11th Annual Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament
Saturday 23 February 2008
Guts Round
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11th HARVARD-MIT MATHEMATICS TOURNAMENT, 23 FEBRUARY 2008 — GUTS ROUND
1. [5] Determine all pairs (a, b) of real numbers such that 10, a, b, ab is an arithmetic progression.
Answer: (4, −2), ( 52 , −5) Since 10, a, b is an arithmetic progression, we have a = 12 (10 + b). Also,
we have a + ab = 2b, and so a(1 + b) = 2b. Substituting the expression for a gives (10 + b)(1 + b) = 4b.
Solving this quadratic equation gives the solutions b = −2 and b = −5. The corresponding values for
a can be found by a = 12 (10 + b).
2. [5] Given right triangle ABC, with AB = 4, BC = 3, and CA = 5. Circle ω passes through A and is
tangent to BC at C. What is the radius of ω?
25
Answer: 8 Let O be the center of ω, and let M be the midpoint of AC. Since OA = OC,
OM ⊥ AC. Also, ∠OCM = ∠BAC, and so triangles ABC and CM O are similar. Then, CO/CM =
AC/AB, from which we obtain that the radius of ω is CO = 25
8 .
3. [5] How many ways can you color the squares of a 2 × 2008 grid in 3 colors such that no two squares
of the same color share an edge?
Answer: 2 · 32008 Denote the colors A, B, C. The left-most column can be colored in 6 ways. For
each subsequent column, if the kth column is colored with AB, then the (k + 1)th column can only be
colored with one of BA, BC, CA. That is, if we have colored the first k columns, then there are 3 ways
to color the (k + 1)th column. It follows that the number of ways of coloring the board is 6 × 32007 .
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11th HARVARD-MIT MATHEMATICS TOURNAMENT, 23 FEBRUARY 2008 — GUTS ROUND
4. [6] Find the real solution(s) to the equation (x + y)2 = (x + 1)(y − 1).
Answer: (−1, 1) Set p = x + 1 and q = y − 1, then we get (p + q)2 = pq, which simplifies to
3q 2
p2 + pq + q 2 = 0. Then we have (p + 2q )2 + 4 , and so p = q = 0. Thus (x, y) = (−1, 1).
5. [6] A Vandal and a Moderator are editing a Wikipedia article. The article originally is error-free.
Each day, the Vandal introduces one new error into the Wikipedia article. At the end of the day, the
moderator checks the article and has a 2/3 chance of catching each individual error still in the article.
After 3 days, what is the probability that the article is error-free?
416
Answer: 729 Consider the error that was introduced on day 1. The probability that the Moderator
misses this error on all three checks is 1/33 , so the probability that this error gets removed is 1 − 313 .
Similarly, the probability that the moderator misses the other two errors are 1 − 312 and 1 − 13 . So the
probability that the article is error-free is
1 1 1 416
1− 3 1− 2 1− = .
3 3 3 729
6. [6] Determine the number of non-degenerate rectangles whose edges lie completely on the grid lines of
the following figure.
1
Answer: 297 First, let us count the total number of rectangles in the grid without the hole in the
middle. There are 72 = 21 ways to choose the two vertical boundaries of the rectangle, and there are
21 ways to choose the two horizontal boundaries of the rectangles. This makes 212 = 441 rectangles.
However, we must exclude those rectangles whose boundary passes through the center point. We can
count these rectangles as follows: the number of rectangles with the center of the grid lying in the
interior of its south edge is 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 (there are three choices for each of the three other edges);
the number of rectangles whose south-west vertex coincides with the center is 3 × 3 = 9. Summing over
all 4 orientations, we see that the total number of rectangles to exclude is 4(27 + 9) = 144. Therefore,
the answer is 441 − 144 = 297.
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11th HARVARD-MIT MATHEMATICS TOURNAMENT, 23 FEBRUARY 2008 — GUTS ROUND
7. [6] Given that x + sin y = 2008 and x + 2008 cos y = 2007, where 0 ≤ y ≤ π/2, find the value of x + y.
Answer: 2007 + π
2 Subtracting the two equations gives sin y−2008 cos y = 1. But since 0 ≤ y ≤ π/2,
the maximum of sin y is 1 and the minimum of cos y is 0, so we must have sin y = 1, so y = π/2 and
x + y = 2007 + π2 .
