2020 FARML Texas Team Selection Test Solutions Manual

1. The graph of the equation y = 5x + 24 intersects the graph of the equation y = x2 at two points. Compute the distance
between those two points. (Purple Comet 2005, P7)

Solution. Solving x2 = 5x + 24 gives us the factorization (x − 8)(x + 3) = 0, so the two points of intersection are (8, 64)
√ √ √
and (−3, 9). The distance between them is 112 + 552 = 11 12 + 52 = 11 26 . 

2. The successive sides of a quadrilateral are 2, 6, 9, and x. If the diagonals of the quadrilateral are perpendicular,
compute x. (ARML ’92 I-2)

Solution. Let the quadrilateral be ABCD, and let intersection of the diagonals be P . Let a = AP, b = BP, c = CP, d =
DP , and say that AB = 2, BC = 6, CD = 9, DA = x. Then by the Pythagorean theorem,

a2 + b2 = 4

b2 + c2 = 36

c2 + d2 = 81

d2 + a2 = x2

Adding the first and third equations, along with the second and fourth,

a2 + b2 + c2 + d2 = 85 = 36 + x2

Thus x2 = 49 and x = 7 . 

3. Compute the number of real values of x for which

2 1
cos(πx) = x−
3 3
(NYSML ’79 I-3)

Solution. The left-hand side takes on values between −1 and 1. For the right-hand side to be in that range we must have
−1 ≤ x ≤ 2. The two graphs meet at the point x = −1, and again shortly to the right of it because cos(πx) has slope 0 at
the point x = −1 but then curves upwards and overtakes the line. At x = 0 the line is still below the x-axis while cos(πx) is
above it. Then cos(πx) slopes down, crossing the line a third time at x = 21 . At x = 1 the line is at 13 while cos(πx) is at −1.
Finally, the sinusoid goes back up to 1 while the line gradually increases to 1 as well. The two meet at 1 and again slightly
to the left of 1. This is a total of 5 intersections. 

4. Lynnelle took 10 tests in her math class at Stanford. Her score on each test was an integer from 0 through 100. She
noticed that, for every four consecutive tests, her average score on those four tests was at most 47.5. Compute the largest
possible average score she could have on all 10 tests. (Math Prize for Girls 2010, P9)

Solution. We want to maximize the sum of Lynnelle’s ten scores. The sum of the scores on the first four tests is at most
47.5 × 4 = 190. Similarly the sum of the scores on the next four after that is 190. As for the last two, we know the sum of
the last four tests is at most 190, so certainly the sum of the last two is at most 190. So Lynnelle’s ten test scores cannot
possibly sum to more than 190 + 190 + 190 = 570, and her average cannot be greater than 57. To show that 57 is achievable,
consider the sequence of 10 scores 95, 95, 0, 0, 95, 95, 0, 0, 95, 95. Thus the answer is 57 . 

5. Compute the number of 4-digit numbers whose digits sum to 7. (ARML Local ’08 I-4)

1
 Solution. The first digit has to be at least 1. Thus what we want is for the first digit (minus one) plus the second, third,
and fourth digits, to sum to 6. We can count this using stars and bars to be 6+3


3 = 84 . 

6. Let ξ = cos 2π 2π



7 + i sin 7 be a seventh root of unity. (Thus ξ is a certain complex number satisfying ξ 7 = 1.)
Compute the value of
(2ξ + ξ 2 )(2ξ 2 + ξ 4 )(2ξ 3 + ξ 6 )(2ξ 4 + ξ 8 )(2ξ 5 + ξ 10 )(2ξ 6 + ξ 12 )

(Mandelbrot National November 2009, P6)

Solution. We factor out the extra powers of ξ to get

ξ 21 (ξ + 2)(ξ 2 + 2)(ξ 3 + 2)(ξ 4 + 2)(ξ 5 + 2)(ξ 6 + 2)

Now ξ 21 is just 1. We also have the factorization

x7 − 1 = (x − 1)(x − ξ)(x − ξ 2 )(x − ξ 3 )(x − ξ 4 )(x − ξ 5 )(x − ξ 6 )

Plugging in x = −2, we get

−129 = −3(−ξ − 2)(−ξ 2 − 2)(−ξ 3 − 2)(−ξ 4 − 2)(−ξ 5 − 2)(−ξ 6 − 2)

Thus
(ξ + 2)(ξ 2 + 2)(ξ 3 + 2)(ξ 4 + 2)(ξ 5 + 2)(ξ 6 + 2) = 43

7. Compute the positive integer n such that

10
!2
2(2 )
= 2n
(22 )10
(Mandelbrot National January 2011, P3)

Solution. The numerator of this fraction is 21024 and the denominator is 220 . Thus the whole expression is (21024−20 )2 =
22008 , so the answer is 2008 . 

