Difference between revisions of "2010 AMC 10B Problems/Problem 21"

(Another Solution)
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<math>a_3 \cdot 10^3 + a_2 \cdot 10^2 + a_1 \cdot 10 + a_0</math>. But because the number is a palindrome, <math>a_3 = a_0, a_2 = a_1</math>. Recombining this yields <math>1001a_3 + 110a_2</math>. 1001 is divisible by 7, which means that as long as <math>a_2 = 0</math>, the palindrome will be divisible by 7. This yields 9 palindromes out of 90 (<math>9 \cdot 10</math>) possibilities for palindromes. However, if <math>a_2 = 7</math>, then this gives another case in which the palindrome is divisible by 7. This adds another 9 palindromes to the list, bringing our total to <math>\frac{18}{90}=\boxed{\textbf{(E)}\ \frac15}</math>
 
<math>a_3 \cdot 10^3 + a_2 \cdot 10^2 + a_1 \cdot 10 + a_0</math>. But because the number is a palindrome, <math>a_3 = a_0, a_2 = a_1</math>. Recombining this yields <math>1001a_3 + 110a_2</math>. 1001 is divisible by 7, which means that as long as <math>a_2 = 0</math>, the palindrome will be divisible by 7. This yields 9 palindromes out of 90 (<math>9 \cdot 10</math>) possibilities for palindromes. However, if <math>a_2 = 7</math>, then this gives another case in which the palindrome is divisible by 7. This adds another 9 palindromes to the list, bringing our total to <math>\frac{18}{90}=\boxed{\textbf{(E)}\ \frac15}</math>
  
==Another Solution ==  
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==Solution #1 ==  
  
 
It is known that the palindromes can be expressed as: <math>1000x+100y+10y+x </math> (as it is a four digit palindrome it must be of the form <math>xyyx</math> , where x and y are positive integers from [0,9].  
 
It is known that the palindromes can be expressed as: <math>1000x+100y+10y+x </math> (as it is a four digit palindrome it must be of the form <math>xyyx</math> , where x and y are positive integers from [0,9].  

Revision as of 22:40, 21 January 2014

Problem 21

A palindrome between $1000$ and $10,000$ is chosen at random. What is the probability that it is divisible by $7$?

$\textbf{(A)}\ \dfrac{1}{10} \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ \dfrac{1}{9} \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ \dfrac{1}{7} \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ \dfrac{1}{6} \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \dfrac{1}{5}$

Solution

View the palindrome as some number with form (decimal representation): $a_3 \cdot 10^3 + a_2 \cdot 10^2 + a_1 \cdot 10 + a_0$. But because the number is a palindrome, $a_3 = a_0, a_2 = a_1$. Recombining this yields $1001a_3 + 110a_2$. 1001 is divisible by 7, which means that as long as $a_2 = 0$, the palindrome will be divisible by 7. This yields 9 palindromes out of 90 ($9 \cdot 10$) possibilities for palindromes. However, if $a_2 = 7$, then this gives another case in which the palindrome is divisible by 7. This adds another 9 palindromes to the list, bringing our total to $\frac{18}{90}=\boxed{\textbf{(E)}\ \frac15}$

Solution #1

It is known that the palindromes can be expressed as: $1000x+100y+10y+x$ (as it is a four digit palindrome it must be of the form $xyyx$ , where x and y are positive integers from [0,9]. Using the divisibility rules of 7, $100x+10y+y-2x$ = $98x+11y \equiv 0 \pmod 7$

The $98x$ is now irrelelvant

Thus we solve:

$11y \equiv 0 \pmod 7$

Which has two solutions: $0$ and $7$

There are thus, two options for $y$ out of the 10, so $2/10 = \boxed{\textbf{(E)}\ \frac15}$

See also

2010 AMC 10B (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 20
Followed by
Problem 22
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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