8. [6] Trodgor the dragon is burning down a village consisting of 90 cottages. At time t = 0 an angry
peasant arises from each cottage, and every 8 minutes (480 seconds) thereafter another angry peasant
spontaneously generates from each non-burned cottage. It takes Trodgor 5 seconds to either burn a
peasant or to burn a cottage, but Trodgor cannot begin burning cottages until all the peasants around
him have been burned. How many seconds does it take Trodgor to burn down the entire village?
Answer: 1920 We look at the number of cottages after each wave of peasants. Let An be the
number of cottages remaining after 8n minutes. During each 8 minute interval, Trodgor burns a total
of 480/5 = 96 peasants and cottages. Trodgor first burns An peasants and spends the remaining
time burning 96 − An cottages. Therefore, as long as we do not reach negative cottages, we have the
recurrence relation An+1 = An − (96 − An ), which is equivalent to An+1 = 2An − 96. Computing the
first few terms of the series, we get that A1 = 84, A2 = 72, A3 = 48, and A4 = 0. Therefore, it takes
Trodgor 32 minutes, which is 1920 seconds.
9. [6] Consider a circular cone with vertex V , and let ABC be a triangle inscribed in the base of the cone,
such that AB is a diameter and AC = BC. Let L be a point on BV such that the volume of the cone
is 4 times the volume of the tetrahedron ABCL. Find the value of BL/LV .
π
Answer: 4−π Let R be the radius of the base, H the height of the cone, h the height of the pyramid
and let BL/LV = x/y. Let [·] denote volume. Then [cone] = 13 πR2 H and [ABCL] = 1 2
3 πR h and
x π
h = x+y H. We are given that [cone] = 4[ABCL], so x/y = 4−π .
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11th HARVARD-MIT MATHEMATICS TOURNAMENT, 23 FEBRUARY 2008 — GUTS ROUND
10. [7] Find the number of subsets S of {1, 2, . . . 63} the sum of whose elements is 2008.
Answer: 6 Note that 1 + 2 + · · · + 63 = 2016. So the problem is equivalent to finding the number
of subsets of {1, 2, · · · 63} whose sum of elements is 8. We can count this by hand: {8}, {1, 7}, {2, 6},
{3, 5}, {1, 2, 5}, {1, 3, 4}.
2
P2008 P∞
11. [7] Let f (r) = 1
j=2 j r = 1
2r + 1
3r + ··· + 1
2008r . Find k=2 f (k).
2007
Answer: 2008 We change the order of summation:
∞ 2008
X 1 2008 ∞ 2008 2008 2008
X 1
X XX 1 X 1 X 1 1 1 2007
= = = = − =1− = .
j k j k j 2 (1 − 1 )
j
j(j − 1) j − 1 j 2008 2008
k=2 j=2 j=2 k=2 j=2 j=2 j=2
12. [7] Suppose we have an (infinite) cone C with apex A and a plane π. The intersection of π and C is
an ellipse E with major axis BC, such that B is closer to A than C, and BC = 4, AC = 5, AB = 3.
Suppose we inscribe a sphere in each part of C cut up by E with both spheres tangent to E. What is
the ratio of the radii of the spheres (smaller to larger)?
Answer: 13 It can be seen that the points of tangency of the spheres with E must lie on its major
axis due to symmetry. Hence, we consider the two-dimensional cross-section with plane ABC. Then
the two spheres become the incentre and the excentre of the triangle ABC, and we are looking for the
ratio of the inradius to the exradius. Let s, r, ra denote the semiperimeter, inradius, and exradius
(opposite to A) of the triangle ABC. We know that the area of ABC can be expressed as both rs and
ra (s − |BC|), and so rra = s−|BC|
s . For the given triangle, s = 6 and a = 4, so the required ratio is 31 .
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11th HARVARD-MIT MATHEMATICS TOURNAMENT, 23 FEBRUARY 2008 — GUTS ROUND
13. [8] Let P (x) be a polynomial with degree 2008 and leading coefficient 1 such that
P (0) = 2007, P (1) = 2006, P (2) = 2005, . . . , P (2007) = 0.
Determine the value of P (2008). You may use factorials in your answer.
