2022 AMC 8 Problems/Problem 20

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Problem

The grid below is to be filled with integers in such a way that the sum of the numbers in each row and the sum of the numbers in each column are the same. Four numbers are missing. The number $x$ in the lower left corner is larger than the other three missing numbers. What is the smallest possible value of $x$? [asy] unitsize(0.5cm); draw((3,3)--(-3,3)); draw((3,1)--(-3,1)); draw((3,-3)--(-3,-3)); draw((3,-1)--(-3,-1)); draw((3,3)--(3,-3)); draw((1,3)--(1,-3)); draw((-3,3)--(-3,-3)); draw((-1,3)--(-1,-3)); label((-2,2),"$-2$"); label((0,2),"$9$"); label((2,2),"$5$"); label((2,0),"$-1$"); label((2,-2),"$8$"); label((-2,-2),"$x$"); [/asy] $\textbf{(A) } -1 \qquad \textbf{(B) } 5 \qquad \textbf{(C) } 6 \qquad \textbf{(D) } 8 \qquad \textbf{(E) } 9 \qquad$

Solution

The sum of the numbers in each row is $12$. Consider the second row. In order for the sum of the numbers in this row to equal $12$, the first two numbers must add up to $13$: [asy] unitsize(0.5cm); fill((-3,1)--(1,1)--(1,-1)--(-3,-1)--cycle,lightgray); draw((3,3)--(-3,3)); draw((3,1)--(-3,1)); draw((3,-3)--(-3,-3)); draw((3,-1)--(-3,-1)); draw((3,3)--(3,-3)); draw((1,3)--(1,-3)); draw((-3,3)--(-3,-3)); draw((-1,3)--(-1,-3)); label((-2,2),"$-2$"); label((0,2),"$9$"); label((2,2),"$5$"); label((2,0),"$-1$"); label((2,-2),"$8$"); label((-2,-2),"$x$"); [/asy] If two numbers add up to $13$, one of them must be at least $7$ - if both shaded numbers are no more than $6$, their sum can be at most $12$. Therefore, for $x$ to be larger than the three missing numbers, $x$ must be at least $8$. We can construct a working scenario where $x=8$: [asy] unitsize(0.5cm); draw((3,3)--(-3,3)); draw((3,1)--(-3,1)); draw((3,-3)--(-3,-3)); draw((3,-1)--(-3,-1)); draw((3,3)--(3,-3)); draw((1,3)--(1,-3)); draw((-3,3)--(-3,-3)); draw((-1,3)--(-1,-3)); label((-2,2),"$-2$"); label((0,2),"$9$"); label((2,2),"$5$"); label((2,0),"$-1$"); label((2,-2),"$8$"); label((-2,-2),"$8$"); label((0,-2),"$-4$"); label((-2,0),"$6$"); label((0,0),"$7$"); [/asy] So, our answer is $\boxed{\textbf{(D) } 8}$.

~ihatemath123

Solution 2

The sum of the numbers in each row is $-2+9+5=12,$ and the sum of the numbers in each column is $5+(-1)+8=12.$

Let $y$ be the number in the lower middle. It follows that $x+y+8=12,$ or $x+y=4.$ We express the other two missing numbers in terms of $x$ and $y,$ as shown below:

See Also

2022 AMC 8 (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 19
Followed by
Problem 21
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All AJHSME/AMC 8 Problems and Solutions