Senior Secondary 2020

WMC 2020 Senior Secondary Final Round Solutions
Section A
1. 7
Let x be the number of girls in the classroom and y the total number of learners. Trying all the fractions
in the form xy where y ≤ 6 shows that none of them lie between 40% and 50%. And 40% < 73 < 50%.
2. 1
3 √
We have √x + x2 − 4 = 0 =⇒ x3 = (4 − x2 ) 4 − x2 . Then squaring both sides and taking cu-
4−x2 √ √ √
bic roots gives x2 = 4 − x2 =⇒ x = 2 or x = − 2 and checking shows that the only solution is x = 2.
√
5 2
3. 2
We use Cartesian coordinates. Suppose C is the origin i.e. C(0; 0). Let A(4; 4) and B(7; 0), then E(4; 0).
Now to find D, it lies on the line y = −x + 7 an since it lies on a line passing through B and is perpendic-
ular to AC. Also since ∠C = 45◦ , we have that D(a; a) for some real a > 0. So a = −a + 7 =⇒ a = 27 .
q √
Now the length of DE is ( 72 − 4)2 + ( 27 − 0)2 = 5 2 2 .
3
4. 2
√
Let r be the radius of the circle. Also let O be the origin and let A(2; 5). Now let OA meet the
circle again at B with AB = 2r since AB is a diameter. Now let C be the foot of the altitude from
B on the x axis and let BC intersect the circle again at D. Now since AB is a diameter, we√get that
∠ADB = 90◦ and so Pythagorus on 4ADB gives√BD2 = AB 2 − AD2 = (2r)2 − 22 =⇒ BD = 4r2 − 4.
2
Now 4BAD ∼ 4BOC so AB BD 2r √ −4 and solving gives r = 3 .
4r
AO = CD =⇒ 3 = 5 2
5. 7
Let the number of cards be n and the number of symbols be k. Then by (3), we have that k2 =

k(k−1)
2 = 3n =⇒ n = k(k−1) 6 . Also each symbol must appear exactly m = 3n k times. And so
n
n(n−1) m
km(m−1) 3n( 3n
k −1) 9 k(k−1) 9
2 = 2 =k× 2 = 2 = 2 =⇒ n( k − 1) = 2. So ( 6 )( k − 1) = 2 =⇒ k = 3 or
k = 7. Now k = 3 gives n = 1 which cannot be, and k = 7 gives n = 7. A unique construction exists.
6. (-1,6) (-5,4) (-4,3) (-2,7)
xy + 3x − 5y − 17 ⇐⇒ (x − 5)(y + 3) = 2. Now since x and y are integers, then we have four

cases: (x − 5, y + 3) = (2, 1), (x − 5, y + 3) = (−2, −1), (x − 5, y + 3) = (−1, −2) and (x − 5, y + 3) = (1, 2)
which yields the (x, y) pairs (−1, 6), (−5, 4) , (−4, 3) and (−2, 7).
7. 3
Suppose that a + (a + 1) + · · · + (a + (k − 1)) = 369 =⇒ ka + k(k−1)

2 = 369 =⇒ k(a + k−1 2 ) = 369
where a and k are positive integers. Now k has to be a positive factor of 369 so we consider the cases
when k ∈ {1, 3, 9, 41, 123, 369}. Now k = 1 =⇒ a = 369, k = 3 =⇒ a = 122, k = 9 =⇒ a = 37. Now
when k ≥ 41 we have 369 k−1
k ≤ 9 but 2 ≥ 20 and so we cannot find a positive a. So there are only three ways.
1
√
3
8. 1 − 9π
Extend the sides of the hexagon. We show that these lines intersect on the circle. The angles of the
hexagon are equal to 120◦ and so consider
√ 4HED which is equilateral and so is 4HF √ C. So the length
of the altitude from H onto F C is 3 which shows that H is on a circle with radius 3.
I E D M
F C
J A B L
Now a point
√
P√can see exactly two points if and only if it lies outside of the star. The area of√ the star
is 12 × 4 = 33 . So the area of the region that is in the circle but not in the star is 3π − 33 so the
3
√
√
3π− 33 3
probability that it lies in this region is 3π =1− 9π .
9. 3
If p = 3 then p3 + p2 + 11p + 2 = 71 which is prime. Now suppose that p 6= 3 is prime then p ≡ 1

(mod 3) or p ≡ 2 (mod 3). If p ≡ 1 (mod 3) then p3 + p2 + 11p + 2 ≡ 13 + 12 + 11 + 2 = 15 ≡ 0 (mod 3)
and it cannot be prime. If p ≡ 2 (mod 3) then p3 + p2 + 11p + 2 ≡ 23 + 22 + 22 + 2 = 36 ≡ 0 (mod 3)
and so it is divisible by 3 and cannot be prime.
10. 999
33 +53 +. . . 19993 = (13 +23 +· · ·+19993 )−(23 +43 +· · ·+19983 )−13 = ( 1999×2000
2 )2 −23 ( 999×1000
2 )2 −1 =
1999000 −2(999000) −1 = (2×999000+1000) −2(99900) −1. Now (2×999000+1000) −2(99900)2 −1 ≡
2 2 2 2 2
1002 − 1 = 999 × 1001 = 999000 + 999 ≡ 999 (mod 999000).
2
Section B
11. 15x2 − 7y 2 = 9 =⇒ 7y 2 = 15x2 − 9 and since the RHS is divisible by 3, we have that 3 | 7y 2 =⇒ 3 | y.
Let y = 3a for some a ∈ Z. Then 15x2 − 7(3a)2 = 9 =⇒ 5x2 − 21a2 = 3 and so 3 | 5x2 =⇒ 3 | x2 so
let x = 3b for b ∈ Z. Then 5(3b)2 − 21a2 = 9 =⇒ 15b2 − 7a2 = 1. Now 7a2 = 15b2 − 1 ≡ −1 (mod 3) or
equivalently a2 ≡ 2 (mod 3) which is impossible. So there cannot exist such x and y.
12. Consider the sketch.

E
C
G
A O B
We have ∠ABC = ∠DBC since AC = CD and ∠AOC = 90◦ since AB is a diameter. Also ∠AOC =
2 × ∠ABC and so ∠AOC = ∠ABD =⇒ CO k BE. Now since CDBA is cyclic, we have that
∠DGE = ∠DBA and so 4EGD ∼ 4EBA =⇒ GD EG
AB = EB (1). By tan-chord ∠ECG = ∠EAC =⇒
AC CE
4CEG ∼ 4AEC =⇒ CG = EG (2).
AC
Multiplying (1) and (2) gives CG × GD EG EC GD AC EC
AB = EB × EG =⇒ CG × AB = EB . Also since 4CEB ∼ 4ACB
CE AC GD AB AC AB
we have BE = CB . And so CG = AC × BC = AC and AB > BC since AC is the hypotenuse of 4ABC.

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WMC 2020 Senior Secondary Final Round Solutions

6. (-1,6) (-5,4) (-4,3) (-2,7)

xy + 3x − 5y − 17 ⇐⇒ (x − 5)(y + 3) = 2. Now since x and y are integers, then we have four

Suppose that a + (a + 1) + · · · + (a + (k − 1)) = 369 =⇒ ka + k(k−1)

If p = 3 then p3 + p2 + 11p + 2 = 71 which is prime. Now suppose that p 6= 3 is prime then p ≡ 1

1002 − 1 = 999 × 1001 = 999000 + 999 ≡ 999 (mod 999000).

12. Consider the sketch.

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