# Difference between revisions of "2000 AMC 10 Problems/Problem 20"

## Problem

Let $A$, $M$, and $C$ be nonnegative integers such that $A+M+C=10$. What is the maximum value of $A\cdot M\cdot C+A\cdot M+M\cdot C+C\cdot A$?

$\mathrm{(A)}\ 49 \qquad\mathrm{(B)}\ 59 \qquad\mathrm{(C)}\ 69 \qquad\mathrm{(D)}\ 79 \qquad\mathrm{(E)}\ 89$

## Solution 1

The trick is to realize that the sum $AMC+AM+MC+CA$ is similar to the product $(A+1)(M+1)(C+1)$. If we multiply $(A+1)(M+1)(C+1)$, we get $$(A+1)(M+1)(C+1) = AMC + AM + AC + MC + A + M + C + 1.$$ We know that $A+M+C=10$, therefore $(A+1)(M+1)(C+1) = (AMC + AM + MC + CA) + 11$ and $$AMC + AM + MC + CA = (A+1)(M+1)(C+1) - 11.$$ Now consider the maximal value of this expression. Suppose that some two of $A$, $M$, and $C$ differ by at least $2$. Then this triple $(A,M,C)$ is not optimal. (To see this, WLOG let $A\geq C+2.$ We can then increase the value of $(A+1)(M+1)(C+1)$ by changing $A \to A-1$ and $C \to C+1$.)

Therefore the maximum is achieved when $(A,M,C)$ is a rotation of $(3,3,4)$. The value of $(A+1)(M+1)(C+1)$ in this case is $4\cdot 4\cdot 5=80,$ and thus the maximum of $AMC + AM + MC + CA$ is $80-11 = \boxed{\textbf{(C)}\ 69}.$

## Solution 2

Notice that if we want to maximize $AMC + AM + MC + AC$, we want A, M, and C to be as close as possible. For example, if $A = 7, B = 2,$ and $C=1,$ then the expression would have a much smaller value than if we were to substitute $A = 4, B = 5$, and $C = 1$. So to make A, B, and C as close together as possible, we divide $\frac{10}{3}$ to get $3$. Therefore, A must be 3, B must be 3, and C must be 4. $AMC + AM + MC + AC = 36 + 12 + 12 + 9 = 69$. So the answer is $\boxed{\textbf{(C)}\ 69.}$