lines
and hence will form n 1 new polygons at most.
Maximum possible number of polygons formed with the 10 lines
89
1 2 ...... 8 36
2

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23. Suppose an integer r, a natural number n and a prime number p satisfy the equation 7x 2 44x 12 pn .
Find the largest value of p.
Soln. (47)
7x 2 44x 12 pn
(7x 2)(x 6) pn
Let m = x 6, then (7m + 40) m = pn (1)
If m 7m 40 , then
(7m + 40)2 m2 < 0 (8m 40)(6m 40) 0
20
m 5 m 6
3
But m = 6 does not satisfy (1)
m 7m 40
But both must be powers of p or 1.
m | 7m 40
m | 40

m is power of a prime or 1
m 1, 2, 4, 8, 5
Of these only m = 1 or 8 satisfy (1).
For m = 1, 47 = pn p 47,n 1

For m = 8, 128 = pn p 2, n 7
Largest value of p = 47.
24. Let P be an interior point of a triangle ABC whose side lengths are 26, 65, 78. The line through P parallel
to BC meets AB in K and AC in L. The line through P parallel to CA meets BC in M and BA in N. The line
through P parallel to AB meets CA in S and CB in T. If KL, MN, ST are of equal lengths, find this common
length.
Soln. (Bonus)
Clearly PKBT, PMCL and PSAN are parallelograms.
Let PT = KB = x, PM = LC = y,
PK = BT = z and KL = MN = ST =
PTM ~ ABC
y 26
(1)
65 26
Again, NKP ~ ABC A
l
x

y 78
y
l

(2) N S
65 78
l

65
65
78

x
y
l
78

Adding (1) & (2),

l

K z lz
L
26 78 P
x x y y
65 26 78
78 3 78 B z T 26l M lz C

78 26
6 5(156 4 )
26 5 156
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5 156
30
26
But must be less than 26, hence no solution is possible.
25. Let ABCD be a rectangle and let E and F be points on CD and BC respectively such that area (ADE) =
16, area (CEF) = 9 and area (ABF) = 25. What is the area of triangle AEF ?
Soln. (30)
Let AD = x and AB = y
1
ar ( ADE) 16 x DE 16 32/x E
2 D C
9
32 16
DE x F
x 50/y
50 A y B
Similarly, BF
y

32 50
CE AB DE y and CF BC BF x
x y
Now ar ( CEF) 9

1 32 50
y x 9
2 x y

1600
xy 32 50 18
xy

1600
xy 100
xy
A 2 100A 1600 0 (A xy)
(A 20)(A 80) 0
A 20 or 80
But A = xy = ar (ABCD) 20
A 80
ar ( AEF) 80 (16 25 9) 30
26. Let AB and CD be two parallel chords in a circle with radius 5 such that the centre O lies between these
chords. Suppose AB = 6, CD = 8. Suppose further that the area of the part of the circle lying between the
chords AB and CD is (m n)/k , where m, n, k are positive integers with gcd(m, n, k) = 1. What is the
value of m + n + k?
Soln. (75) A E 3 B

Draw OE AB and OF CD . 4 5
AB CD O
Clearly EB 3 , FD 4 5
2 2 3

OE 52 32 4 and OF 52 42 3 C F 4 D

OEB ~ DFO
Let EOB ODF , then

BOD AOC 180 ( 90 ) = 90

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Now area of portion between the chords

= 2 (area of minor sector BOD) 2 ar( AOB)

52 1 25 25 48
2 2 6 4 24
4 2 2 2
m 25,n 48 and k 2
m n k 75
27. Let 1 be a circle with centre O and let AB be a diameter of 1 . Le P be a point on the segment OB
different from O. Suppose another circle 2 with centre P lies in the interior of 1 . Tangents are drawn
from A and B to the circle 2 intersecting 1 again at A1 and B1 respectively such that A1 and B1 are on
the opposite sides of AB. Given that A1B = 5, AB1 = 15 and OP = 10, find the radius of 1 .
Soln. (20)
Let radius of 1 be R and that of 2 be r
A1
From figure, ADP ~ AA1B D
5
DP AP r
10 R10
A B
A1B AB R O P r

r R 10 E
(1) 15 D
5 2R
Again, BPE ~ BAB1 B1

PE BP

AB1 BA

r R 10
(2)
15 2R
Dividing (1) by (2),
R 10
3 R 20
R 10
28. Let p, q be prime numbers such that n3pq n is a multiple of 3pq for all positive integers n. Find the least
possible value of p + q.
Soln. (28)
Let p q .
For p 2, n 2
6q
n3pq n 26q 2 3 1 2 1mod3
p2
3 pq is odd.
Let 3 pq = 2k + 1, then
n3pq n n2k 1 n n((n2 )k 1)
n(n2 1) | n3pq n and 3 | n(n2 1)
3 | n3pq n n
Now, n3pq n ((n3q )p n3q ) (n3q n)
But using fermats lettle theorem,

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p | (n3q )p n3q
p | n3q n
i.e. p | n(n3q1 1) n

but p | n(np1 1) n
so, p 1| 3q 1
Similarly q 1 | 3p 1.
The pair with least possible sum satisfying above conditions is (11, 17).
least value of p + q = 11 + 17 = 28.
29. For each positive integer n, consider the highest common factor hn of the two numbers n! + 1 and (n + 1)!.
For n < 100, find the largest value of hn.
Soln. (97)
2,3,......,n each divides n 1 but does not divide n 1

any common factor of n 1 and n 1 must be a factor of n + 1 also.

But any factor of n + 1 other than 1 and itself does not divide n 1 .

so either n 1, n 1 1 or n + 1 is a prime.
But if n + 1 is prime, then by Wilsons theorem, n 1| n 1 and so n 1, n 1 n 1 .
largest value of hn = largest prime less than 100 = 97
30. Consider the areas of the four triangles obtained by drawing the diagonals AC and BD of a trapezium
ABCD. The product of these areas, taken two at time, are computed. If among the six products so
obtained, two products are 1296 and 576, determine the square root of the maximum possible area of
the trapezium to the nearest integer.
Soln. (13)
Let x, y, z, w be areas of the four triangles as shown in figure.
then ar( ADB) ar( ACB)
xyxw yw
D C
AE ar( ADE) ar( AEB) z
Also
EC ar( DEF) ar( BEC) E
y w
y x x x
y 2 zx
z w y B
A
z,y,x are in G.P.
Let y = zr and x = zr2, where r 1 .
To make area of trapezium ABCD maximum, we take zy = z2r = 576
and yw = z2r2 = 1296 (z y x)

z 2r 2 1296 9
2
r z 16
zr 576 4
area of trapezium ABCD
= x + y + z + w = zr2 + 2zr + z
2
9
z(1 r)2 16 1 132
4
Answer is 13.

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ANSWER - KEY

1. (28) 2. (73) 3. (16) 4. (25) 5. (48)

6. (83) 7. (29) 8. (7) 9. (60) 10. (48)
11. (60) 12. (42) 13. (24) 14. (10) 15. (51)
16. (36) 17. (Bonus) 18. (21) 19. (36) 20. (73)
21. (60) 22. (36) 23. (47) 24. (Bonus) 25. (30)
26. (75) 27. (20) 28. (28) 29. (97) 30. (13)

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