1 2n


8. Compute the number of integers n such that 1 ≤ n ≤ 1000 and the number 2 n is even. (HMMT Algebra 2003, P9)

Solution. Write this as

(2n)!
2 · n! · n!
Using Legendre, 2 divides the denominator to the power
∞ j
X nk
1+2
2k
k=1

while it divides the numerator to the power

∞  
X 2n
2k
k=1

We write the power to which it divides the numerator as

∞ j
X nk
n+
2k
k=1

Meanwhile, the power to which it divides the denominator is bounded by

∞ j ∞ j ∞ ∞ j
X nk X nk X n X nk
1+2 k
≤1+ k
+ k
=n+1+
2 2 2 2k
k=1 k=1 k=1 k=1

2
 n
Equality cannot hold since for large enough k, 2k
is strictly between 0 and 1, so the floor is zero and is different from the
actual value. Thus we really have
∞ j ∞ j
X nk X nk
1+2 k
≤ n +
2 2k
k=1 k=1

Thus the power to which 2 divides the numerator is no less than the power to which it divides the denominator, so this
number is an integer. Furthermore, it is an even integer unless equality holds here. For 12 2n


n to be odd, we need

∞ j ∞ j
X nk X nk
1+2 k
= n +
2 2k
k=1 k=1

∞ j
X nk
=n−1
2k
k=1
∞ j ∞
X nk X n
= −1
2k 2k
k=1 k=1
∞ n
X no
=1
2k
k=1
n
Consider the least k0 for which 2k0
< 1. For all k ≥ k0 , the number equals its fractional part so we have
∞ n ∞
X no X n 2n 1
≥ = k0 ≥ 2 · = 1
2k 2k 2 2
k=1 k=k0

So equality must hold. For 2nk0 to be 12 , we need n = 2k0 −1 to be a power of 2. And we quickly check that when n is a
power of 2, the first equality holds too because when k < k0 , 2k divides n and so that term vanishes. Thus the answer is
1000 minus the number of powers of 2 less than 1000. These go from 20 = 1 to 29 = 512, so the answer is 1000−10 = 990 . 

9. Consider the following sequence of 250 numerals in base b:

1b , 2b , 3b , 4b , · · · , 249b , 250b

If b = 25, compute in base 10, the largest difference between the values of consecutive numerals. (ARML ’96 I-7)

Solution. The differences between consecutive numerals that are greater than 1 occur when we go from AB9b to
A(B + 1)0b or from A99b to (A + 1)00b . The difference in the first case is 10b − 9b = 25 − 9 = 16, and in the second
case is 100b − 99b = 625 − 234 = 391 . 

10. All the diagonals of a regular decagon are drawn. A regular decagon satisfies the property that if three diagonals
concur, then one of the three diagonals is a diameter of the circumcircle of the decagon. Compute the number of distinct
intersection points of diagonals that are in the interior of the decagon. (PUMaC 2010, Combinatorics P6)

Solution. First, every such point is either an intersection of exactly two diagonals, an intersection of exactly three diago-
nals (exactly one of which is a diameter), or the center (where the five diameters meet). We can count the number of pairs
of diagonals that intersect inside the decagon by picking four of the ten vertices and choosing the unique intersection point
of the diagonals at those four vertices that is inside the decagon. Thus there are 10


4 = 210 ways to do this. But we’ve
counted each intersection of three diagonals 32 = 3 times, and the center 52 = 10 times. The number of intersections of

three diagonals is 5 · 6 = 30 (since we choose a diameter and then choose two distinct points on one side, and mirror them
on the other), but we’ve counted the center multiple times again! (Ten times, to be specific.) So we subtract these away to
get 20 points, other than the center, that are the intersection of three diagonals. Thus the answer is 210 − 2 · 20 − 9 = 161 . 

