# 1996 AIME Problems/Problem 1

## Problem

In a magic square, the sum of the three entries in any row, column, or diagonal is the same value. The figure shows four of the entries of a magic square. Find $x$.

## Solution

Let's make a table.

$$\begin{array}{|c|c|c|} \multicolumn{3}{c}{\text{Table}}\\\hline x&19&96\\\hline 1&a&b\\\hline c&d&e\\\hline \end{array}$$

$\begin{eqnarray*} x+19+96=x+1+c\Rightarrow c=19+96-1=114,\\ 114+96+a=x+1+114\Rightarrow a=x-95 \end{eqnarray*}$

$$\begin{array}{|c|c|c|} \multicolumn{3}{c}{\text{Table in progress}}\\\hline x&19&96\\\hline 1&x-95&b\\\hline 114&d&e\\\hline \end{array}$$

$\begin{eqnarray*}19+x-95+d=x+d-76=115+x\Rightarrow d=191,\\ 114+191+e=x+115\Rightarrow e=x-190 \end{eqnarray*}$ $$\begin{array}{|c|c|c|} \multicolumn{3}{c}{\text{Table in progress}}\\\hline x&19&96\\\hline 1&x-95&b\\\hline 114&191&x-190\\\hline \end{array}$$

$$3x-285=x+115\Rightarrow 2x=400\Rightarrow x=\boxed{200}$$

## Solution 2

Use the table from above. Obviously $c = 114$. Hence $a+e = 115$. Similarly, $1+a = 96 + e \Rightarrow a = 95+e$.

Substitute that into the first to get $2e = 20 \Rightarrow e=10$, so $a=105$, and so the value of $x$ is just $115+x = 210 + 105 \Rightarrow x = \boxed{200}$

## Solution 3

$$\begin{array}{|c|c|c|} \multicolumn{3}{c}{\text{Table}}\\\hline x&19&96\\\hline 1&a&b\\\hline c&d&e\\\hline \end{array}$$ The formula $$e=\frac{1+19}{2}$$ can be used. Therefore, $e=10$. Similarly, $$96=\frac{1+d}{2}$$ So $d=191$.

Now we have this table: $$\begin{array}{|c|c|c|} \multicolumn{3}{c}{\text{Table}}\\\hline x&19&96\\\hline 1&a&b\\\hline c&191&10\\\hline \end{array}$$ By property of magic squares, observe that $$x+a+10=19+a+191$$ The $a$'s cancel! We now have $$x+10=19+191$$ Thus $x=\boxed{200}.$

## See also

 1996 AIME (Problems • Answer Key • Resources) Preceded byFirst Problem Followed byProblem 2 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 All AIME Problems and Solutions

The problems on this page are copyrighted by the Mathematical Association of America's American Mathematics Competitions.

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