2022 AMC 8 Problems/Problem 20

Revision as of 16:59, 22 November 2023 by Green ninja (talk | contribs) (Solution 4 (Answer Choices))

Problem

The grid below is to be filled with integers in such a way that the sum of the numbers in each row and the sum of the numbers in each column are the same. Four numbers are missing. The number $x$ in the lower left corner is larger than the other three missing numbers. What is the smallest possible value of $x$? [asy] unitsize(0.5cm); draw((3,3)--(-3,3)); draw((3,1)--(-3,1)); draw((3,-3)--(-3,-3)); draw((3,-1)--(-3,-1)); draw((3,3)--(3,-3)); draw((1,3)--(1,-3)); draw((-3,3)--(-3,-3)); draw((-1,3)--(-1,-3)); label((-2,2),"$-2$"); label((0,2),"$9$"); label((2,2),"$5$"); label((2,0),"$-1$"); label((2,-2),"$8$"); label((-2,-2),"$x$"); [/asy] $\textbf{(A) } -1 \qquad \textbf{(B) } 5 \qquad \textbf{(C) } 6 \qquad \textbf{(D) } 8 \qquad \textbf{(E) } 9 \qquad$

Solution 1

The sum of the numbers in each row is $12$. Consider the second row. In order for the sum of the numbers in this row to equal $12$, the two shaded numbers must add up to $13$: [asy] unitsize(0.5cm); fill((-3,1)--(1,1)--(1,-1)--(-3,-1)--cycle,mediumgray); draw((3,3)--(-3,3)); draw((3,1)--(-3,1)); draw((3,-3)--(-3,-3)); draw((3,-1)--(-3,-1)); draw((3,3)--(3,-3)); draw((1,3)--(1,-3)); draw((-3,3)--(-3,-3)); draw((-1,3)--(-1,-3)); label((-2,2),"$-2$"); label((0,2),"$9$"); label((2,2),"$5$"); label((2,0),"$-1$"); label((2,-2),"$8$"); label((-2,-2),"$x$"); [/asy] If two numbers add up to $13$, one of them must be at least $7$: If both shaded numbers are no more than $6$, their sum can be at most $12$. Therefore, for $x$ to be larger than the three missing numbers, $x$ must be at least $8$. We can construct a working scenario where $x=8$: [asy] unitsize(0.5cm); draw((3,3)--(-3,3)); draw((3,1)--(-3,1)); draw((3,-3)--(-3,-3)); draw((3,-1)--(-3,-1)); draw((3,3)--(3,-3)); draw((1,3)--(1,-3)); draw((-3,3)--(-3,-3)); draw((-1,3)--(-1,-3)); label((-2,2),"$-2$"); label((0,2),"$9$"); label((2,2),"$5$"); label((2,0),"$-1$"); label((2,-2),"$8$"); label((-2,-2),"$8$"); label((0,-2),"$-4$"); label((-2,0),"$6$"); label((0,0),"$7$"); [/asy] So, our answer is $\boxed{\textbf{(D) } 8}$.

~ihatemath123

Solution 2

The sum of the numbers in each row is $-2+9+5=12,$ and the sum of the numbers in each column is $5+(-1)+8=12.$

Let $y$ be the number in the lower middle. It follows that $x+y+8=12,$ or $x+y=4.$

We express the other two missing numbers in terms of $x$ and $y,$ as shown below: [asy] unitsize(0.5cm); draw((3,3)--(-3,3)); draw((3,1)--(-3,1)); draw((3,-3)--(-3,-3)); draw((3,-1)--(-3,-1)); draw((3,3)--(3,-3)); draw((1,3)--(1,-3)); draw((-3,3)--(-3,-3)); draw((-1,3)--(-1,-3)); label((-2,2),"$-2$"); label((0,2),"$9$"); label((2,2),"$5$"); label((2,0),"$-1$"); label((2,-2),"$8$"); label((-2,-2),"$x$"); label((0,-2),"$y$",red+fontsize(11)); label((-2,0),"$y{+}10$",red+fontsize(11)); label((0,0),"$x{-}1$",red+fontsize(11));  [/asy] We have $x>x-1, x>y+10,$ and $x>y.$ Note that the first inequality is true for all values of $x.$ We only need to solve the second inequality so that the third inequality is true for all values of $x.$ By substitution, we get $x>(4-x)+10,$ from which $x>7.$

Therefore, the smallest possible value of $x$ is $\boxed{\textbf{(D) } 8}.$

~MRENTHUSIASM

Solution 3

This is based on the Solution 2 above and it is perhaps a little simpler than that.

Let $y$ be the number in the lower middle. Applying summation to first two columns yields the following.

[asy] unitsize(0.5cm); draw((3,3)--(-3,3)); draw((3,1)--(-3,1)); draw((3,-3)--(-3,-3)); draw((3,-1)--(-3,-1)); draw((3,3)--(3,-3)); draw((1,3)--(1,-3)); draw((-3,3)--(-3,-3)); draw((-1,3)--(-1,-3)); label((-2,2),"$-2$"); label((0,2),"$9$"); label((2,2),"$5$"); label((2,0),"$-1$"); label((2,-2),"$8$"); label((-2,-2),"$x$"); label((0,-2),"$y$",red+fontsize(11)); label((-2,0),"$14{-}x$",red+fontsize(11)); label((0,0),"$3{-}y$",red+fontsize(11));  [/asy]

Since $x$ is greater than the other three, we have $x>14-x,$ or $x>7.$

Therefore, the smallest possible value of $x$ is $\boxed{\textbf{(D) } 8}.$

~vetaltekdi6

Solution 4 (Testing Answer Choices)

Note that the sum of the rows and columns must be $8+5-1=12$. We proceed to test the answer choices.

Testing $\textbf{(A) } {-1}$, when $x = -1$, the number above $x$ must be $15$, which contradicts the precondition that the numbers surrounding $x$ is less than $x$.

Testing $\textbf{(B) }5$, the number above $x$ is $9$, which does not work.

Testing $\textbf{(C) }6$, the number above $x$ is $8$, which does not work.

Testing $\textbf{(D) }8$, the number above $x$ is $6$, which does work. Hence, the answer is $\boxed{\textbf{(D) }8}$.

We do not need to test $\textbf{(E) }9$, because the problem asks for the smallest value of $x$.

~MrThinker

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See Also

2022 AMC 8 (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 19
Followed by
Problem 21
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 AJHSME/AMC 8 Problems and Solutions

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