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Difference between revisions of "2015 AMC 10A Problems/Problem 3"

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==Solution==
 
==Solution==
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We can see that a <math>1</math>-step staircase requires <math>4</math> toothpicks and a <math>2</math>-step staircase requires <math>10</math> toothpicks. Thus, to go from a <math>1</math>-step to <math>2</math>-step staircase, <math>6</math> additional toothpicks are needed and to go from a <math>2</math>-step to <math>3</math>-step staircase, <math>8</math> additional toothpicks are needed. Applying this pattern, to go from a <math>3</math>-step to <math>4</math>-step staircase, <math>10</math> additional toothpicks are needed and to go from a <math>4</math>-step to <math>5</math>-step staircase, <math>12</math> additional toothpicks are needed. Our answer is <math>10+12=\boxed{\textbf{(D)}\ 22}</math>.
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We can see that a <math>1</math>-step staircase requires <math>4</math> toothpicks and a <math>2</math>-step staircase requires <math>10</math> toothpicks. Thus, to go from a <math>1</math>-step to <math>2</math>-step staircase, <math>6</math> additional toothpicks are needed and to go from a <math>2</math>-step to <math>3</math>-step staircase, <math>8</math> additional toothpicks are needed. Applying this pattern, to go from a <math>3</math>-step to <math>4</math>-step staircase, <math>10</math> additional toothpicks are needed and to go from a <math>4</math>-step to <math>5</math>-step staircase, <math>12</math> additional toothpicks are needed. Our answer is <math>10+12=\boxed{\textbf{(D)}\ 22}</math>
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
 
{{AMC10 box|year=2015|ab=A|num-b=2|num-a=4}}
 
{{AMC10 box|year=2015|ab=A|num-b=2|num-a=4}}
 
{{MAA Notice}}
 
{{MAA Notice}}

Revision as of 22:56, 9 February 2015

Problem

Ann made a $3$-step staircase using $18$ toothpicks as shown in the figure. How many toothpicks does she need to add to complete a $5$-step staircase?

$\textbf{(A)}\ 9\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 18\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 20\qquad\textbf{(D)}}\ 22\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 24$ (Error compiling LaTeX. Unknown error_msg)

Solution

We can see that a $1$-step staircase requires $4$ toothpicks and a $2$-step staircase requires $10$ toothpicks. Thus, to go from a $1$-step to $2$-step staircase, $6$ additional toothpicks are needed and to go from a $2$-step to $3$-step staircase, $8$ additional toothpicks are needed. Applying this pattern, to go from a $3$-step to $4$-step staircase, $10$ additional toothpicks are needed and to go from a $4$-step to $5$-step staircase, $12$ additional toothpicks are needed. Our answer is $10+12=\boxed{\textbf{(D)}\ 22}$

See Also

2015 AMC 10A (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 2 		Followed by
Problem 4
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

The problems on this page are copyrighted by the Mathematical Association of America's American Mathematics Competitions. AMC logo.png

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