Answer: 2008! − 1 Consider the polynomial Q(x) = P (x) + x − 2007. The given conditions
tell us that Q(x) = 0 for x = 0, 1, 2, . . . , 2007, so these are the roots of Q(x). On the other hand,
we know that Q(x) is also a polynomial with degree 2008 and leading coefficient 1. It follows that
Q(x) = x(x − 1)(x − 2)(x − 3) · · · (x − 2007). Thus
P (x) = x(x − 1)(x − 2)(x − 3) · · · (x − 2007) − x + 2007.
Setting x = 2008 gives the answer.
P∞ n
14. [8] Evaluate the infinite sum n=1 n4 +4 .
3
Answer: 8 We have
∞ ∞
X n X n
4+4
= 2 + 2n + 2)(n2 − 2n + 2)
n=1
n n=1
(n
∞
1X 1 1
= −
4 n=1 n2 − 2n + 2 n2 + 2n + 2
∞
1X 1 1
= − .
4 n=1 (n − 1)2 + 1 (n + 1)2 + 1
1 1 1
Observe that the sum telescopes. From this we find that the answer is 4 02 +1 + 12 +1 = 83 .
15. [8] In a game show, Bob is faced with 7 doors, 2 of which hide prizes. After he chooses a door, the
host opens three other doors, of which one is hiding a prize. Bob chooses to switch to another door.
What is the probability that his new door is hiding a prize?
3
5
Answer: 21 If Bob initially chooses a door with a prize, then he will not find a prize by switching.
With probability 5/7 his original door does not hide the prize. After the host opens the three doors,
the remaining three doors have equal probability of hiding the prize. Therefore, the probability that
Bob finds the prize is 57 × 13 = 21
5
.
Remark: This problem can be easily recognized as a variation of the classic Monty Hall problem.
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11th HARVARD-MIT MATHEMATICS TOURNAMENT, 23 FEBRUARY 2008 — GUTS ROUND
16. [9] Point A lies at (0, 4) and point B lies at (3, 8). Find the x-coordinate of the point X on the x-axis
maximizing ∠AXB.
√
Answer: 5 2 − 3 Let X be a point on the x-axis and let θ = ∠AXB. We can easily see that
the circle with diameter AB does not meet the x-axis, so θ ≤ π. Thus, maximizing θ is equivalent to
maximizing sin θ. By the Law of Sines, this in turn is equivalent to minimizing the circumradius of
triangle ABX. This will occur when the circumcircle of ABX is the smaller of the two circles through
A and B tangent to the x-axis. So let X now be this point of tangency. Extend √ line AB to meet the
x-axis at C = (−3, 0); by Power of a Point CX 2 = √ CA · CB = 50 so CX = 5 2. Clearly X has larger
x-coordinate than C, so the x-coordinate of X is 5 2 − 3.
17. [9] Solve the equation
v s
u r
√
u q p
x + 4x + 16x + . . . + 42008 x + 3 − x = 1.
t
Express your answer as a reduced fraction with the numerator and denominator written in their prime
factorization.
1
Answer: 24016 Rewrite the equation to get
v s
u r
√
u q p
t
x + 4x + 16x + . . . + 42008 x + 3 = x + 1.
Squaring both sides yields r
√
q p
4x + ... + 42008 x + 3 = 2 x + 1.
Squaring again yields r
√
q p
16x + . . . + 42008 x + 3 = 4 x + 1.
One can see that by continuing this process one gets
p √
42008 x + 3 = 22008 x + 1,
√
so that 2 · 22008 x = 2. Hence x = 4−2008 . It is also easy to check that this is indeed a solution to the
original equation.
18. [9] Let ABC be a right triangle with ∠A = 90◦ . Let D be the midpoint of AB and let E be a point
on segment AC such that AD = AE. Let BE meet CD at F . If ∠BF C = 135◦ , determine BC/AB.
√
13
Answer: 2 Let α = ∠ADC and β = ∠ABE. By exterior angle theorem, α = ∠BF D + β =
◦
45 + β. Also, note that tan β = AE/AB = AD/AB = 1/2. Thus,
tan α − tan β tan α − 12
1 = tan 45◦ = tan(α − β) = = .
