Difference between revisions of "2007 AMC 12A Problems/Problem 14"

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==Problem==
 
==Problem==
  
Let a, b, c, d, and e be distinct integers such that
+
Let <math>a</math>, <math>b</math>, <math>c</math>, <math>d</math>, and <math>e</math> be distinct integers such that
 
<math>(6-a)(6-b)(6-c)(6-d)(6-e)=45</math>
 
<math>(6-a)(6-b)(6-c)(6-d)(6-e)=45</math>
  

Revision as of 02:16, 2 July 2020

Problem

Let $a$, $b$, $c$, $d$, and $e$ be distinct integers such that $(6-a)(6-b)(6-c)(6-d)(6-e)=45$

What is $a+b+c+d+e$?

Solutions

Solution 1

If 45 is expressed as a product of five distinct integer factors, the absolute value of the product of any four it as least $|(-3)(-1)(1)(3)|=9$, so no factor can have an absolute value greater than 5. Thus the factors of the given expression are five of the integers $\pm 3, \pm 1, \pm 5$. The product of all six of these is $-225=(-5)(45)$, so the factors are -3, -1, 1, 3, and 5. The corresponding values of a, b, c, d, and e are 9, 7, 5, 3, and 1, and their sum is 25 (C).

Solution 2

The prime factorization of $45$ is $3^2 * 5$. Therefore, the 5 distinct integer factors must have some negative numbers in them. Because there are two $3$'s in the prime factorization, one of them must be negative and the other positive. Because there is a $-3$, there must also be a $-1$ to cancel the negatives out. The 5 distinct integer factors must be $-3, 3, 5, -1, 1$. The corresponding values of $a, b, c, d,$ and $e$ are $9, 3, 1, 7, 5$. and their sum is $\fbox{25 (C)}$

See also

2007 AMC 12A (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 13
Followed by
Problem 15
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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