Difference between revisions of "1981 AHSME Problems/Problem 22"
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# Set <math>a/b/c</math> to <math>1</math>. This forces us to set the corresponding <math>i/j/k</math> to <math>1</math>. | # Set <math>a/b/c</math> to <math>1</math>. This forces us to set the corresponding <math>i/j/k</math> to <math>1</math>. | ||
# Set <math>a/b/c</math> to <math>-1</math>. This forces us to set the corresponding <math>i/j/k</math> to <math>4</math>. | # Set <math>a/b/c</math> to <math>-1</math>. This forces us to set the corresponding <math>i/j/k</math> to <math>4</math>. | ||
− | Note that options 2 and 3 will give us the same | + | Note that options 2 and 3 will give us the same points if we mirror the assignments of each coordinate. Also note that we cannot set all three coordinates to not change, as that would be a point. |
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All of this gives us <math>6</math> ways to assign each coordinate, for a total of <math>216</math>. We then must subtract the ways to get a point (<math>4</math> ways per coordinate, for a total of <math>64</math>). This leaves us with <math>152</math>. Finally, we divide by <math>2</math> to account for mirror assignments giving us the same coordinate, for a final answer of <math>76</math>. | All of this gives us <math>6</math> ways to assign each coordinate, for a total of <math>216</math>. We then must subtract the ways to get a point (<math>4</math> ways per coordinate, for a total of <math>64</math>). This leaves us with <math>152</math>. Finally, we divide by <math>2</math> to account for mirror assignments giving us the same coordinate, for a final answer of <math>76</math>. | ||
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(This was my first solution, apologies if it is bad). | (This was my first solution, apologies if it is bad). |
Latest revision as of 19:46, 9 September 2024
Problem
How many lines in a three dimensional rectangular coordinate system pass through four distinct points of the form , where , , and are positive integers not exceeding four?
Solution 1(casework)
Restating the problem, we seek all the lines that will pass through (, , ), (, , ), (, , ), and (, , ), such that are positive integers, are integers, and all of our points are between 1 and 4, inclusive. With this constraint in mind, we realize that for each coordinate, we have three choices:
- Set to . This then allows us to set the corresponding to any number from to , inclusive.
- Set to . This forces us to set the corresponding to .
- Set to . This forces us to set the corresponding to .
Note that options 2 and 3 will give us the same points if we mirror the assignments of each coordinate. Also note that we cannot set all three coordinates to not change, as that would be a point.
All of this gives us ways to assign each coordinate, for a total of . We then must subtract the ways to get a point ( ways per coordinate, for a total of ). This leaves us with . Finally, we divide by to account for mirror assignments giving us the same coordinate, for a final answer of .
(This was my first solution, apologies if it is bad).