1 + tan α tan β 1 + 12 tan α
4
Solving for tan α gives tan α = 3. Therefore, AC = 3AD = 23 AB. Using Pythagorean Theorem, we
√ √
find that BC = 213 AB. So the answer is 213 .
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11th HARVARD-MIT MATHEMATICS TOURNAMENT, 23 FEBRUARY 2008 — GUTS ROUND
19. [10] Let ABCD be a regular tetrahedron, and let O be the centroid of triangle BCD. Consider the
point P on AO such that P minimizes P A + 2(P B + P C + P D). Find sin ∠P BO.
1
Answer: 6 We translate the problem into one about 2-D geometry. Consider the right triangle
ABO, and P is some point on AO. Then, the choice of P minimizes P A + 6P B. Construct the line
` through A but outside the triangle ABO so that sin ∠(AO, `) = 61 . For whichever P chosen, let
Q be the projection of P onto `, then P Q = 16 AP . Then, since P A + 6P B = 6(P Q + P B), it is
equivalent to minimize P Q + P B. Observe that this sum is minimized when B, P, Q are collinear and
the line through them is perpendicular to ` (so that P Q + P B is simply the distance from B to `).
Then, ∠AQB = 90◦ , and since ∠AOB = 90◦ as well, we see that A, Q, P, B are concyclic. Therefore,
∠P BO = ∠OP A = ∠(AO, `), and the sine of this angle is therefore 61 .
20. [10] For how many ordered triples (a, b, c) of positive integers are the equations abc + 9 = ab + bc + ca
and a + b + c = 10 satisfied?
Answer: 21 Subtracting the first equation from the second, we obtain 1−a−b−c+ab+bc+ca−abc =
(1 − a)(1 − b)(1 − c) = 0. Since a, b, and c are positive integers, at least one must equal 1. Note that
a = b = c = 1 is not a valid triple, so it suffices to consider the cases where exactly two or one of a, b, c
are equal to 1. If a = b = 1, we obtain c = 8 and similarly for the other two cases, so this gives 3
ordered triples. If a = 1, then we need b + c = 9, which has 6 solutions for b, c 6= 1; a similar argument
for b and c gives a total of 18 such solutions. It is easy to check that all the solutions we found are
actually solutions to the original equations. Adding, we find 18 + 3 = 21 total triples.
21. [10] Let ABC be a triangle with AB = 5, BC = 4 and AC = 3. Let P and Q be squares inside ABC
with disjoint interiors such that they both have one side lying on AB. Also, the two squares each have
an edge lying on a common line perpendicular to AB, and P has one vertex on AC and Q has one
vertex on BC. Determine the minimum value of the sum of the areas of the two squares.
Q
P
A B
Answer: 144 49 Let the side lengths of P and Q be a and b, respectively. Label two of the vertices of
P as D and E so that D lies on AB and E lies on AC, and so that DE is perpendicular to AB. The
triangle ADE is similar to ACB. So AD = 34 a. Using similar arguments, we find that
3a 4b
+a+b+ = AB = 5
4 3
so
a b 5
+ = .
4 3 7
Using Cauchy-Schwarz inequality, we get
2
1 1 a b 25
a2 + b2 + ≥ + = .
42 32 4 3 49
5
It follows that
144
a2 + b2 ≥ .
49
36 48
Equality occurs at a = 35 and b = 35 .
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11th HARVARD-MIT MATHEMATICS TOURNAMENT, 23 FEBRUARY 2008 — GUTS ROUND
22. [10] For a positive integer n, let θ(n) denote the number of integers 0 ≤ x < 2010 such that x2 − n is
2009
X
divisible by 2010. Determine the remainder when n · θ(n) is divided by 2010.
n=0
P2009
Answer: 335 Let us consider the sum n=0 n · θ(n) (mod 2010) in a another way. Consider the
sum 02 + 12 + 22 + · · · + 20072 (mod 2010). For each 0 ≤ n < 2010, in the latter sum, the term n
P2009
appears θ(n) times, so the sum is congruent to n=0 n · θ(n). In other words,
2009 2009
X X (2009)(2009 + 1)(2 · 2009 + 1) 2010
n · θ(n) = n2 = ≡ (−1) · · (−1) = 335 (mod 2010).
n=0 n=0
6 6
23. [10] Two mathematicians, Kelly and Jason, play a cooperative game. The computer selects some secret
positive integer n < 60 (both Kelly and Jason know that n < 60, but that they don’t know what the
value of n is). The computer tells Kelly the unit digit of n, and it tells Jason the number of divisors
of n. Then, Kelly and Jason have the following dialogue:
Kelly: I don’t know what n is, and I’m sure that you don’t know either. However, I know that n is
divisible by at least two different primes.
