# 1977 AHSME Problems

## Problem 1

If $y = 2x$ and $z = 2y$, then $x + y + z$ equals

$\text{(A)}\ x \qquad \text{(B)}\ 3x \qquad \text{(C)}\ 5x \qquad \text{(D)}\ 7x \qquad \text{(E)}\ 9x$

## Problem 2

Which one of the following statements is false? All equilateral triangles are

$\textbf{(A)}\ \text{ equiangular}\qquad \textbf{(B)}\ \text{isosceles}\qquad \textbf{(C)}\ \text{regular polygons }\qquad\\ \textbf{(D)}\ \text{congruent to each other}\qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \text{similar to each other}$

A man has $2.73 in pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and half dollars. If he has an equal number of coins of each kind, then the total number of coins he has is $\text{(A)}\ 3 \qquad \text{(B)}\ 5 \qquad \text{(C)}\ 9 \qquad \text{(D)}\ 10 \qquad \text{(E)}\ 15$ ## Problem 4 $[asy] size(130); pair A = (2, 2.4), C = (0, 0), B = (4.3, 0), E = 0.7*A, F = 0.57*A + 0.43*B, D = (2.4, 0); draw(A--B--C--cycle); draw(E--D--F); label("A", A, N); label("B", B, E); label("C", C, W); label("D", D, S); label("E", E, NW); label("F", F, NE); //Credit to MSTang for the diagram [/asy]$ In triangle $ABC, AB=AC$ and $\measuredangle A=80^\circ$. If points $D, E$, and $F$ lie on sides $BC, AC$ and $AB$, respectively, and $CE=CD$ and $BF=BD$, then $\measuredangle EDF$ equals $\textbf{(A) }30^\circ\qquad \textbf{(B) }40^\circ\qquad \textbf{(C) }50^\circ\qquad \textbf{(D) }65^\circ\qquad \textbf{(E) }\text{none of these}$ ## Problem 5 The set of all points $P$ such that the sum of the (undirected) distances from $P$ to two fixed points $A$ and $B$ equals the distance between $A$ and $B$ is $\textbf{(A) }\text{the line segment from }A\text{ to }B\qquad \textbf{(B) }\text{the line passing through }A\text{ and }B\qquad\\ \textbf{(C) }\text{the perpendicular bisector of the line segment from }A\text{ to }B\qquad \textbf{(D) }\text{an ellipse having positive area}\qquad \textbf{(E) }\text{a parabola}$ ## Problem 6 If $x, y$ and $2x + \frac{y}{2}$ are not zero, then $\left( 2x + \frac{y}{2} \right)\left[(2x)^{-1} + \left( \frac{y}{2} \right)^{-1} \right]$ equals $\textbf{(A) }1\qquad \textbf{(B) }xy^{-1}\qquad \textbf{(C) }x^{-1}y\qquad \textbf{(D) }(xy)^{-1}\qquad \textbf{(E) }\text{none of these}$ ## Problem 7 If $t = \frac{1}{1 - \sqrt[4]{2}}$, then $t$ equals $\text{(A)}\ (1-\sqrt[4]{2})(2-\sqrt{2})\qquad \text{(B)}\ (1-\sqrt[4]{2})(1+\sqrt{2})\qquad \text{(C)}\ (1+\sqrt[4]{2})(1-\sqrt{2}) \qquad \\ \text{(D)}\ (1+\sqrt[4]{2})(1+\sqrt{2})\qquad \text{(E)}-(1+\sqrt[4]{2})(1+\sqrt{2})$ ## Problem 8 For every triple $(a,b,c)$ of non-zero real numbers, form the number $\frac{a}{|a|}+\frac{b}{|b|}+\frac{c}{|c|}+\frac{abc}{|abc|}$. The set of all numbers formed is $\textbf{(A)}\ {0} \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ \{-4,0,4\} \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ \{-4,-2,0,2,4\} \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ \{-4,-2,2,4\}\qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \text{none of these}$ ## Problem 9 $[asy] size(120); path c = Circle((0, 0), 1); pair A = dir(20), B = dir(130), C = dir(240), D = dir(330); draw(c); pair F = 3(A-B) + B; pair G = 3(D-C) + C; pair E = intersectionpoints(B--F, C--G)[0]; draw(B--E--C--A); label("A", A, NE); label("B", B, NW); label("C", C, SW); label("D", D, SE); label("E", E, E); //Credit to MSTang for the diagram [/asy]$ In the adjoining figure $\measuredangle E=40^\circ$ and arc $AB$, arc $BC$, and arc $CD$ all have equal length. Find the measure of $\measuredangle ACD$. $\textbf{(A) }10^\circ\qquad \textbf{(B) }15^\circ\qquad \textbf{(C) }20^\circ\qquad \textbf{(D) }\left(\frac{45}{2}\right)^\circ\qquad \textbf{(E) }30^\circ$ ## Problem 10 If $(3x-1)^7 = a_7x^7 + a_6x^6 + \cdots + a_0$, then $a_7 + a_6 + \cdots + a_0$ equals $\text{(A)}\ 0 \qquad \text{(B)}\ 1 \qquad \text{(C)}\ 64 \qquad \text{(D)}\ -64 \qquad \text{(E)}\ 128$ ## Problem 