11. Compute
sin(1998◦ + 237◦ ) sin(1998◦ − 1653◦ )

3
(HMMT Advanced Topics 1998, P1)

Solution. We write this as

1 1 1
sin(2235◦ ) sin(345◦ ) = sin(75◦ ) sin(−15◦ ) = [cos(75◦ + 15◦ ) − cos(75◦ − 15◦ )] = − cos(60◦ ) = −
2 2 4


3 1
12. Define a sequence of rational numbers {xn } by x1 = 5 and for n ≥ 1, xn+1 = 2 − xn . Compute the product
x1 x2 x3 · · · x2013 . (EMCC 2013, Team P4)

Solution. The first few terms of the sequence are 53 , 13 , −1, 3, 53 , 75 , 97 , · · · We notice the pattern of
2n − 5
xn =
2n − 7
which is easily proved by induction using the above recurrence. Thus, multiplying the first 2013 terms gives

−3 · −1 · 1 · · · 4021 4021
= −
−5 · −3 · −1 · · · 4019 5


13. Compute the area of the region of the xy-plane defined by the inequality

|x| + |y| + |x + y| ≤ 1

(HMMT Geometry 2004, P5)

Solution. If we are in the first quadrant this is just 2x + 2y ≤ 1, so x + y ≤ 21 , which is a triangle with area 81 .
If we are in the second quadrant, where x is negative and y is positive, this is

x0 + y + |y − x0 | ≤ 1

where x0 = −x is positive. If y > x0 (that is, we are in the second quadrant above the line y = −x), this is 2y ≤ 1 and so
y ≤ 21 . Otherwise we are in the second quadrant below the line y = −x and we have 2x0 ≤ 1, which is x ≥ − 21 . So the whole
area in the second quadrant is just a square with side length 21 and area 14 .
The third and fourth quadrants are just reflections of the first and second, respectively, since replacing x, y with −x, −y
3
changes nothing. So the total area is 18 + 14 + 18 + 14 = . 
4

14. When flipped, coin A shows heads 13 of the time, coin B shows heads 21 of the time, and coin C shows heads 23 of
the time. Anna selects one of the coins at random and flips it four times, yielding three heads and one tail. Compute the
probability that Anna flipped coin A. (NIMO 2012 Contest #2, P4)

Solution. The probability of three heads and one tail with a coin that comes up heads with probability p is 4p3 (1 − p).
Thus the probability of this event happening for each coin is
8
A:
81
1
B:
4
32
C:
81
So the probability that we flipped coin A is
8
81 32 32
8 1 32 = =
81 + 4 + 81
32 + 81 + 128 241

4


15. In triangle ABC, AB = 13, BC = 14, and CA = 15. Segment BC is split into n + 1 congruent segments by n points.
Among these points are the feet of the altitude, median, and angle bisector from A. Compute the smallest possible value of
n. (NIMO 2013 Contest #5, P3)

Solution. The foot of the altitude is well-known to be a distance of 5 from point B, since the altitude has length 12, and
52 + 122 = 132 and (14 − 5)2 + 122 = 152 as expected. The foot of the median is trivially a distance of 7 away from point B.
As for the foot of the angle bisector, if we call it D, then we have by the angle bisector theorem
AB AC
=
BD CD
13 15
=
BD CD
BD 13
=
CD 15
14 BC BD CD 28
= = + =
CD CD CD CD 15
so CD = 15 13 5 1 13
2 and BD = 2 . Thus the fractions of the distances of these points along segment BC are 14 , 2 , and 28 . If there
1 n
are n points, they are at n+1 , · · · , n+1 , so each of these fractions, when multiplied by n + 1, has to give a positive integer. In
particular, 28 has to divide 13(n + 1), and since 13 is relatively prime to 28, 28 has to divide n + 1 so n is at least 27. And
checking with the other two, 27 works since multiplying all these fractions by 28 gives an integer. 

