Difference between revisions of "2019 AMC 10A Problems/Problem 18"

Revision as of 00:21, 27 February 2019

The following problem is from both the 2019 AMC 10A #18 and 2019 AMC 12A #11, so both problems redirect to this page.

Problem

For some positive integer $k$ , the repeating base- $k$ representation of the (base-ten) fraction $\frac{7}{51}$ is $0.\overline{23}_k = 0.232323..._k$ . What is $k$ ?

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

Solution 1

We can expand the fraction $0.\overline{23}_k$ as follows: $0.\overline{23}_k = 2\cdot k^{-1} + 3 \cdot k^{-2} + 2 \cdot k^{-3} + 3 \cdot k^{-4} + ...$ Notice that this is equivalent to $2( k^{-1} + k^{-3} + k^{-5} + ... ) + 3 (k^{-2} + k^{-4} + k^{-6} + ... )$

By summing the geometric series and simplifying, we have $\frac{2k+3}{k^2-1} = \frac{7}{51}$ . Solving this quadratic equation (or simply testing the answer choices) yields the answer $k = \boxed{\textbf{(D) }16}$ .

Solution 2

Let $a = 0.2323\dots_k$ . Therefore, $k^2a=23.2323\dots_k$ .

From this, we see that $k^2a-a=23_k$ , so $a = \frac{23_k}{k^2-1} = \frac{2k+3}{k^2-1} = \frac{7}{51}$ .

Now, similar to in Solution 1, we can either test if $2k+3$ is a multiple of 7 with the answer choices, or actually solve the quadratic, so that the answer is $\boxed{\textbf{(D) }16}$ .

Solution 3 (bash)

We can simply plug in all the answer choices as values of $k$ , and see which one works. After lengthy calculations, this eventually gives us $\boxed{\textbf{(D) }16}$ as the answer.

Solution 4

Just as in Solution 1, we arrive at the equation $\frac{2k+3}{k^2-1}=\frac{7}{51}$ .

We can now rewrite this as $\frac{2k+3}{(k-1)(k+1)}=\frac{7}{51}=\frac{7}{3\cdot 17}$ . Notice that $2k+3=2(k+1)+1=2(k-1)+5$ . As $17$ is a prime, we therefore must have that one of $k-1$ and $k+1$ is divisible by $17$ . Now, checking each of the answer choices, this gives $\boxed{\textbf{(D) }16}$ .

Video Solution

For those who want a video solution : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFfRJolhwN0

2019 AMC 10A (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by Problem 17	Followed by Problem 19
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

2019 AMC 12A (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by Problem 10	Followed by Problem 12
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 12 Problems and Solutions

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

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 ==Solution 1==
-We can expand the fraction <math>0.\overline{23}_k</math> as follows: <math>0.\overline{23}_k = 2\cdot k^{-1} + 3 \cdot k^{-2} + 2 \cdot k^{-3} + 3 \cdot k^{-4} + ...</math>. Notice that this is equivalent to
+We can expand the fraction <math>0.\overline{23}_k</math> as follows: <math>0.\overline{23}_k = 2\cdot k^{-1} + 3 \cdot k^{-2} + 2 \cdot k^{-3} + 3 \cdot k^{-4} + ...</math> Notice that this is equivalent to
 <cmath>2( k^{-1} + k^{-3} + k^{-5} + ... ) + 3 (k^{-2} + k^{-4} + k^{-6} + ... )</cmath>
-By summing the infinite series and simplifying, we have <math>\frac{2k+3}{k^2-1} = \frac{7}{51}</math>. Solving this quadratic equation or testing the answer choices yields the answer <math>k = \boxed{\textbf{(D) }16}.</math>
+By summing the geometric series and simplifying, we have <math>\frac{2k+3}{k^2-1} = \frac{7}{51}</math>. Solving this quadratic equation (or simply testing the answer choices) yields the answer <math>k = \boxed{\textbf{(D) }16}</math>.
 ==Solution 2==
@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 Let <math>a = 0.2323\dots_k</math>. Therefore, <math>k^2a=23.2323\dots_k</math>.
-From this, we see that <math>k^2a-a=23_k</math>.
+From this, we see that <math>k^2a-a=23_k</math>, so <math>a = \frac{23_k}{k^2-1} = \frac{2k+3}{k^2-1} = \frac{7}{51}</math>.
-Solving for a:
+Now, similar to in Solution 1, we can either test if <math>2k+3</math> is a multiple of 7 with the answer choices, or actually solve the quadratic, so that the answer is <math>\boxed{\textbf{(D) }16}</math>.
-<math>a = \frac{23_k}{k^2-1} = \frac{2k+3}{k^2-1} = \frac{7}{51}</math>
+==Solution 3 (bash)==
+We can simply plug in all the answer choices as values of <math>k</math>, and see which one works. After lengthy calculations, this eventually gives us <math>\boxed{\textbf{(D) }16}</math> as the answer.
-Similar to Solution 1, testing if <math>2k+3</math> is a multiple of 7 with the answer choices or solving the quadratic yields <math>k=16</math>, so the answer is <math>\boxed{D}</math>.
+==Solution 4==
+Just as in Solution 1, we arrive at the equation <math>\frac{2k+3}{k^2-1}=\frac{7}{51}</math>.
-==Solution 3 (extremely rigorous)==
+We can now rewrite this as <math>\frac{2k+3}{(k-1)(k+1)}=\frac{7}{51}=\frac{7}{3\cdot 17}</math>. Notice that <math>2k+3=2(k+1)+1=2(k-1)+5</math>. As <math>17</math> is a prime, we therefore must have that one of <math>k-1</math> and <math>k+1</math> is divisible by <math>17</math>. Now, checking each of the answer choices, this gives <math>\boxed{\textbf{(D) }16}</math>.
-Plug in the values of k and bash.  This gives us <math>\boxed{D}</math>.
-==Solution 4==
-Similar to Solution 1, we arrive at <math>\frac{2k+3}{k^2-1}=\frac{7}{51}</math>. We can rewrite this as <math>\frac{2k+3}{(k-1)(k+1)}=\frac{7}{51}=\frac{7}{3\cdot 17}</math>. Notice that <math>2k+3=2(k+1)+1=2(k-1)+5</math>. As <math>17</math> is a prime, we have that one of <math>k-1</math> and <math>k+1</math> is divisible by <math>17</math>. Looking at the answer choices, this gives <math>\boxed{\textbf{(D) }16}</math>.
 ==Video Solution==

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