Solutions – Middle Primary Division

1. 5 groups of 3, so 5 × 3 = 15,
hence (E).

2. 15 − 5 = 10,
hence (D).

3. In the bottom row (labelled D) and the second column (labelled 2) the shape is ♥,
hence (C).

1
4. Of the 4 equal parts, 1 is shaded, so the fraction is ,
4
hence (C).

5. In the 6 equal spaces the shape • appears twice, so it is more likely, while all other
shapes appear only once,
hence (E).

6. It is after 12, and the minute hand is one-quarter of a turn from ‘12’ so the time is
a quarter past twelve,
hence (D).

7. 6 + 7 + 3 + 5 = 21,
hence (C).

8. (Also UP4)
Increasing the 19 to 20 requires that we decrease the 45 to 44,
hence (B).

9. The area of the large rectangle is 56 units, while the area of the small rectangle is 2
56
units, so the number of rectangles is = 28. These rectangles can be placed in 7
2
rows of 4,
hence (B).

10. Ethan took the least time, so he won,

hence (B).

11. Each group of beads in the pattern has two round beads, so the 18th round bead will
be in the 9th group.
However, the last group won’t have a square bead, so there are only 8 square beads,
hence (E).

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2015 AMC – Middle Primary Solutions 33
 12. (Also UP11)
Here is how the paper unfolds.

hence (B).

13. Alternative 1
The grid can be filled in to make totals of 15:

4 5 6 4 5 6 4 5
5 5 4 5 6
5 6 5 6 4 5 6 4

Then 4 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 6 = 25,
hence (B).
Alternative 2
The shaded column plus the shaded row adds to 30, but this counts the central 5
twice. So the sum of the shaded squares is 30 − 5 = 25,
hence (B).

14. (Also UP9)

The first and last rows have 3 counters, so either square A or square E requires
a counter. But a counter in square E gives two columns of 2 counters, whereas a
counter in A gives all four columns different.

A 3 4
B C 1 1
D 2 2
E 3 3
2 2 4 1 3 2 4 1

hence (A).

15. If the colour was brown, then both Martha and Frankie were wrong about the colour,
but they disagree on pen versus crayon, so at least one of them is completely wrong.
So the colour can’t be brown.
The colour was black, so Aaron is wrong about the colour, but he must be right
about it being a pencil. So John used a black pencil,
hence (E).

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16. (Also UP16)
Starting with 5, calculate 5 − 2 = 3 then 3 × 3 = 9, which is not greater than 50.
Next, calculate 9 − 2 = 7 then 7 × 3 = 21, which is not greater than 50. Finally,
calculate 21 − 2 = 19 then 19 × 3 = 57, which is greater than 50, so select 57,
hence (A).

17. (Also UP17)

After the top is cut, unfold the shaded piece along fold XY .

Y Y

X X

The folded and unfolded positions of this piece are mirror images in the line XY , as
shown in the middle diagram. In the same way the other folded piece will unfold like
in the third diagram,
hence (D).

18. The number of blocks he has is a multiple of 9. Also, if he had one less block, he
would have both a multiple of 4 and a multiple of 5. So he has one more than a
multiple of 20.
The numbers that are one more than a multiple of 20 are 21, 41, 61 and 81. Only 81
is a multiple of 9,
hence (C).

19. The lengths of the tiles in each strip are, from the top, 4, 6, 2, 8 and 3 centimetres.
So the new strip has length 4 + 6 + 2 + 8 + 3 = 23 cm,
hence (C).

20. (Also UP15)

The lower and left sides must have 1 + 3 + 6 = 10 and 1 + 4 + 5 = 10 in some order.
So the coloured circle must contain the 2. A possible solution is

4 2

1 6 3

hence (A).

21. He gave $200 to his wife, leaving $200. He then gave $50 to his son, leaving $150.
Finally, he gave $75 to his grandson,
hence (E).

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2015 AMC – Middle Primary Solutions 35
 22. The numbers, in order, are 12, 18, 19, 21, 25, 33, 37, 39, 40, 46,
so that the pairs are
12 + 46 = 18 + 40 = 19 + 39 = 21 + 37 = 25 + 33 = 58
hence (A).

23. The area can be considered equal to a large 6 by 4 rectangle and a 5 by 3 rectangle,
with a 1 by 2 rectangle counted twice.
6

4
3

4 3
2

Thus the area, in square centimetres, is

(6 × 4) + (5 × 3) − (1 × 2) = 24 + 15 − 2 = 37,
hence (B).

24. Twice Molly’s number equals her number plus 12, so her number is 12,
hence (D).

25. Six staplers will weigh the same as 15 glue sticks. Also 6 staplers will weigh the same
as 40 erasers. So 15 glue sticks balance with 40 erasers. But this means that 3 glue
sticks balance with 8 erasers,
hence (A).

26. Choosing the large coins first, possibilities are

• 2 × 50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
• 1 × 50
1 × 50 + 2 × 20 + 1 × 10 . . . . . . . . . .
1 × 50 + 1 × 20 + 3 × 10 . . . . . . . . . .
1 × 50 + 5 × 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
• 0 × 50:
5 × 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4 × 20 + 2 × 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3 × 20 + 4 × 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2 × 20 + 6 × 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1 × 20 + 8 × 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10 × 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

hence (10).

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2015 AMC – Middle Primary Solutions 36
 27. There are 41 pages before page 42, so there will be 41 pages after page 55. So the
last page will be page number 55 + 41 = 96,
hence (96).

28. (Also UP26)

She can make 333 square ‘blocks’ using 3 bricks each. Since 182 = 324 and 192 = 361
her patio can be at most 18 blocks on a side. She uses 3 × 324 = 972 bricks,
hence (972).

29. (Also UP27)

Suppose the numbers are a, b and c in increasing order, and P is the product a×b×c.
The smallest a + b can be is 1 + 2 = 3, so the largest c can be is 12 − 3 = 9. Also, c
must be more than 12 ÷ 3 = 4.
Evaluate possibilities for c = 9, 8, 7, 6, 5:

c=9 a = 1, b = 2
a+b=3 P = 18
c=8 a = 1, b = 3
a+b=4 P = 24
c=7 a = 1, b = 4 a = 2, b = 3
a+b=5 P = 28 P = 42
c=6 a = 1, b = 5 a = 2, b = 4
a+b=6 P = 30 P = 48
c=5 a = 3, b = 4
a+b=7 P = 60

These are the only possibilities, and P = 60 is the largest,

hence (60).

30. (Also UP29, J28)

Suppose the top square next to the flagpole is green. Then there may be 0, 2, 3 or 4
blue squares. Here are the possibilities in each case.

Blue squares Possible flags

G G G
0
G G G
G G G G B B G B G G G G G G B
2
B B G G G G G B G G B B G G B
G G G G G B G B B
3
B B B G B B G G B
G G B G B B
4
B B B G B B

Along with these 11 possibilities, there are 11 where the top square next to the
flagpole is blue, making 22 ways in all,
hence (22).

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