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2002 AMC 12B Problems/Problem 15

Revision as of 23:37, 2 May 2019 by Lajiaoxushen (talk | contribs) (→‎Solution 2 - Longer but might make more sense)

Problem

How many four-digit numbers $N$ have the property that the three-digit number obtained by removing the leftmost digit is one ninth of $N$?

$\mathrm{(A)}\ 4 \qquad\mathrm{(B)}\ 5 \qquad\mathrm{(C)}\ 6 \qquad\mathrm{(D)}\ 7 \qquad\mathrm{(E)}\ 8$

Solution

Let $N = \overline{abcd} = 1000a + \overline{bcd}$, such that $\frac{N}{9} = \overline{bcd}$. Then $1000a + \overline{bcd} = 9\overline{bcd} \Longrightarrow 125a = \overline{bcd}$. Since $100 \le \overline{bcd} < 1000$, from $a = 1, \ldots, 7$ we have $7$ three-digit solutions, and the answer is $\mathrm{(D)}$.


Solution 2 - Longer but might make more sense

Since N is a four digit number, assume WLOG that $N = 1000a + 100b + 10c + d$, where a is the thousands digit, b is the hundreds digit, c is the tens digit, and d is the ones digit. Then, $\frac{1}{9}N = 100b + 10c + d$, so $N = 900b + 90c + 9d$ Set these equal to each other: \[1000a + 100b + 10c + d = 900b + 90c + 9d\] \[1000a = 800b + 80c + 8d\] \[1000a = 8(100b + 10c + d)\] Notice that $100b + 10c + d = N - 1000a$, thus: \[1000a = 8(N - 1000a)\] \[1000a = 8N - 8000a\] \[9000a = 8N\] \[N = 1125a\]

Go back to our first equation, in which we set $N = 1000a + 100b + 10c + d$, Then: \[1125a = 1000a + 100b + 10c + d\] \[125a = 100b + 10c + d\] The upper limit for the right hand side (RHS) is $999$ (when $b = 9$, $c = 9$, and $d = 9$). It's easy to prove that for an $a$ there is only one combination of $b, c,$ and $d$ that can make the equation equal. Just think about the RHS as a three digit number $bcd$. There's one and only one way to create every three digit number with a certain combination of digits. Thus, we test for how many as are in the domain set by the RHS. Since $125\cdot7 = 975$ which is the largest a value, then a can be $1$ through $7$, giving us the answer of $\boxed {D) 7}$

IronicNinja~

See also

2002 AMC 12B (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 14 		Followed by
Problem 16
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

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