Difference between revisions of "2021 AMC 10A Problems/Problem 2"

Problem

Portia's high school has $3$ times as many students as Lara's high school. The two high schools have a total of $2600$ students. How many students does Portia's high school have?

$\textbf{(A)} ~600 \qquad\textbf{(B)} ~650 \qquad\textbf{(C)} ~1950 \qquad\textbf{(D)} ~2000\qquad\textbf{(E)} ~2050$

Solution 1

The following system of equations can be formed with $p$ representing the number of students in Portia's high school and $l$ representing the number of students in Lara's high school. $$p=3l$$ $$p+l=2600$$ Substituting $p$ with $3l$ we get $4l=2600$. Solving for $l$, we get $l=650$. Since we need to find $p$ we multiply $650$ by 3 to get $p=1950$, which is $\boxed{\text{C}}$

-happykeeper

Solution 2 (One Variable)

Suppose Lara's high school has $x$ students, so Portia's high school has $3x$ students. We have $x+3x=2600,$ or $4x=2600.$ The answer is $$3x=2600\cdot\frac 34=650\cdot3=\boxed{\textbf{(C)} ~1950}.$$

~MRENTHUSIASM

Solution 3 (Arithmetic)

Clearly, $2600$ students is $4$ times as many students as Lara's high school. Therefore, Lara's high school has $2600\div4=650$ students, and Portia's high school has $650\cdot3=\boxed{\textbf{(C)} ~1950}$ students.

~MRENTHUSIASM

Solution 4.1 (Quick Inspection)

The number of students in Portia's high school must be a multiple of $3.$ This eliminates $\textbf{(B)},\textbf{(D)},$ and $\textbf{(E)}.$ Since $\textbf{(A)}$ is too small (as it is clear that $600+\frac{600}{3}<2600$), we are left with $\boxed{\textbf{(C)} ~1950}.$

~MRENTHUSIASM

Solution 4.2 (Plug in the Answer Choices)

For $\textbf{(A)},$ we have $600+\frac{600}{3}=800\neq2600.$ So, $\textbf{(A)}$ is incorrect.

For $\textbf{(B)},$ we have $650+\frac{650}{3}=866\frac{2}{3}\neq2600.$ So, $\textbf{(B)}$ is incorrect.

For $\textbf{(C)},$ we have $1950+\frac{1950}{3}=2600.$ So, $\boxed{\textbf{(C)} ~1950}$ is correct.

For completeness, we will check answer choices $\textbf{(D)}$ and $\textbf{(E)}:$

For $\textbf{(D)},$ we have $2000+\frac{2000}{3}=2666\frac{2}{3}\neq2600.$ So, $\textbf{(D)}$ is incorrect.

For $\textbf{(E)},$ we have $2050+\frac{2050}{3}=2733\frac{1}{3}\neq2600.$ So, $\textbf{(E)}$ is incorrect.

~MRENTHUSIASM

Video Solution (Very fast & Simple)

~ Education, the Study of Everything

Video Solution #1(Setting Variables)

https://youtu.be/qNf6SiIpIsk?t=119 ~ThePuzzlr

Video Solution #2(Solving by equation)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOpgeMfvUpE&list=PLexHyfQ8DMuKqltG3cHT7Di4jhVl6L4YJ&index=1 ~North America Math Contest Go Go Go

- pi_is_3.14

~savannahsolver

~IceMatrix

~MathWithPi