Difference between revisions of "1993 AHSME Problems/Problem 28"

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== Solution ==
 
== Solution ==
<math>\fbox{D}</math>
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The vertices of the triangles are limited to a <math>4\times4</math> grid, with <math>16</math> points total. Every triangle is determined by <math>3</math> points chosen from these <math>16</math> for a total of <math>\binom{16}{3}=560</math>. However, triangles formed by collinear points do not have positive area. For each column or row, there are <math>\binom{4}{3}=4</math> such degenerate triangles. There are <math>8</math> total columns and rows, contributing <math>32</math> invalid triangles. There are also <math>4</math> for both of the diagonals and <math>1</math> for each of the <math>4</math> shorter diagonals. There are a total of <math>32+8+4=44</math> invalid triangles counted in the <math>560</math>, so the answer is <math>560-44=516</math> or answer choice <math>\fbox{D}</math>.
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==

Latest revision as of 15:00, 1 August 2016

Problem

How many triangles with positive area are there whose vertices are points in the $xy$-plane whose coordinates are integers $(x,y)$ satisfying $1\le x\le 4$ and $1\le y\le 4$?

$\text{(A) } 496\quad \text{(B) } 500\quad \text{(C) } 512\quad \text{(D) } 516\quad \text{(E) } 560$

Solution

The vertices of the triangles are limited to a $4\times4$ grid, with $16$ points total. Every triangle is determined by $3$ points chosen from these $16$ for a total of $\binom{16}{3}=560$. However, triangles formed by collinear points do not have positive area. For each column or row, there are $\binom{4}{3}=4$ such degenerate triangles. There are $8$ total columns and rows, contributing $32$ invalid triangles. There are also $4$ for both of the diagonals and $1$ for each of the $4$ shorter diagonals. There are a total of $32+8+4=44$ invalid triangles counted in the $560$, so the answer is $560-44=516$ or answer choice $\fbox{D}$.

See also

1993 AHSME (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 27
Followed by
Problem 29
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