2018 Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Math Challenge∗

National Finals
Grade 10 Individual Oral Competition

Easy
2 points, 15 seconds. Each problem is to be solved mentally.
 −4/5
1
15.1. Find the value of − .
32
Solution. We have !−4
 −4/5 r  −4
1 1 1
= (−2)4 = 16
5
− = − = −
32 32 2

15.2. Factor completely: 4x3 + 9x2 − 4x − 9.

Solution. Factoring by grouping gives

4x3 + 9x2 − 4x − 9 = x2 (4x + 9) − (4x + 9) = (4x + 9)(x2 − 1) = (4x + 9)(x − 1)(x + 1)

√ √
15.3. The legs of a right triangle have lengths 5 cm and 7 cm. How long (in cm) is the median to the
hypotenuse?
q √
√
2 √ √ √
2
Solution. The length of the hypotenuse is 5 + 7 = 5 + 7 = 12 = 2 3. The length of the
√
median to the hypotenuse is half the length of the hypotenuse, or 3 cm .

15.4. Find the sum of the numerator and the denominator when the repeating decimal 0.212121 · · · is
written as a fraction in lowest terms?

Solution. Let S = 0.212121 · · · . Then 100S = 21.212121 · · · . Subtracting these two equations, we get
21 7
99S = 21 =⇒ S = = , so that the sum of the numerator and denominator is 7 + 33 = 40 .
99 33
15.5. Let A and B be two distinct points on a circle. If major arc AB is 40◦ more than minor arc AB, find
the measure of major arc AB.

Solution. Let m be the measure of minor arc AB, and M be the measure of major arc AB. We have
m + M = 360◦ and M = m + 40◦ . Solving these two equations, we get

m + M = m + (m + 40◦ ) = 2m + 40◦ = 360◦ =⇒ 2m = 320◦ =⇒ m = 160◦

Therefore, the measure of major arc AB is M = m + 40◦ = 160◦ + 40◦ = 200◦ .

∗
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1
15.6. Set A has 4 elements and is a subset of B which has 2022 elements. How many sets S are possible
if A is a subset of S, and S is a subset of B?

Solution. Since A ⊆ B, we have A ∪ B = B and A ∩ B = B. By inclusion-exclusion principle,

n(A ∪ B) = n(A) + n(B − A) =⇒ n(B − A) = n(A ∪ B = B) − n(A) = 2022 − 4 = 2018

Since A ⊆ S and S ⊆ B, then S contains all the 4 elements of A, but may or may not contain any
or all of the 2018 elements of B that are not in A. Therefore, the number of possible sets S
       
2018 2018 2018 2018
+ + + ··· + = (1 + 1)2018 = 22018
0 1 2 2018

15.7. Find the measure in degrees of the smaller angle formed by the hands of a clock at 9:20.

Solution. At 9:00, the angle measure from the minute hand to the hour hand, measured clockwise, is
9 × 30◦ = 270◦ . The minute hand moves 20 minute spaces towards the hour hand (which tends to
20
make the angle smaller), while at the same time, the hour hand moves minute spaces away from
12
the minute hand (which tends to make the angle larger). Since one minute space is equivalent to 6◦ ,
the angle measure at 9:20 is
20
θ = 270◦ − 20 × 6◦ + × 6◦ = 270◦ − 120◦ + 10◦ = 160◦ < 180◦
12

15.8. Find the 4th term of an arithmetic sequence whose first 3 terms are x + 3, 2018, and x + 13.

Solution. Here, a1 = x + 3 and a3 = a1 + 2d = x + 13. Subtracting the two equations gives 2d = 10.
Since a2 = 2018, we have a4 = a2 + 2d = 2018 + 10 = 2028 .

15.9. An ant on the plane is traveling from (0, 0) to (5, 3) and in each move it can only go 1 unit up or 1
unit to the right, at each time. How many distinct paths of 1 moves can the ant possibly take?

Solution. Notice that there are 5 units going to the right (R) and 3 units going upward (U ). The problem
is therefore equivalent to the number of ways to arrange five R’s and three U ’s in a row. The number
(5 + 3)! 8! 8 · 7 · 6 · 5!
of ways is = = = 56 .
5!3! 5!3! 5! · 3 · 2 · 1
15.10. The sum of two numbers is 1 and their product is 2. Find the sum of their cubes.