Jason: Oh, then I know what the value of n is.
Kelly: Now I also know what n is.
Assuming that both Kelly and Jason speak truthfully and to the best of their knowledge, what are all
the possible values of n?
Answer: 10 The only way in which Kelly can know that n is divisible by at least two different
primes is if she is given 0 as the unit digit of n, since if she received anything else, then there is some
number with that unit digit and not divisible by two primes (i.e., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 16, 7, 8, 9). Then, after
Kelly says the first line, Jason too knows that n is divisible by 10.
The number of divisors of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 are 4, 6, 8, 8, 6, respectively. So unless Jason received 4, he
cannot otherwise be certain of what n is. It follows that Jason received 4, and thus n = 10.
24. [10] Suppose that ABC is an isosceles triangle with AB = AC. Let P be the point on side AC so that
AP = 2CP . Given that BP = 1, determine the maximum possible area of ABC.
9
Answer: 10 Let Q be the point on AB so that AQ = 2BQ, and let X be the intersection of BP
and CQ. The key observation that, as we will show, BX and CX are fixed lengths, and the ratio of
areas [ABC]/[BCX] is constant. So, to maximize [ABC], it is equivalent to maximize [BCX].
Using Menelaus’ theorem on ABP , we have
BX · P C · AQ
= 1.
XP · CA · QB
Since P C/CA = 1/3 and AQ/QB = 2, we get BX/XP = 3/2. It follows that BX = 3/5. By
symmetry, CX = 3/5.
Also, we have
5
[ABC] = 3[BP C] = 3 · [BXC] = 5[BXC].
3
6
Note that [BXC] is maximized when ∠BXC = 90◦ (one can check that this configuration is indeed
2
possible). Thus, the maximum value of [BXC] is 12 BX · CX = 12 53 = 509
. It follows that the
9
maximum value of [ABC] is 10 .
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11th HARVARD-MIT MATHEMATICS TOURNAMENT, 23 FEBRUARY 2008 — GUTS ROUND
25. [12] Alice and the Cheshire Cat play a game. At each step, Alice either (1) gives the cat a penny,
which causes the cat to change the number of (magic) beans that Alice has from n to 5n or (2) gives
the cat a nickel, which causes the cat to give Alice another bean. Alice wins (and the cat disappears)
as soon as the number of beans Alice has is greater than 2008 and has last two digits 42. What is the
minimum number of cents Alice can spend to win the game, assuming she starts with 0 beans?
Answer: 35 Consider the number of beans Alice has in base 5. Note that 2008 = 310135 , 42 = 1325 ,
and 100 = 4005 . Now, suppose Alice has dk · · · d2 d1 beans when she wins; the conditions for winning
mean that these digits must satisfy d2 d1 = 32, dk · · · d3 ≥ 310, and dk · · · d3 = 4i + 1 for some i. To
gain these dk · · · d2 d1 beans, Alice must spend at least 5(d1 + d2 + · · · + dk ) + k − 1 cents (5 cents
to get each bean in the “units digit” and k − 1 cents to promote all the beans). We now must have
k ≥ 5 because dk · · · d2 d1 > 2008. If k = 5, then dk ≥ 3 since dk · · · d3 ≥ 3100; otherwise, we have
dk ≥ 1. Therefore, if k = 5, we have 5(d1 + d2 + · · · + dk ) + k − 1 ≥ 44 > 36; if k > 5, we have
5(d1 + d2 + · · · + dk ) + k − 1 ≥ 30 + k − 1 ≥ 35. But we can attain 36 cents by taking dk · · · d3 = 1000,
so this is indeed the minimum.
26. [12] Let P be a parabola, and let V1 and F1 be its vertex and focus, respectively. Let A and B be
points on P so that ∠AV1 B = 90◦ . Let Q be the locus of the midpoint of AB. It turns out that Q
is also a parabola, and let V2 and F2 denote its vertex and focus, respectively. Determine the ratio
F1 F2 /V1 V2 .
