Difference between revisions of "2024 AMC 10A Problems/Problem 20"

(Solution 1)
(Solution 1)
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By listing out the smallest possible elements of subset <math>S,</math> we can find that subset <math>S</math> starts with <math>\{1, 4, 8, 11, 14, 18, 21, 24, 28, 31, \dots\}.</math> It is easily noticed that the elements of the subset "loop around" every 3 elements, specifically adding 10 each time. This means that there will be <math>2024/10</math> or <math>202R4</math> whole loops in the subset <math>S,</math> implying that there will be <math>202*3 = 606</math> elements in S. However, we have undercounted, as we did not count the remainder that resulted from <math>2024/10</math><math>.</math> With a remainder of <math>4,</math> we can fit <math>2</math> more elements into the subset <math>S,</math> namely <math>2021</math> and <math>2024,</math> resulting in a total of <math>606+2</math> or <math>\boxed{\textbf{(C) }608}</math> elements in subset <math>S</math>.
 
By listing out the smallest possible elements of subset <math>S,</math> we can find that subset <math>S</math> starts with <math>\{1, 4, 8, 11, 14, 18, 21, 24, 28, 31, \dots\}.</math> It is easily noticed that the elements of the subset "loop around" every 3 elements, specifically adding 10 each time. This means that there will be <math>2024/10</math> or <math>202R4</math> whole loops in the subset <math>S,</math> implying that there will be <math>202*3 = 606</math> elements in S. However, we have undercounted, as we did not count the remainder that resulted from <math>2024/10</math><math>.</math> With a remainder of <math>4,</math> we can fit <math>2</math> more elements into the subset <math>S,</math> namely <math>2021</math> and <math>2024,</math> resulting in a total of <math>606+2</math> or <math>\boxed{\textbf{(C) }608}</math> elements in subset <math>S</math>.
  
<math>-weihou0
 
  
 
NOTE:
 
NOTE:
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To prove that this is the best we can do, consider adding each element one by one, for the first element, say n. If n is greater than 2, we can choose n - 2 which is always better. Therefore, n = 1 or n = 2.  
 
To prove that this is the best we can do, consider adding each element one by one, for the first element, say n. If n is greater than 2, we can choose n - 2 which is always better. Therefore, n = 1 or n = 2.  
  
If n = 2 was optimal, then choose it, then the set of usable numbers in </math>S<math> becomes 5 through 2024. We can transform the usable set of </math>S<math> to </math>Q<math> where </math>Q<math> contains the numbers 1 through 2020. Because we assumed n = 2 was optimal, we can choose n = 2 for the set </math>Q<math> too. Because every element in </math>Q<math> is 4 below the elements of </math>S<math>, choosing 2 in </math>Q<math> would mean choosing 6 in set </math>S$. By induction we see that our list would be {2,6,10,14,18,.....2022} which only gives 506 elements which is sub-optimal. Therefore, we can conclude that n = 1 is optimal, and we proceed as the solution above..
+
If n = 2 was optimal, then choose it, then the set of usable numbers in <math>S</math> becomes 5 through 2024. We can transform the usable set of <math>S</math> to <math>Q</math> where <math>Q</math> contains the numbers 1 through 2020. Because we assumed n = 2 was optimal, we can choose n = 2 for the set <math>Q</math> too. Because every element in <math>Q</math> is 4 below the elements of <math>S</math>, choosing 2 in <math>Q</math> would mean choosing 6 in set <math>S</math>. By induction we see that our list would be {2,6,10,14,18,.....2022} which only gives 506 elements which is sub-optimal. Therefore, we can conclude that n = 1 is optimal, and we proceed as the solution above.
 +
 
 +
$-weihou0
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
 
{{AMC10 box|year=2024|ab=A|num-b=19|num-a=21}}
 
{{AMC10 box|year=2024|ab=A|num-b=19|num-a=21}}
 
{{MAA Notice}}
 
{{MAA Notice}}

Revision as of 21:41, 8 November 2024

Problem

Let $S$ be a subset of $\{1, 2, 3, \dots, 2024\}$ such that the following two conditions hold: - If $x$ and $y$ are distinct elements of $S$, then $|x-y| > 2$ - If $x$ and $y$ are distinct odd elements of $S$, then $|x-y| > 6$. What is the maximum possible number of elements in $S$?

$\textbf{(A) }436 \qquad \textbf{(B) }506 \qquad \textbf{(C) }608 \qquad \textbf{(D) }654 \qquad \textbf{(E) }675 \qquad$

Solution 1

All lists are organized in ascending order:

By listing out the smallest possible elements of subset $S,$ we can find that subset $S$ starts with $\{1, 4, 8, 11, 14, 18, 21, 24, 28, 31, \dots\}.$ It is easily noticed that the elements of the subset "loop around" every 3 elements, specifically adding 10 each time. This means that there will be $2024/10$ or $202R4$ whole loops in the subset $S,$ implying that there will be $202*3 = 606$ elements in S. However, we have undercounted, as we did not count the remainder that resulted from $2024/10$$.$ With a remainder of $4,$ we can fit $2$ more elements into the subset $S,$ namely $2021$ and $2024,$ resulting in a total of $606+2$ or $\boxed{\textbf{(C) }608}$ elements in subset $S$.


NOTE:

To prove that this is the best we can do, consider adding each element one by one, for the first element, say n. If n is greater than 2, we can choose n - 2 which is always better. Therefore, n = 1 or n = 2.

If n = 2 was optimal, then choose it, then the set of usable numbers in $S$ becomes 5 through 2024. We can transform the usable set of $S$ to $Q$ where $Q$ contains the numbers 1 through 2020. Because we assumed n = 2 was optimal, we can choose n = 2 for the set $Q$ too. Because every element in $Q$ is 4 below the elements of $S$, choosing 2 in $Q$ would mean choosing 6 in set $S$. By induction we see that our list would be {2,6,10,14,18,.....2022} which only gives 506 elements which is sub-optimal. Therefore, we can conclude that n = 1 is optimal, and we proceed as the solution above.

$-weihou0

See also

2024 AMC 10A (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 19
Followed by
Problem 21
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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