2021 AIME I Problems/Problem 4

Problem

Find the number of ways $66$ identical coins can be separated into three nonempty piles so that there are fewer coins in the first pile than in the second pile and fewer coins in the second pile than in the third pile.

Solution

Suppose we have $1$ coin in the first pile. Then $(1, 2, 63), (1, 3, 62), \ldots, (1, 32, 33)$ all work for a total of $31$ piles. Suppose we have $2$ coins in the first pile, then $(2, 3, 61), (2, 4, 60), \ldots, (2, 31, 33)$ all work, for a total of $29$ . Continuing this pattern until $21$ coins in the first pile, we have the sum $31+29+28+26+25+\ldots+4+2+1=(31+28+25+22+\ldots+1)+(29+26+23+\ldots+2)=176+155=\boxed{331}$ .

2021 AIME I (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by Problem 3	Followed by Problem 5
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15
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2021 AIME I Problems/Problem 4

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