Solution 1. A straightforward solution to this problem uses the fact that if a+b+c = 0, then a3 +b3 +c3 =
3abc. Let a, b be the two numbers, so that a + b = 1 and ab = 2. Letting c = −1, we have

a + b − 1 = 0 =⇒ a3 + b3 − 1 = 3ab(−1) = 3(2)(−1) = −6 =⇒ a3 + b3 = −6 + 1 = −5

Solution 2. The usual solution, on the other hand, is by factoring a3 + b3 and then completing the squares.
We have

a3 + b3 = (a + b)(a2 − ab + b2 ) = (a + b)((a2 + 2ab + b2 ) − 3ab) = (a + b)((a + b)2 − 3ab)

from which a3 + b3 = (1)(12 − 3(2)) = −5 .

2
Average
3 points, 30 seconds. Contestants can start solving as soon as the quizmaster starts reading the questions.

30.1. The 3rd, 6th, and 10th terms of an arithmetic sequence form a geometric sequence. Find the common
ratio.

Solution. We express everything in terms of a6 , the 6th term of the arithmetic sequence. We have a3 =
a6 − 3d and a10 = a6 + 4d. Since a3 , a6 , a10 forms a geometric sequence, we get
a6 a10 a6 a6 + 4d
= =⇒ = =⇒ a26 = a26 + a6 d − 12d2 =⇒ a6 d − 12d2 = d(a6 − 12d) = 0
a3 a6 a6 − 3d a6
a6 a6
from which we have two cases to consider. If d = 0, then r = = = 1. If a6 = 12d, then
a6 − 3d a6
a6 12d 4 4
r= = = . Therefore, the common ratio is either 1 or .
a6 − 3d 12d − 3d 3 3
30.2. Find the number of positive integers less than 500000 which contain the block 678, with the 3 digits
appearing consecutively and in this order.

Solution. Clearly, the case 678abc > 500000 is not possible. We now consider the case a678bc. For it to be
less than 500000, we must take a from any of the five digits {0, 1, 2, 3, 4}. Now, b, c can take any of
the ten digits, giving a total of 5 · 10 · 10 = 500 positive integers for this case. Similarly, there are 500
positive integers each of the form ab678c and abc678. All in all, there are 500 + 500 + 500 = 1500
such positive integers.
4 4
30.3. Solve for x in the equation x2 + 2
=9+ .
x 9
Solution. Isolate everything on the left-hand side, and then factor completely.

4(x2 − 9)
 
2 4 4 2 4 4 2 2 4
x + 2 = 9 + =⇒ x − 9 − + 2 = (x − 9) − = (x − 9) 1 − 2 = 0
x 9 9 x 9x2 9x

4 4 2
Therefore, x2 −9 = (x−3)(x+3) = 0 gives x = ±3 , while 1 − 2
= 0 =⇒ x2 = gives x= ± .
9x 9 3
30.4. Find the cosine of the smallest acute angle of the triangle whose sides have lengths 4, 5, and 6.

Solution. The smallest angle is opposite the shortest side, which is 4 in this case. This angle is the included
angle of the sides 5 and 6. Therefore, by law of cosines,

52 + 62 − 42 25 + 36 − 16 45 3
cos θmin = = = =
2(5)(6) 60 60 4

30.5. How many ordered quadruples (a, b, c, d) of nonnegative integers are there such that a+b+c+d = 10?

Solution 1. Since a, b, c, d > 0, this is a direct application of balls and urns method. We have B = 10 balls
and U = 4 urns {a, b, c, d}. Therefore the number of ways is
     
B+U −1 10 + 4 − 1 13 13 · 12 · 11
= = = = 286
B 10 10 3·2·1

3
Difficult
5 points, 60 seconds. Contestants can start solving as soon as they receive copies of the questions.

60.1. Find the sum of two positive integers if their quotient, sum, and product are in the ratio 1:6:16.

Solution. Let p and q be these two numbers. Mathematically, the problem asks to find the values of
p, q ∈ Z+ such that
p
: (p + q) : pq = 1 : 6 : 16
q
The first and third terms gives

p/q 1 1
= 2 = =⇒ q 2 = 16 =⇒ q = ±4
pq q 16

(Note that cancelling p in this case is valid, since p > 0). We only take the positive value, so that
q = 4. Now, the second and third terms gives
p+q p+4 6 3
= = = =⇒ 8p + 32 = 12p =⇒ −4p = −32 =⇒ p = 8
pq 4p 16 8

Therefore, p + q = 12 .

