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Problem Solving Via The AMC: WJ Atknis
Problem Solving Via The AMC: WJ Atknis
WJ ATKNIS
Problem Solving Via the AMC
WJ ATKNIS
Published by
AMT PUBLISHING
The books in this series are selected for their motivating, interesting and
stimulating sets of quality problems, with a lucid expository style in their
solutions. Typically, the problems have occurred in either national or
international contests at the secondary school level.
They are intended to be sufficiently detailed at an elementary level for
the mathematically inclined or interested to understand but, at the same
time, be interesting and sometimes challenging to the undergraduate and
the more advanced mathematician. It is believed that these mathematics
competition problems are a positive influence on the learning and
enrichment of mathematics.
BOOKS IN THE ENRICHMENT SERIES
Peter J. O’Halloran,
Executive Director,
Australian Mathematics Competition,
September 1992.
CONTENTS
FOREWORD � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � vii
PREFACE � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � xi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � xiii
Diophantine Equations� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 3
Solutions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 15
Counting Techniques � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 25
Solutions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 58
Geometry � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 123
Solutions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 173
REFERENCES � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 207
PREFACE
Warren Atkins,
Newcastle NSW
February 2003
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
x + y = 5.
This equation has an infinite number of solutions when the set of real
numbers is considered. As a general rule however, in problem situations
that arise there are other constraints that help us narrow down the
possibilities to a small number of cases or even to a unique solution.
Consider the above equation. If we restrict the possible values of x and
y to non-negative integers (i.e. the positive integers and zero), we have
the six solutions for (x, y):
(0, 5); (1, 4); (2, 3); (3, 2); (4, 1) and (5, 0).
Note also that the pair of values x = 0 and y = 5, for example, represents
one solution to the equation.
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4 Problem Solving via the AMC
Diophantine Equations
6m + 1 = 11n + 6
i.e. 6m − 11n = 5
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