2017 AMC 8 Problems/Problem 5

Problem

What is the value of the expression $\frac{1 \cdot 2 \cdot 3 \cdot 4 \cdot 5 \cdot 6 \cdot 7 \cdot 8}{1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8}$?

$\textbf{(A) }1020\qquad\textbf{(B) }1120\qquad\textbf{(C) }1220\qquad\textbf{(D) }2240\qquad\textbf{(E) }3360$

Solution 1

Directly calculating:

We evaluate both the top and bottom: $\frac{40320}{36}$. This simplifies to $\boxed{\textbf{(B)}\ 1120}$.

Solution 2

It is well known that the sum of all numbers from $1$ to $n$ is $\frac{n(n+1)}{2}$. Therefore, the denominator is equal to $\frac{8 \cdot 9}{2} = 4 \cdot 9 = 2 \cdot 3 \cdot 6$. Now, we can cancel the factors of $2$, $3$, and $6$ from both the numerator and denominator, only leaving $8 \cdot 7 \cdot 5 \cdot 4 \cdot 1$. This evaluates to $\boxed{\textbf{(B)}\ 1120}$.

Solution 3

First, we evaluate $1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8$ to get 36. We notice that $36$ is $6$ squared, so we can factor the denominator like $\frac{1 \cdot 2 \cdot 3 \cdot 4 \cdot 5 \cdot 6 \cdot 7 \cdot 8}{6 \cdot 6}$ then cancel the 6s out to get $\frac{4 \cdot 5 \cdot 7 \cdot 8}{1}$. Now that we have escaped fraction form, we multiply $4 \cdot 5 \cdot 7 \cdot 8$. Multiplying these, we get $\boxed{\textbf{(B)}\ 1120}$.

~megaboy6679 for minor edits

Video Solution (CREATIVE THINKING!!!)

https://youtu.be/O5thBbTXpeY

~Education, the Study of Everything

Video Solution

https://youtu.be/cY4NYSAD0vQ

https://youtu.be/tGa0YTskTsw

~savannahsolver

Video Solution by OmegaLearn

https://youtu.be/TkZvMa30Juo?t=3529

~pi_is_3.14

See Also

2017 AMC 8 (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 4
Followed by
Problem 6
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All AJHSME/AMC 8 Problems and Solutions

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