16. A polynomial p can be written as

p(x) = x6 + 3x5 − 3x4 + ax3 + bx2 + cx + d

Given that all roots of p(x) are equal to either m or n where m and n are integers, compute p(2). (PUMaC 2011, Algebra P1)

Solution. Let a of the roots equal m and b of them equal n, so that a + b = 6. By Vieta, the sum of the roots is
am + bn = −3. Thus a, b cannot be even, since −3 is odd. So (a, b) is either (1, 5), (3, 3), or (5, 1). If one of a, b is 5, then
the second symmetric sum (which by Vieta also evaluates to −3) is
 
5
m2 + 5 · 1 · mn = 10m2 + 5mn = −3
2

which is impossible since the left-hand side is divisible by 5 but the right-hand side is not. So a = b = 3. Then we have from
the first coefficient:
3m + 3n = −3 =⇒ m + n = −1

And from the second:    

3 2 3 2
m + n + 3 · 3 · mn = −3 =⇒ m2 + 3mn + n2 = −1
2 2
Thus (m + n)2 + mn = −1, and since (m + n)2 = 1, it follows that mn = −2. Then we deduce that m, n are −2, 1 in some
order. Thus p(x) = (x + 2)3 (x − 1)3 and so p(2) = (2 + 2)3 (2 − 1)3 = 64 . 

17. Let A, B, C, and D be consecutive vertices of a regular polygon. If ∠ACD = 120◦ , compute the number of sides
this polygon has. (EMCC 2011, Accuracy P6)

Solution. Let θ = ∠ABC = ∠BCD. Then since AB = BC, we have ∠ACB = ∠CAB = 90◦ − θ2 . Now since
∠BCD = ∠ACB + ∠ACD, we have
θ
θ = 90◦ − + 120◦
2

5
 ◦
and thus 3θ
2 = 210 =⇒ θ = 140◦ . Thus the measure of an exterior angle is 180◦ − 140◦ = 40◦ and so the number of sides
is 360
40 = 9 . 

18. Compute the remainder when π π

cot1997 + tan1997
12 12
is divided by 9. (ARML ’97 I-6)

π
√ π
√
Solution. We can find the values of cot 12 = 2 + 3 and tan 12 = 2 − 3 using the half-angle formula. Thus
π π √ √
cot1997 + tan1997 = (2 + 3)1997 + (2 − 3)1997
12 12
Modulo 9, only the first few terms count. We have
1997 1996 √ 1997 1994 √
       
1997 1995
21997 + 2 3+ 2 3+ 2 3 3 + ···
1 2 3
√ 1997 1994 √
       
1997 1996 1997 1995
+ 21997 − 2 3+ 2 3− 2 3 3 + ···
1 2 3
which equals
21998 + 1997 · 1996 · 3 · 21995 + · · ·
The other terms are all zero mod 9. The first term is 21998 = 64333 ≡ 1333 ≡ 1 mod 9. The second is 8 · 7 · 3 · 64332 · 8 ≡
2 · 3 · 8 ≡ 48 ≡ 3. So in total we have 1 + 3 = 4 mod 9. 

19. A snowman is built on a level plane by placing a ball of radius 6 on top of a ball of radius 8 on top of a ball of radius
10. Compute the average height above the plane of a point in the snowman. (Purple Comet 2006, P15)

Solution. A point inside one of the three balls has expected height equal to the height of the ball’s center, since the ball
is symmetric about its center. The probability that a random point is inside one of the balls is proportional to the volume
of the ball, so we the answer should be
4
3π · 63 · 42 + 43 π · 83 · 28 + 34 π · 103 · 10
4 3 4 3 4 3
3 π · 6 + 3 π · 8 + 3 π · 10

Simplifying, we get
33 · 42 + 43 · 28 + 53 · 10 1134 + 1792 + 1250 4176 58
3 3 3
= = =
3 +4 +5 27 + 64 + 125 216 3


20. Compute the smallest positive integer with exactly 26 positive composite factors, i.e., factors other than 1 or a prime
number. (ARML ’07 I-6)

Solution. Suppose the prime factorization of our number is

N = pe11 pe22 · · · penn

where each ei is a positive integer. Then the total number of factors of the number is

(e1 + 1)(e2 + 1) · · · (en + 1)

There are n prime factors, so subtracting these along with 1, the number of composite factors is