Answer: 7
8 Since all parabolas are similar, we may assume that P is the curve y = x2 . Then, if
A = (a, a2 ) and B = (b, b2 ), the condition that ∠AV1 B = 90◦ gives ab + a2 b2 = 0, or ab = −1. Then,
the midpoint of AB is
a + b a 2 + b2 a + b (a + b)2 − 2ab a + b (a + b)2
A+B
= , = , = , +1 .
2 2 2 2 2 2 2
(Note that a + b can range over all real numbers under the constraint ab = −1.) It follows that the
locus of the midpoint of AB is the curve y = 2x2 + 1.
1
Recall that the focus of y = ax2 is (0, 4a ). We find that V1 = (0, 0), V2 = (0, 1), F1 = (0, 14 ),
1 7
F2 = (0, 1 + 8 ). Therefore, F1 F2 /V1 V2 = 8 .
27. [12] Cyclic pentagon ABCDE has a right angle ∠ABC = 90◦ and side lengths AB = 15 and BC = 20.
Supposing that AB = DE = EA, find CD.
Answer: 7 By Pythagoras, AC = 25. Since AC is a diameter, angles ∠ADC and ∠AEC are also
right, so that CE = 20 and AD2 + CD2 = AC 2 as well. Beginning with Ptolemy’s theorem,
(AE · CD + AC · DE)2 = AD2 · EC 2 = AC 2 − CD2 EC 2
=⇒ CD2 AE 2 + EC 2 + 2 · CD · AE 2 · AC + AC 2 DE 2 − EC 2 = 0
AE 2
=⇒ CD2 + 2CD + DE 2 − EC 2 = 0.
AC
It follows that CD2 + 18CD − 175 = 0, from which CD = 7.
Remark: A simple trigonometric solution is possible. One writes α = ∠ACE = ∠ECD =⇒ ∠DAC =
90◦ − 2α and applies double angle formula.
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11th HARVARD-MIT MATHEMATICS TOURNAMENT, 23 FEBRUARY 2008 — GUTS ROUND
28. [15] Let P be a polyhedron where every face is a regular polygon, and every edge has length 1. Each
vertex of P is incident to two regular hexagons and one square. Choose a vertex V of the polyhedron.
Find the volume of the set of all points contained in P that are closer to V than to any other vertex.
√
2
Answer: 3 Observe that P is a truncated octahedron, formed by cutting off the corners from
a regular octahedron with edge length 3. So, to compute the value of P , we can find the volume of
the octahedron, and then subtract off the volume of truncated corners. Given a square pyramid where
each
√
triangular face an equilateral triangle,
√ √
and whose side length is s, the height of the pyramid is
2
s, and thus the volume is 1
· s2
· 2
s = 2 3
6 s . The side length of the octahedron is√3, and noting
2 3 2
3 √
that the octahedron is made up of two square pyramids, its volume must be is 2 · 2(3) 6 = 9 2.
√
The six “corners” that we remove are all square pyramids, each with volume 62 , and so the resulting
√ √ √
polyhedron P has volume 9 2 − 6 · 62 = 8 2.
Finally, to find the volume of all points closer to one particular vertex than any other vertex, note
that due to symmetry, every point in P (except for a set with zero volume), is closest to one of the 24
vertices. Due to symmetry, it
√
doesn’t matter which V is picked, so we can just divide the volume of P
2
by 24 to obtain the answer 3 .
29. [15] Let (x, y) be a pair of real numbers satisfying
−y x
56x + 33y = , and 33x − 56y = .
x2 + y 2 x2 + y 2
Determine the value of |x| + |y|.
11
Answer: 65 Observe that
1 x − yi
= 2 = 33x − 56y + (56x + 33y)i = (33 + 56i)(x + yi).
x + yi x + y2
So 2
7 − 4i
2 1 1
(x + yi) = = = .
33 + 56i (7 + 4i)2 65
It follows that (x, y) = ± 65
7
, − 65
4
.
30. [15] Triangle ABC obeys AB = 2AC and ∠BAC = 120◦ . Points P and Q lie on segment BC such
that
AB 2 + BC · CP = BC 2
3AC 2 + 2BC · CQ = BC 2
Find ∠P AQ in degrees.
