2015 AIME I Problems/Problem 12

Problem

Consider all 1000-element subsets of the set {1, 2, 3, ... , 2015}. From each such subset choose the least element. The arithmetic mean of all of these least elements is $\frac{p}{q}$ , where $p$ and $q$ are relatively prime positive integers. Find $p + q$ .

Hint

Use the Hockey Stick Identity in the form

$\binom{a}{a} + \binom{a+1}{a} + \binom{a+2}{a} + \dots + \binom{b}{a} = \binom{b+1}{a+1}.$

(This is best proven by a combinatorial argument that coincidentally pertains to the problem: count two ways the number of subsets of the first $(b + 1)$ numbers with $(a + 1)$ elements whose least element is $i$ , for $1 \le i \le b - a$ .)

Solution

Let $M$ be the desired mean. Then because $\dbinom{2015}{1000}$ subsets have 1000 elements and $\dbinom{2015 - i}{999}$ have $i$ as their least element, $\begin{align*} \binom{2015}{1000} M &= 1 \cdot \binom{2014}{999} + 2 \cdot \binom{2013}{999} + \dots + 1016 \cdot \binom{999}{999} \\ &= \binom{2014}{999} + \binom{2013}{999} + \dots + \binom{999}{999} \\ & + \binom{2013}{999} + \binom{2012}{999} + \dots + \binom{999}{999} \\ & \dots \\ & + \binom{999}{999} \\ &= \binom{2015}{1000} + \binom{2014}{1000} + \dots + \binom{1000}{1000} \\ &= \binom{2016}{1001}. \end{align*}$ Using the definition of binomial coefficient and the identity $n! = n \cdot (n-1)!$ , we deduce that $M = \frac{2016}{1001} = \frac{288}{143}.$ The answer is $\boxed{431}.$

2015 AIME I (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by Problem 11	Followed by Problem 13
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2015 AIME I Problems/Problem 12

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Problem

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Solution

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