60.2. A polynomial has remainder 20 when divided by x − 18, and remainder 18 when divided by x − 20.
Find the remainder when the polynomial is divided by (x − 18)(x − 20).

Solution. Let P (x) be the polynomial, and Q(x) and R(x) be the remainder when P (x) is divided by
(x − 18)(x − 20). Since the divisor (x − 18)(x − 20) is quadratic (2nd degree), the remainder R(x)
is at most linear (1st degree), so we let R(x) = ax + b, a, b ∈ R. By division algorithm,

P (x) = (x − 18)(x − 20)Q(x) + ax + b

By remainder theorem, we have P (18) = 20 and P (20) = 18, so that

P (18) = (18 − 18)(18 − 20)Q(18) + a(18) + b = 18a + b = 20

P (20) = (20 − 18)(20 − 20)Q(20) + a(20) + b = 20a + b = 18

Subtracting the two equations gives −2a = 2 or a = −1. From the first equation, we have b =
20 − 18a = 20 − 18(−1) = 38. Therefore the remainder is ax + b = −x + 38 .

60.3. 4ABC has sides AB = 6 and BC = CA = 9. Point P is chosen on side BC such that AP = 6.
Find BP : CP .

Solution. Both 4P AB and 4ACB are isosceles triangles, with ∠AP B ∼

= ∠ABP and ∠CBA ∼
= ∠CAB.
∼ ∼
Clearly, ∠CBA = ∠ABP by reflexivity. Therefore, ∠AP B = ∠CAB, and so 4AP B ∼ 4CAB by
AA similarity theorem. It follows that
AB PB 6 PB
= =⇒ = =⇒ P B = 4
CB AB 9 6

whence CP = BC − P B = 9 − 4 = 5, and thus BP : CP = 4 : 5 .

S2n
60.4. Let Sk denote the sum of the first k terms of an arithmetic series. If = 3 for some integer n,
Sn
S5n
find .
S3n

4
Solution. The sum of the first k terms of an arithmetic sequence, given the first term a1 and common
k
difference d is Sk = [2a1 + (k − 1)d]. From the first given, we obtain
2
S2n = 3Sn
2n n
[2a1 + (2n − 1)d] = 3 · [2a1 + (n − 1)d]

2
2

4a1 + (4n − 2)d = 6a1 + (3n − 3)d
−2a1 = (−n − 1)d
2a1 = (n + 1)d

Therefore, the second given, we now have

5n
S5n [2a1 + (5n − 1)d] 5[(n + 1)d + (5n − 1)d] 5(6nd) 5
= 2 = = =
S3n 3n 3[(n + 1)d + (3n − 1)d] 3(4nd) 2
[2a1 + (3n − 1)d]
2

60.5. A sequence a1 , a2 , a3 , · · · satisfies the property that an+1 is the average of the first n terms if n > 2.
If a1 = 1 and a2018 = 2018, find a2 .

Solution. We first proceed by searching for patterns. We have

a1 + a2 1 + a2
a3 = =
2 2
1 + a2 3(1 + a2 )
a1 + a2 + a3 1 + a2 + 1 + a2
a4 = = 2 = 2 =
3 3 3 2
1 + a2 1 + a2
a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 1 + a2 + + 2(1 + a2 ) 1 + a2
a5 = = 2 2 = =
4 4 4 2
1 + a2
From this, we can conjecture that ak = for all k > 3. We now prove this by induction on k.
2
1 + a2
The base case k = 3 is true from our pattern-searching a while ago. Now, assuming ak = , we
2
1 + a2
will now show that ak+1 = . We have
2
k
X k−1
X
aj ak + aj
j=1 j=1 ak + (k − 1)ak kak 1 + a2
ak+1 = = = = = ak =
k k k k 2
1 + a2
Indeed, ak = for all k > 3. Therefore
2
1 + a2
a2018 = 2018 = =⇒ a2 = 2(2018) − 1 = 4035
2