(e1 + 1)(e2 + 1) · · · (en + 1) − n − 1 = 26

Thus we want
(e1 + 1)(e2 + 1) · · · (en + 1) = n + 27

6
If n = 1 we have e1 + 1 = 28 =⇒ e1 = 27 and so N is at least 227 .
If n = 2 we have (e1 + 1)(e2 + 1) = 29, which is no good since 29 is prime, so one of e1 , e2 would have to be zero.
If n = 3 we have (e1 + 1)(e2 + 1)(e3 + 1) = 30, which breaks down as (1 + 1)(2 + 1)(4 + 1) = 30. (This is the only way to
break it down since, if we make ei + 1 equal a non-prime factor of 30, the product of the other two will have to be prime,
which, as we previously saw, is no good.) So N = p1 p22 p43 . Choosing primes to minimize this gives 24 × 32 × 5 = 720.
If n = 4 we have the product of four integers greater than 1 equals 31, which is impossible since 31 is prime.
If n = 5 we have the product of five integers greater than 1 equals 32, which we can do only if these integers are all equal to
2. Then we have N = p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 . Choosing primes to minimize this gives 2 × 3 × 5 × 7 × 11 = 2310. This is actually bigger
than the value of 720 we found earlier.
We cannot have n > 5 because the left-hand side is at least 2n , which grows exponentially and outpaces n + 27 for all n > 5.
So the answer is 720 .

21. Let f1 , f2 , f3 , . . . , be a sequence of numbers such that

fn = fn−1 + fn−2

for every integer n ≥ 3. If f7 = 83, compute the sum of the first 10 terms of the sequence. (Math Prize for Girls 2012, P7)

Solution. Let f1 = a and f2 = b. Then, quickly adding them together, we notice a Fibonacci pattern emerging:
f3 = a + b, f4 = a + 2b, and in general
fn = Fn−2 a + Fn−1 b
where Fn is the n-th Fibonacci number and F−1 = 1. Then we have

f7 = F5 a + F6 b = 5a + 8b = 83

and
f1 + · · · + f10 = (1 + F1 + · · · + F8 )a + (F1 + · · · + F9 )b
Using the identity for sum of Fibonacci numbers F1 + · · · + Fn = Fn+2 − 1, this is

F10 a + (F11 − 1)b = 55a + 88b = 11(5a + 8b) = 11 · 83 = 913

22. Starting with a sequence of n 1’s, you can insert plus signs to get various sums. For example, when n = 10, you can
get the sum 1 + 1 + 1 + 11 + 11 + 111 = 136 and the sum 1 + 1 + 11 + 111 + 111 = 235. Find the number of values of n so
that the sum of 1111 is possible. (Purple Comet 2007, P24)

Solution. First we add 1 for a sum that consists of the single number 1111. Then we do casework on the number of 111s
in the sum. If we use k 111s, then we must find a combination of 11s and 1s that sums to 1111 − 111k. The number of ways
to do that is      
1111 − 111k 111k k
+ 1 = 102 − = 102 − 10k −
11 11 11
If k = 0 this is 102. Otherwise, since k ≤ 10, it’s 101 − 10k. Summing from k = 1 to 10 gives

1010 − 10(1 + 2 + · · · + 10) = 1010 − 550 = 460

Thus the answer is 460 + 102 + 1 = 563 . 

23. Compute the positive integer x such that

4x3 − 41x2 + 10x = 1989

(NYSML ’89 I-2)

7
 Solution. Factor as
x(4x − 1)(x − 10) = 32 · 13 · 17

Since the first two factors are necessarily positive, the third must be as well, so x is at least 11. Thus since 11 and 12 don’t
divide 1989, the next candidate is x = 13. Then we have

13 · 51 · 3 = 33 · 13 · 17

which works! Increasing x further will increase the left-hand side monotonically, so x = 13 is the unique solution. 

24. A triangle has sides of length 15, 21, and 24. It is possible to inscribe an ellipse within this triangle, tangent to each
of the three sides at the midpoint of that side. Compute the area of this ellipse. (Mandelbrot National March 2013, P7)

Solution. Smoosh1 the ellipse along its major axis so it becomes a circle. Upon doing this, we observe that two thing
happen. First, the midpoints of segments remain midpoints after the diagram is smooshed, and tangents remain tangent
since we haven’t altered the number of points where the ellipse touches the sides. Because of this, the ellipse is now the
incircle of the triangle, and since the points of tangency all coincide with the midpoints, the triangle is now equilateral!
Second, the fraction of the triangle’s area that is taken up by the ellipse does not change. Now if the triangle is equilateral,
π
a routine calculation gives that its incircle takes up 3√ 3
of its area. The area of the original triangle is, by Heron’s formula,
√ √ π
√
30 · 15 · 9 · 6 = 90 3. Thus the area of the ellipse is 3√3 · 90 3 = 30π . 

1 This is the technical term used in most linear algebra classes.