11 For each real number $x$, let $\textbf{[}x\textbf{]}$ be the largest integer not exceeding $x$ (i.e., the integer $n$ such that $n\le x). Which of the following statements is (are) true? $\textbf{I. [}x+1\textbf{]}=\textbf{[}x\textbf{]}+1\text{ for all }x \\ \textbf{II. [}x+y\textbf{]}=\textbf{[}x\textbf{]}+\textbf{[}y\textbf{]}\text{ for all }x\text{ and }y \\ \textbf{III. [}xy\textbf{]}=\textbf{[}x\textbf{]}\textbf{[}y\textbf{]}\text{ for all }x\text{ and }y$ $\textbf{(A) }\text{none}\qquad \textbf{(B) }\textbf{I }\text{only}\qquad \textbf{(C) }\textbf{I}\text{ and }\textbf{II}\text{ only}\qquad \textbf{(D) }\textbf{III }\text{only}\qquad \textbf{(E) }\text{all}$ ## Problem 12 Al's age is $16$ more than the sum of Bob's age and Carl's age, and the square of Al's age is $1632$ more than the square of the sum of Bob's age and Carl's age. What is the sum of the ages of Al, Bob, and Carl? $\text{(A)}\ 64 \qquad \text{(B)}\ 94 \qquad \text{(C)}\ 96 \qquad \text{(D)}\ 102 \qquad \text{(E)}\ 140$ ## Problem 13 If $a_1,a_2,a_3,\dots$ is a sequence of positive numbers such that $a_{n+2}=a_na_{n+1}$ for all positive integers $n$, then the sequence $a_1,a_2,a_3,\dots$ is a geometric progression $\textbf{(A) }\text{for all positive values of }a_1\text{ and }a_2\qquad\\ \textbf{(B) }\text{if and only if }a_1=a_2\qquad\\ \textbf{(C) }\text{if and only if }a_1=1\qquad\\ \textbf{(D) }\text{if and only if }a_2=1\qquad\\ \textbf{(E) }\text{if and only if }a_1=a_2=1$ ## Problem 14 How many pairs $(m,n)$ of integers satisfy the equation $m+n=mn$? $\textbf{(A) }1\qquad \textbf{(B) }2\qquad \textbf{(C) }3\qquad \textbf{(D) }4\qquad \textbf{(E) }\text{more than }4$ ## Problem 15 $[asy] size(120); real t = 2/sqrt(3); real x = 1 + sqrt(3); pair A = t*dir(90), D = x*A; pair B = t*dir(210), E = x*B; pair C = t*dir(330), F = x*C; draw(D--E--F--cycle); draw(Circle(A, 1)); draw(Circle(B, 1)); draw(Circle(C, 1)); //Credit to MSTang for the diagram [/asy]$ Each of the three circles in the adjoining figure is externally tangent to the other two, and each side of the triangle is tangent to two of the circles. If each circle has radius three, then the perimeter of the triangle is $\textbf{(A) }36+9\sqrt{2}\qquad \textbf{(B) }36+6\sqrt{3}\qquad \textbf{(C) }36+9\sqrt{3}\qquad \textbf{(D) }18+18\sqrt{3}\qquad \textbf{(E) }45$ ## Problem 16 If $i^2 = -1$, then the sum $$\cos{45^\circ} + i\cos{135^\circ} + \cdots + i^n\cos{(45 + 90n)^\circ} + \cdots + i^{40}\cos{3645^\circ}$$ equals $\text{(A)}\ \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2} \qquad \text{(B)}\ -10i\sqrt{2} \qquad \text{(C)}\ \frac{21\sqrt{2}}{2} \text{(D)}\ \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}(21 - 20i) \qquad \text{(E)}\ \frac{\sqrt{2}}{2}(21 + 20i)$ ## Problem 17 Three fair dice are tossed at random (i.e., all faces have the same probability of coming up). What is the probability that the three numbers turned up can be arranged to form an arithmetic progression with common difference one? $\textbf{(A) }\frac{1}{6}\qquad \textbf{(B) }\frac{1}{9}\qquad \textbf{(C) }\frac{1}{27}\qquad \textbf{(D) }\frac{1}{54}\qquad \textbf{(E) }\frac{7}{36}$ ## Problem 18 If $y=(\log_23)(\log_34)\cdots(\log_n[n+1])\cdots(\log_{31}32)$ then $\textbf{(A) }4 ## Problem 19 Let $E$ be the point of intersection of the diagonals of convex quadrilateral $ABCD$, and let $P,Q,R$, and $S$ be the centers of the circles circumscribing triangles $ABE, BCE, CDE$, and $ADE$, respectively. Then $\textbf{(A) }PQRS\text{ is a parallelogram}\\ \textbf{(B) }PQRS\text{ is a parallelogram if an only if }ABCD\text{ is a rhombus}\\ \textbf{(C) }PQRS\text{ is a parallelogram if an only if }ABCD\text{ is a rectangle}\\ \textbf{(D) }PQRS\text{ is a parallelogram if an only if }ABCD\text{ is a parallelogram}\\ \textbf{(E) }\text{none of the above are true}$ ## Problem 20 $\begin{tabular}{ccccccccccccc}& & & & & & C & & & & & &\\ & & & & & C & O & C & & & & &\\ & & & & C & O & N & O & C & & & &\\ & & & C & O & N & T & N & O & C & & &\\ & & C & O & N & T & E & T & N & O & C & &\\ & C & O & N & T & E & S & E & T & N & O & C &\\ C & O & N & T & E & S & T & S & E & T & N & O & C \end{tabular}$ For how many paths consisting of a sequence of horizontal and/or vertical line segments, with each segment connecting a pair of adjacent letters in the diagram above, is the word CONTEST spelled out as the path is traversed from beginning to end? $\textbf{(A) }63\qquad \textbf{(B) }128\qquad \textbf{(C) }129\qquad \textbf{(D) }255\qquad \textbf{(E) }\text{none of these}$ ## Problem 21 For how many values of the coefficient a do the equations$\begin{align*}x^2+ax+1=0 \\ x^2-x-a=0\end{align*}(Error compiling LaTeX. ! Package amsmath Error: \begin{align*} allowed only in paragraph mode.) have a common real solution? $\textbf{(A)}\ 0 \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 1 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 2 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 3 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \infty$ ## Problem 22 If $f(x)$ is a real valued function of the real variable $x$, and $f(x)$ is not identically zero, and for all $a$ and $b$ $f(a+b)+f(a-b)=2f(a)+2f(b)$, then for all $x$ and $y$ $\textbf{(A) }f(0)=1\qquad \textbf{(B) }f(-x)=-f(x)\qquad \textbf{(C) }f(-x)=f(x)\qquad \textbf{(D) }f(x+y)=f(x)+f(y)\qquad\\ \textbf{(E) }\text{there is a positive real number }T\text{ such that }f(x+T)=f(x)$ ## Problem 23 If the solutions of the equation $x^2+px+q=0$ are the cubes of the solutions of the equation $x^2+mx+n=0$, then $\textbf{(A) }p=m^3+3mn\qquad \textbf{(B) }p=m^3-3mn\qquad \textbf{(C) }p+q=m^3\qquad\\ \textbf{(D) }\left(\frac{m}{n}\right)^2=\frac{p}{q}\qquad \textbf{(E) }\text{none of these}$ ## Problem 24 Find the sum $\frac{1}{1(3)}+\frac{1}{3(5)}+\dots+\frac{1}{(2n-1)(2n+1)}+\dots+\frac{1}{255(257)}$. $\textbf{(A) }\frac{127}{255}\qquad \textbf{(B) }\frac{128}{255}\qquad \textbf{(C) }\frac{1}{2}\qquad \textbf{(D) }\frac{128}{257}\qquad \textbf{(E) }\frac{129}{257}$ ## Problem 25 Determine the largest positive integer n such that $1005!$ is divisible by $10^n$. $\textbf{(A) }102\qquad \textbf{(B) }112\qquad \textbf{(C) }249\qquad \textbf{(D) }502\qquad \textbf{(E) }\text{none of these}$ ## Problem 26 Let $a,b,c$, and $d$ be the lengths of sides $MN,NP,PQ$, and $QM$, respectively, of quadrilateral $MNPQ$. If $A$ is the area of $MNPQ$, then $\textbf{(A) }A=\left(\frac{a+c}{2}\right)\left(\frac{b+d}{2}\right)\text{ if and only if }MNPQ\text{ is convex}\\ \textbf{(B) }A=\left(\frac{a+c}{2}\right)\left(\frac{b+d}{2}\right)\text{ if and only if }MNPQ\text{ is a rectangle}\\ \textbf{(C) }A\le\left(\frac{a+c}{2}\right)\left(\frac{b+d}{2}\right)\text{ if and only if }MNPQ\text{ is a rectangle}\\ \textbf{(D) }A\le\left(\frac{a+c}{2}\right)\left(\frac{b+d}{2}\right)\text{ if and only if }MNPQ\text{ is a parallelogram}\\ \textbf{(E) }A\ge\left(\frac{a+c}{2}\right)\left(\frac{b+d}{2}\right)\text{ if and only if }MNPQ\text{ is a parallelogram}$ ## Problem 27 There are two spherical balls of different sizes lying in two corners of a rectangular room, each touching two walls and the floor. If there is a point on each ball which is $5$ inches from each wall which that ball touches and $10$ inches from the floor, then the sum of the diameters of the balls is $\textbf{(A) }20\text{ inches}\qquad \textbf{(B) }30\text{ inches}\qquad \textbf{(C) }40\text{ inches}\qquad \textbf{(D) }60\text{ inches}\qquad \textbf{(E) }\text{not determined by the given information}$ ## Problem 28 Let $g(x)=x^5+x^4+x^3+x^2+x+1$. What is the remainder when the polynomial $g(x^{12})$ is divided by the polynomial 4g(x)$?$\textbf{(A) }6\qquad \textbf{(B) }5-x\qquad \textbf{(C) }4-x+x^2\qquad \textbf{(D) }3-x+x^2-x^3\qquad \textbf{(E) }2-x+x^2-x^3+x^4[[1977 AHSME Problems/Problem 28|Solution]]

