Difference between revisions of "2024 AMC 8 Problems/Problem 7"

(Solution 2)
(Solution 2)
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==Solution 2==
 
==Solution 2==
Let <math>x</math> be the number of <math>1x1</math> tiles. There are <math>21</math> squares and each <math>2x2</math> or <math>1x4</math> tile takes up 4 squares, so <math>x \equiv 1 \pmod{4}</math>, so it is either <math>1</math> or <math>5</math>. Color the columns, starting with red, then blue, and alternating colors, ending with a red column. There are <math>12</math> red squares and <math>9</math> blue squares, but each <math>2x2</math> and <math>1x4</math> shape takes up an equal number of blue and red squares, so there must be <math>3</math> more <math>1x1</math> tiles on red squares han on blue squares, which is impossible if there is just one, so the answer is <math>\boxed{\textbf{(E)\ 5}}</math>, which can easily be confirmed to work.
+
Let <math>x</math> be the number of <math>1x1</math> tiles. There are <math>21</math> squares and each <math>2x2</math> or <math>1x4</math> tile takes up 4 squares, so <math>x \equiv 1 \pmod{4}</math>, so it is either <math>1</math> or <math>5</math>. Color the columns, starting with red, then blue, and alternating colors, ending with a red column. There are <math>12</math> red squares and <math>9</math> blue squares, but each <math>2x2</math> and <math>1x4</math> shape takes up an equal number of blue and red squares, so there must be <math>3</math> more <math>1x1</math> tiles on red squares than on blue squares, which is impossible if there is just one, so the answer is <math>\boxed{\textbf{(E)\ 5}}</math>, which can easily be confirmed to work.
  
 
~arfekete
 
~arfekete

Revision as of 13:22, 14 August 2024

Problem

A $3 \times 7$ rectangle is covered without overlap by 3 shapes of tiles: $2 \times 2$, $1\times4$, and $1\times1$, shown below. What is the minimum possible number of $1\times1$ tiles used?

2024-AMC8-q7.png

$\textbf{(A) } 1\qquad\textbf{(B)} 2\qquad\textbf{(C) } 3\qquad\textbf{(D) } 4\qquad\textbf{(E) } 5$

Solution 1

We can eliminate B, C, and D, because they are not $21$ subtracted by any multiple of $4$. Finally, we see that there is no way to have A, so the solution is $\boxed{\textbf{(E)\ 5}}$.

Solution 2

Let $x$ be the number of $1x1$ tiles. There are $21$ squares and each $2x2$ or $1x4$ tile takes up 4 squares, so $x \equiv 1 \pmod{4}$, so it is either $1$ or $5$. Color the columns, starting with red, then blue, and alternating colors, ending with a red column. There are $12$ red squares and $9$ blue squares, but each $2x2$ and $1x4$ shape takes up an equal number of blue and red squares, so there must be $3$ more $1x1$ tiles on red squares than on blue squares, which is impossible if there is just one, so the answer is $\boxed{\textbf{(E)\ 5}}$, which can easily be confirmed to work.

~arfekete

Solution 3

Suppose there are $a$ different $2\times 2$ tiles, $b$ different $4\times 1$ tiles and $c$ different $1\times 1$ tiles. Since the areas of these tiles must total up to $21$ (area of the whole grid), we have \[4a + 4b + c = 21.\] Reducing modulo $4$ gives $c\equiv 1\pmod{4}$, or $c = 1$ or $c = 5$.

If $c = 1$, then $a + b = 5$. After some testing, there is no valid pair $(a, b)$ that works, so the answer must be $\boxed{\textbf{(E)\ 5}}$, which can be constructed in many ways.

-Benedict T (countmath1)

Video Solution 1 (easy to digest) by Power Solve

https://youtu.be/16YYti_pDUg?si=KjRhUdCOAx10kgiW&t=59

Video Solution by Math-X (First fully understand the problem!!!)

https://youtu.be/BaE00H2SHQM?si=eg8T8wApi2j83Ia_&t=1497 ~Math-X

Video Solution by NiuniuMaths (Easy to understand!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-xN8Njd_Lc

~NiuniuMaths

Video Solution 2 by SpreadTheMathLove

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L83DxusGkSY

Video Solution by CosineMethod [🔥Fast and Easy🔥]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4ouVVVkFo4

Video Solution by Interstigation

https://youtu.be/ktzijuZtDas&t=578

See Also

2024 AMC 8 (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 6
Followed by
Problem 8
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 AJHSME/AMC 8 Problems and Solutions

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