Difference between revisions of "2019 AMC 10A Problems/Problem 3"

(Solution)
(Solution 1)
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By using difference of squares and dividing, <math>B=4.</math> Moreover, <math>A=B^2=16.</math>
 
By using difference of squares and dividing, <math>B=4.</math> Moreover, <math>A=B^2=16.</math>
  
The answer is <math>16-4 = 12 \implies \boxed{\textbf{(D)}}
+
The answer is <math>16-4 = 12 \implies \boxed{\textbf{(D)}}</math>
 
 
===Solution 2 (Guess and Check)===
 
Simple guess and check works. Start with all the square numbers - </math>1<math>, </math>4<math>, </math>9<math>, </math>16<math>, </math>25<math>, </math>36<math>, etc. (probably stop at around </math>100<math> since at that point it wouldn't make sense). If Ana is </math>9<math>, then Bonita is </math>3<math>, so in the previous year, Ana's age was </math>4<math> times greater than Bonita's. If Ana is </math>16<math>, then Bonita is </math>4<math>, and Ana's age was </math>5<math> times greater than Bonita's in the previous year, as required. The difference in the ages is </math>16 - 4 = 12$.
 
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==

Revision as of 13:17, 28 July 2019

Problem

Ana and Bonita were born on the same date in different years, $n$ years apart. Last year Ana was $5$ times as old as Bonita. This year Ana's age is the square of Bonita's age. What is $n?$

$\textbf{(A) } 3 \qquad\textbf{(B) } 5 \qquad\textbf{(C) } 9 \qquad\textbf{(D) } 12 \qquad\textbf{(E) } 15$

Solution

Solution 1

Let $A$ be the age of Ana and $B$ be the age of Bonita. Then,

\[A-1 = 5(B-1)\] and \[A = B^2.\]

Substituting the second equation into the first gives us

\[B^2-1 = 5(B-1).\]

By using difference of squares and dividing, $B=4.$ Moreover, $A=B^2=16.$

The answer is $16-4 = 12 \implies \boxed{\textbf{(D)}}$

See Also

2019 AMC 10A (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 2
Followed by
Problem 4
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 10 Problems and Solutions

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