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2023 AMC 10A Problems/Problem 12

Problem

How many three-digit positive integers $N$ satisfy the following properties?

  • The number $N$ is divisible by $7$.
  • The number formed by reversing the digits of $N$ is divisible by $5$.

$\textbf{(A) } 13 \qquad \textbf{(B) } 14 \qquad \textbf{(C) } 15 \qquad \textbf{(D) } 16 \qquad \textbf{(E) } 17$

Solution 1

Multiples of $5$ will always end in $0$ or $5$, and since the numbers have to be a three-digit numbers (otherwise it would be a two-digit number), it cannot start with 0, narrowing our choices to 3-digit numbers starting with $5$. Since the numbers must be divisible by 7, all possibilities have to be in the range from $7 \cdot 72$ to $7 \cdot 85$ inclusive.

$85 - 72 + 1 = 14$. $\boxed{\textbf{(B) } 14}$.

~walmartbrian ~Shontai ~andliu766 ~andyluo ~ESAOPS

Solution 2 (solution 1 but more thorough)

Let $N=\overline{cab}=100c+10a+b.$ We know that $\overline{bac}$ is divisible by $5$, so $c$ is either $0$ or $5$. However, since $c$ is the first digit of the three-digit number $N$, it can not be $0$, so therefore, $c=5$. Thus, $N=\overline{5ab}=500+10a+b.$ There are no further restrictions on digits $a$ and $b$ aside from $N$ being divisible by $7$.

The smallest possible $N$ is $504$. The next smallest $N$ is $511$, then $518$, and so on, all the way up to $595$. Thus, our set of possible $N$ is $\{504,511,518,\dots,595\}$. Dividing by $7$ for each of the terms will not affect the cardinality of this set, so we do so and get $\{72,73,74,\dots,85\}$. We subtract $71$ from each of the terms, again leaving the cardinality unchanged. We end up with $\{1,2,3,\cdots,14\}$, which has a cardinality of $14$. Therefore, our answer is $\boxed{\textbf{(B) } 14.}$

~ Technodoggo

Solution 3 (modular arithmetic)

We first proceed as in the above solution, up to $N=500+10a+b$. We then use modular arithmetic:

\begin{align*} 0&\equiv N \:(\text{mod }7)\\ &\equiv500+10a+b\:(\text{mod }7)\\ &\equiv3+3a+b\:(\text{mod }7)\\ 3a+b&\equiv-3\:(\text{mod }7)\\ &\equiv4\:(\text{mod }7)\\ \end{align*}

We know that $0\le a,b<10$. We then look at each possible value of $a$:

If $a=0$, then $b$ must be $4$.

If $a=1$, then $b$ must be $1$ or $8$.

If $a=2$, then $b$ must be $5$.

If $a=3$, then $b$ must be $2$ or $9$.

If $a=4$, then $b$ must be $6$.

If $a=5$, then $b$ must be $3$.

If $a=6$, then $b$ must be $0$ or $7$.

If $a=7$, then $b$ must be $4$.

If $a=8$, then $b$ must be $1$ or $8$.

If $a=9$, then $b$ must be $5$.

Each of these cases are unique, so there are a total of $1+2+1+2+1+1+2+1+2+1=\boxed{\textbf{(B) } 14.}$

~ Technodoggo

Solution 4

The key point is that when reversed, the number must start with a $0$ or a $5$ based on the second restriction. But numbers can't start with a $0$.

So the problem is simply counting the number of multiples of $7$ in the $500$s.

$7 \times 72 = 504$, so the first multiple is $7 \times 72$.

$7 \times 85 = 595$, so the last multiple is $7 \times 85$.

Now, we just have to count $7\times 72, 7\times 73, 7\times 74,\cdots, 7\times 85$.

We have a set that numbers $85-71=\boxed{\textbf{(B) 14}}$

~Dilip ~boppitybop ~ESAOPS (LaTeX)

Video Solution

https://youtu.be/UYHCNlRDZBo

~Steven Chen (Professor Chen Education Palace, www.professorchenedu.com)

Video Solution by CosineMethod [🔥Fast and Easy🔥]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qWMFzq7Tfs

Video Solution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uKo5NR2o9Y

-paixiao

Video Solution by Math-X (First understand the problem!!!)

https://youtu.be/N2lyYRMuZuk?si=6B-mTB070UP2yuDF&t=435

~Math-X

Video Solution by Power Solve (easy to digest!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg6JUanYNJY

Note

According to the official answer key, choice (B) is correct. However, some have argued that it is ambiguous whether the number $560$ should be included in the count, since its reversal, $065$, has a leading zero. It is assumed that $065$ denotes the two-digit number $65$, which is divisible by $5$, but MAA should have clarified what happens when a number with trailing zeros is reversed.

~A_MatheMagician ~ESAOPS ~sdpandit

See Also

2023 AMC 10A (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 11 		Followed by
Problem 13
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25
All AMC 10 Problems and Solutions

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