Difference between revisions of "2007 AMC 12A Problems/Problem 7"

 
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==Problem==
 
==Problem==
Let a, b, c, d, and e be five consecutive terms in an arithmetic sequence, and suppose that a+b+c+d+e=30. Which of a, b, c, d, or e can be found?
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Let <math>a, b, c, d</math>, and <math>e</math> be five consecutive terms in an arithmetic sequence, and suppose that <math>a+b+c+d+e=30</math>. Which of <math>a, b, c, d,</math> or <math>e</math> can be found?
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<math>\textrm{(A)} \ a\qquad \textrm{(B)}\ b\qquad \textrm{(C)}\ c\qquad \textrm{(D)}\ d\qquad \textrm{(E)}\ e</math>
  
 
==Solution==
 
==Solution==
* a=c-2f
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Let <math>f</math> be the common difference between the terms.
* b=c-f
 
* c=c
 
* d=c+f
 
* e=c+2f
 
* a+b+c+d+e=5c=30
 
* c=6
 
* But we can't find any more variables, because we don't know what f is.
 
  
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* <math>a=c-2f</math>
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* <math>b=c-f</math>
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* <math>c=c</math>
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* <math>d=c+f</math>
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* <math>e=c+2f</math>
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<math>a+b+c+d+e=5c=30</math>, so <math>c=6</math>. But we can't find any more variables, because we don't know what <math>f</math> is. So the answer is <math>\textrm{C}</math>.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
* [[2007 AMC 12A Problems/Problem 6 | Previous problem]]
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{{AMC12 box|year=2007|num-b=6|num-a=8|ab=A}}
* [[2007 AMC 12A Problems/Problem 8 | Next problem]]
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[[Category:Introductory Algebra Problems]]
* [[2007 AMC 12A Problems]]
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{{MAA Notice}}

Latest revision as of 15:40, 5 April 2024

Problem

Let $a, b, c, d$, and $e$ be five consecutive terms in an arithmetic sequence, and suppose that $a+b+c+d+e=30$. Which of $a, b, c, d,$ or $e$ can be found?

$\textrm{(A)} \ a\qquad \textrm{(B)}\ b\qquad \textrm{(C)}\ c\qquad \textrm{(D)}\ d\qquad \textrm{(E)}\ e$

Solution

Let $f$ be the common difference between the terms.

  • $a=c-2f$
  • $b=c-f$
  • $c=c$
  • $d=c+f$
  • $e=c+2f$

$a+b+c+d+e=5c=30$, so $c=6$. But we can't find any more variables, because we don't know what $f$ is. So the answer is $\textrm{C}$.

See also

2007 AMC 12A (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 AMC 12 Problems and Solutions

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