== Problem 29 ==

Find the smallest integer$(Error compiling LaTeX. ! Missing$ inserted.)n$such that$(x^2+y^2+z^2)^2\le n(x^4+y^4+z^4)$for all real numbers$x,y$, and$z$.$\textbf{(A) }2\qquad \textbf{(B) }3\qquad \textbf{(C) }4\qquad \textbf{(D) }6\qquad \textbf{(E) }\text{There is no such integer n} \$

## Problem 30

$[asy] for (int i=0; i<9; ++i) { draw(dir(10+40*i)--dir(50+40*i)); } draw(dir(50) -- dir(90)); label("a", dir(50) -- dir(90), N); draw(dir(10) -- dir(90)); label("b", dir(10) -- dir(90), SW); draw(dir(-70) -- dir(90)); label("d", dir(-70) -- dir(90), E); //Credit to MSTang for the diagram [/asy]$

If $a,b$, and $d$ are the lengths of a side, a shortest diagonal and a longest diagonal, respectively, of a regular nonagon (see adjoining figure), then

$\textbf{(A) }d=a+b\qquad \textbf{(B) }d^2=a^2+b^2\qquad \textbf{(C) }d^2=a^2+ab+b^2\qquad \textbf{(D) }b=\frac{a+d}{2}\qquad \textbf{(E) }b^2=ad$