Difference between revisions of "2011 AIME II Problems/Problem 3"
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− | Problem | + | == Problem 3 == |
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The degree measures of the angles in a convex 18-sided polygon form an increasing arithmetic sequence with integer values. Find the degree measure of the smallest angle. | The degree measures of the angles in a convex 18-sided polygon form an increasing arithmetic sequence with integer values. Find the degree measure of the smallest angle. | ||
− | + | == Solution == | |
− | Solution | + | The average angle in an 18-gon is <math>160^\circ</math>. In an arithmetic sequence the average is the same as the median, so the middle two terms of the sequence average to <math>160^\circ</math>. Thus for some positive (the sequence is increasing and thus non-constant) integer <math>d</math>, the middle two terms are <math>(160-d)^\circ</math> and <math>(160+d)^\circ</math>. Since the step is <math>2d</math> the last term of the sequence is <math>(160 + 17d)^\circ</math>, which must be less than <math>180^\circ</math>, since the polygon is convex. This gives <math>17d < 20</math>, so the only suitable positive integer <math>d</math> is 1. The first term is then <math>(160-17)^\circ = \fbox{143^\circ.}</math> |
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Revision as of 00:30, 2 April 2011
Problem 3
The degree measures of the angles in a convex 18-sided polygon form an increasing arithmetic sequence with integer values. Find the degree measure of the smallest angle.
Solution
The average angle in an 18-gon is . In an arithmetic sequence the average is the same as the median, so the middle two terms of the sequence average to
. Thus for some positive (the sequence is increasing and thus non-constant) integer
, the middle two terms are
and
. Since the step is
the last term of the sequence is
, which must be less than
, since the polygon is convex. This gives
, so the only suitable positive integer
is 1. The first term is then $(160-17)^\circ = \fbox{143^\circ.}$ (Error compiling LaTeX. Unknown error_msg)