Answer: 40◦ We have AB 2 = BC(BC − CP ) = BC · BP, so triangle ABC is similar to triangle
P BA. Also, AB 2 = BC(BC−2CQ)+AC 2 = (BC−CQ)2 −CQ2 +AC 2 , which rewrites as AB 2 +CQ2 =
BQ2 +AC 2 . We deduce that Q is the foot of the altitude from A. Thus, ∠P AQ = 90◦ −∠QP A = 90◦ −
∠ABP − ∠BAP . Using the similar triangles, ∠P AQ = 90◦ − ∠ABC − ∠BCA = ∠BAC − 90◦ = 40◦ .
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11th HARVARD-MIT MATHEMATICS TOURNAMENT, 23 FEBRUARY 2008 — GUTS ROUND
31. [18] Let C be the hyperbola y 2 − x2 = 1. Given a point P0 on the x-axis, we construct a sequence
of points (Pn ) on the x-axis in the following manner: let `n be the line with slope 1 passing passing
8
through Pn , then Pn+1 is the orthogonal projection of the point of intersection of `n and C onto the
x-axis. (If Pn = 0, then the sequence simply terminates.)
Let N be the number of starting positions P0 on the x-axis such that P0 = P2008 . Determine the
remainder of N when divided by 2008.
Answer: 254 Let Pn = (xn , 0). Then the `n meet C at (xn+1 , xn+1 − xn ). Since this point lies on
the hyperbola, we have (xn+1 − xn )2 − x2n+1 = 1. Rearranging this equation gives
x2n − 1
xn+1 = .
2xn
Choose a θ0 ∈ (0, π) with cot θ0 = x0 , and define θn = 2n θ0 . Using the double-angle formula, we have
cot2 θn − 1
cot θn+1 = cot(2θn ) = .
2 cot θn
It follows by induction that xn = cot θn . Then, P0 = P2008 corresponds to cot θ0 = cot 22008 θ0
(assuming that P0 is never at the origin, or equivalently, 2n θ is never an integer multiple of π). So, we
need to find the number of θ0 ∈ (0, π) with the property that 22008 θ0 − θ0 = kπ for some integer k. We
kπ
have θ0 = 22008 −1 , so k can be any integer between 1 and 2
2008
− 2 inclusive (and note that since the
denominator is odd, the sequence never terminates). It follows that the number of starting positions
is N = 22008 − 2.
Finally, we need to compute the remainder when N is divided by 2008. We have 2008 = 23 × 251.
4
Using Fermat’s Little Theorem with 251, we get 22008 ≡ 2250 · 256 ≡ 14 · 5 = 5 (mod 251). So we
have N ≡ 3 (mod 251) and N ≡ −2 (mod 8). Using Chinese Remainder Theorem, we get N ≡ 254
(mod 2008).
32. [18] Cyclic pentagon ABCDE has side lengths AB = BC = 5, CD = DE = 12, and AE = 14.
Determine the radius of its circumcircle.
√
Answer: 225 11
88 Let C 0 be the point on minor arc BCD such that BC 0 = 12 and C 0 D = 5, and write
AC 0 = BD = C E = x, AD = y, and BD = z. Ptolemy applied to quadrilaterals ABC 0 D, BC 0 DE,
0
and ABDE gives
x2 = 12y + 52
x2 = 5z + 122
yz = 14x + 5 · 12
Then
(x2 − 52 )(x2 − 122 ) = 5 · 12yz = 5 · 12 · 14x + 52 · 122 ,
from which x3 − 169x − 5 · 12 · 14 = 0. Noting that
√ x > 13, the rational
√ root theorem leads quickly to
the root x = 15. Then triangle BCD has area 16 · 1 · 4 · 11 = 8 11 and circumradius R = 4·8
5·12·15
√
11
=
√
225 11
88 .
33. [18] Let a, b, c be nonzero real numbers such that a + b + c = 0 and a3 + b3 + c3 = a5 + b5 + c5 . Find
the value of a2 + b2 + c2 .
