Art of Problem Solving

2011 AMC 12A Problems/Problem 8: Difference between revisions

Jinhok (talk | contribs)
Jinhok (talk | contribs)
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=30</math>, and <math>F+G+H=30</math>.
=30</math>, and <math>F+G+H=30</math>.


We can then cleverly add and subtract the equations above to be left with the answer.
We can then cleverly manipulate the equations above by adding and subtracting them to be left with the answer.


<math>(A+B)-(B+D)=25-25 \implies (A-D)=0</math>
<math>(A+B)-(B+D)=25-25 \implies (A-D)=0</math>

Revision as of 02:41, 12 July 2020

Problem

In the eight term sequence $A$, $B$, $C$, $D$, $E$, $F$, $G$, $H$, the value of $C$ is $5$ and the sum of any three consecutive terms is $30$. What is $A+H$?

$\textbf{(A)}\ 17 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 18 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 25 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 26 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 43$

Solution

Solution 1

Let $A=x$. Then from $A+B+C=30$, we find that $B=25-x$. From $B+C+D=30$, we then get that $D=x$. Continuing this pattern, we find $E=25-x$, $F=5$, $G=x$, and finally $H=25-x$. So $A+H=x+25-x=25 \rightarrow \boxed{\textbf{C}}$


Solution 2

Given that the sum of 3 consecutive terms is 30, we have $(A+B+C)+(C+D+E)+(F+G+H)=90$ and $(B+C+D)+(E+F+G)=60$

It follows that $A+B+C+D+E+F+G+H=85$ because $C=5$.

Subtracting, we have that $A+H=25\rightarrow \boxed{\textbf{C}}$.


Solution 3 (the tedious one)

From the given information, we can deduct the following equations:

$A+B=25, B+D=25, D+E=25, D+E+F=30, E+F+G =30$, and $F+G+H=30$.

We can then cleverly manipulate the equations above by adding and subtracting them to be left with the answer.

$(A+B)-(B+D)=25-25 \implies (A-D)=0$

$(A-D)+(D+E)=0+25 \implies (A+E)=25$

$(A+E)-(E+F+G)=25-30 \implies (A-F-G)=-5$ (Notice how we don't use $D+E+F=30$)

$(A-F-G)+(F+G+H)=-5+30 \implies (A+H)=25$

Therefore, we have $A+H=25 \rightarrow \boxed{\textbf{C}}$

~JinhoK

See also

2011 AMC 12A (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 7
Followed by
Problem 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
All AMC 12 Problems and Solutions

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