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2021 AMC 10A Problems/Problem 2

Problem

Portia's high school has $3$ times as many students as Lara's high school. The two high schools have a total of $2600$ students. How many students does Portia's high school have?

$\textbf{(A)} ~600 \qquad\textbf{(B)} ~650 \qquad\textbf{(C)} ~1950 \qquad\textbf{(D)} ~2000\qquad\textbf{(E)} ~2050$

Solution 1 (Two Variables)

The following system of equations can be formed with $P$ representing the number of students in Portia's high school and $L$ representing the number of students in Lara's high school: \begin{align*} P&=3L, \\ P+L&=2600. \end{align*} Substituting $P=3L$ gives $4L=2600.$ Solving for $L$ gives $L=650.$ Since we need to find $P,$ we multiply $650$ by $3$ to get $P=\boxed{\textbf{(C)} ~1950}.$

~happykeeper (Solution)

~MRENTHUSIASM (Reformatting)

Solution 2 (One Variable)

Suppose Lara's high school has $x$ students, so Portia's high school has $3x$ students. We have $x+3x=2600,$ or $4x=2600.$ The answer is \[3x=2600\cdot\frac 34=650\cdot3=\boxed{\textbf{(C)} ~1950}.\]

~MRENTHUSIASM

Solution 3 (Arithmetic)

Clearly, $2600$ is $4$ times the number of students in Lara's high school. Therefore, Lara's high school has $2600\div4=650$ students, and Portia's high school has $650\cdot3=\boxed{\textbf{(C)} ~1950}$ students.

~MRENTHUSIASM

Solution 4 (Observations)

The number of students in Portia's high school must be a multiple of $3.$ This eliminates $\textbf{(B)},\textbf{(D)},$ and $\textbf{(E)}.$ Since $\textbf{(A)}$ is too small (as it is clear that $600+\frac{600}{3}<2600$), we are left with $\boxed{\textbf{(C)} ~1950}.$

~MRENTHUSIASM

Video Solutions

Video Solution 1 (Very Fast & Simple)

https://youtu.be/DOtysU-a1B4

~Education, the Study of Everything

Video Solution 2 (Setting Variables)

https://youtu.be/qNf6SiIpIsk?t=119

~ThePuzzlr

Video Solution 3 (Solving by Equation)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOpgeMfvUpE&list=PLexHyfQ8DMuKqltG3cHT7Di4jhVl6L4YJ&index=1

~North America Math Contest Go Go Go

Video Solution 4 by OmegaLearn

https://youtu.be/xXx0iP1tn8k

~pi_is_3.14

Video Solution 5

https://youtu.be/GwwDQYqptlQ

~savannahsolver

Video Solution 6

https://youtu.be/50CThrk3RcM?t=66

~IceMatrix

Video Solution 7 (Problems 1-3)

https://youtu.be/CupJpUzKPB0

~MathWithPi

Video Solution 8

https://youtu.be/slVBYmcDMOI

~The Learning Royal

See Also

2021 AMC 10A (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 1 		Followed by
Problem 3
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 10 Problems and Solutions

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