6
Answer: 5 Let σ1 = a + b + c, σ2 = ab + bc + ca and σ3 = abc be the three elementary symmetric
polynomials. Since a3 + b3 + c3 is a symmetric polynomial, it can be written as a polynomial in σ1 , σ2
and σ3 . Now, observe that σ1 = 0, and so we only need to worry about the terms not containing σ1 . By
considering the degrees of the terms, we see that the only possibility is σ3 . That is, a3 + b3 + c3 = kσ3
for some constant k. By setting a = b = 1, c = −2, we see that k = 3.
By similar reasoning, we find that a5 + b5 + c5 = hσ2 σ3 for some constant h. By setting a = b = 1 and
c = −2, we get h = −5.
9
So, we now know that a + b + c = 0 implies
a3 + b3 + c3 = 3abc and a5 + b5 + c5 = −5abc(ab + bc + ca)
Then a3 + b3 + c3 = a5 + b5 + c5 implies that 3abc = −5abc(ab + bc + ca). Given that a, b, c are nonzero,
we get ab + bc + ca = − 53 . Then, a2 + b2 + c2 = (a + b + c)2 − 2(ab + bc + ca) = 56 .
.....................................................................................................
11th HARVARD-MIT MATHEMATICS TOURNAMENT, 23 FEBRUARY 2008 — GUTS ROUND
34. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. In 2000, the Clay Mathematics Institute named seven Millennium
Prize Problems, with each carrying a prize of $1 Million for its solution. Write down the name of ONE
of the seven Clay Millennium Problems. If your submission is incorrect or misspelled, then your
submission is disqualified. If another team wrote down the same Millennium Problem as you, then you
get 0 points, otherwise you get 20 points.
Solution: The seven Millennium Prize Problems are:
(a) Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture
(b) Hodge Conjecture
(c) Navier-Stokes Equations
(d) P vs NP
(e) Poincaré Conjecture
(f) Riemann Hypothesis
(g) Yang-Mills Theory
More information can be found on its official website http://www.claymath.org/millennium/.
As far as this as an HMMT problem goes, it’s probably a good idea to submit something that you
think is least likely for another team to think of (or to spell correctly). Though, this may easily turn
into a contest of who can still remember the names of the user ranks from the Art of Problem Solving
forum.
35. NUMB3RS. The RSA Factoring Challenge, which ended in 2007, challenged computational mathe-
maticians to factor extremely large numbers that were the product of two prime numbers. The largest
number successfully factored in this challenge was RSA-640, which has 193 decimal digits and carried
a prize of $20, 000. The next challenge number carried prize of $30, 000, and contains N decimal digits.
Your task is to submit a guess for N . Only the team(s) that have the
closest guess(es) receives points.
If k teams all have the closest guesses, then each of them receives 20
k points.
Answer: 212 For more information, see the Wikipedia entry at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
RSA_Factoring_Challenge.
RSA-640 was factored in November 2005, and the effort took approximately 30 2.2GHz-Opteron-CPU
years over five months of calendar time.
36. The History Channel. Below is a list of famous mathematicians. Your task is to list a subset of
them in the chronological order of their birth dates. Your submission should be a sequence of letters.
If your sequence is not in the correct order, then you get 0 points. Otherwise your score will be
min{max{5(N − 4), 0}, 25}, where N is the number of letters in your sequence.
(A) Niels Abel (B) Arthur Cayley (C) Augustus De Morgan (D) Gustav Dirichlet (E) Leonhard Euler
(F) Joseph Fourier (G) Évariste Galois (H) Carl Friedrich Gauss (I) Marie-Sophie Germain (J) Joseph
Louis Lagrange (K) Pierre-Simon Laplace (L) Henri Poincaré (N) Bernhard Riemann
Answer: any subsequence of EJKFIHADCGBNL The corresponding birth dates are listed below:
(A) Niels Abel (1802–1829)
10
(B) Arthur Cayley (1821–1895)
(C) Augustus De Morgan (1806–1871)
(D) Gustav Dirichlet (1805–1859)
(E) Leonhard Euler (1707–1783)
(F) Joseph Fourier (1768–1830)
(G) Évariste Galois (1811–1832)
(H) Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855)
(I) Marie-Sophie Germain (1776–1831)
(J) Joseph Louis Lagrange (1736–1813)
(K) Pierre-Simon Laplace (1749–1827)
(L) Henri Poincaré (1854–1912)
(N) Bernhard Riemann (1826–1866)
11
