THE SOUTH AFRICAN MATHEMATICS OLYMPIAD

SENIOR SECOND ROUND 2015

Solutions
1. Answer 010
Since Total cost = Number of sweets Cost of each sweet, it follows
that the number of sweets is (R4.00) (40c) = (R4.00) (R0.40) =
4 0.4 = 10.
2. Answer 001
2015 (2015 (2015 (2015 1))) = 2015 (2015 (2015 2014)) =
2015 (2015 1) = 2015 2014 = 1.
Alternatively, 2015 (2015 (2015 (2015 1))) = 2015 2015 +
2015 2015 + 1 = 1.
3. Answer 027
Since 11:45 is 45 minutes after 11:00 and 12:12 is 60 + 12 = 72 minutes
after 11:00, the length of break is 72 45 = 27 minutes.
Alternatively, there are 15 minutes from 11:45 to 12:00 and 12 minutes
from 12:00 to 12:12, so the length of break is 15 + 12 = 27 minutes.
4. Answer 020
Suppose Steve breaks n eggs, so 1000n eggs are unbroken. He receives
R0.20 (1000 n), but has to repay R1 n. Thus 0.2(1000 n) n =
176, giving 200 1.2n = 176, so 1.2n = 200 176 = 24 and n = 20.
5. Answer 012
We must decide whether the books are to be packed flat, on their spines,
or upright (or possibly a combination). In this case it is easy, because
if they are packed upright, then their height is 20 cm, the same as the
depth of the box. The width of each book is 15 cm, which goes twice
into the width of the box; the thickness of each book is 6 cm, which
goes six times into the length of the box. Thus 2 6 = 12 upright
books will fill the box completely, so no higher number is possible.
6. Answer 017
A node is a point where two or more paths meet. Starting at A, we label
each node with the number of paths from A to that node. This number
is the sum of the numbers below and/or to the left of it, omitting the
1

node C. This builds up the following table from the bottom left to the
top right.
1 4 4
1 3 C
1 2 3
A 1 1

8 B
4 9
4 5
1 1

It follows that the number of paths from A to B is 8 + 9 = 17.

7. Answer 828
In order to obtain the least sum, we would like to have the smallest
possible digits (1, 2, 3) in the hundreds column and the largest possible
digits in the units (or ones) column. However, 9 must be in the middle
(or tens) column, since no larger digit is available. We can put 8 in
the units column next to 9, but then 7 must be in the middle column
again, with 6 next to it. We then have 5 in the middle column and 4
in the units column. The sum is then
100 (1 + 2 + 3) + 10 (5 + 7 + 9) + (4 + 6 + 8) = 828.
8. Answer 019
Since 144 leaves remainder 11 when divided by n, it follows that n
divides exactly into 144 11. Thus n is a factor of 133 = 7 19.
Similarly, n is a factor of 220 11 = 209 = 11 19. Since also n > 11
(because the remainder must be less than the divisor), it follows that
n = 19.
Alternatively, since 144 and 220 leave the same remainder after division
by n, it follows that n is a factor of 220 144 = 76 = 22 19. We can
then use the original information to eliminate other factors of 76.
9. Answer 012
Two copies of the shape can be fitted together to make a solid 5 2
rectangle, or a hollow 4 3 rectangle (with two squares empty in the
middle). Four 52 rectangles (eight copies of the shape) will completely
cover five rows of the board, and two 4 3 rectangles (four copies)
will cover the remaining three rows (or columns), leaving four squares
uncovered. Thus the total is 8 + 4 = 12 copies.
As a check, note that each copy covers five squares of the board, so
12 copies will cover 12 5 = 60 squares. This is the largest multiple
2

of 5 that is less than 64 (the total number of squares on the board), so

12 copies must be the maximum possible number.
10. Answer 385
The n-th pyramid is made by putting the (n 1)-st pyramid on an
n n square of balls. Thus the number of balls in the n-th pyramid is
12 + 22 + + n2 . The number of balls in the 10th pyramid is therefore
1 + 4 + 9 + 16 + 25 + 36 + 49 + 64 + 81 + 100 = 385.
Remark. It can be shown that 12 + 22 + + n2 = 61 n(n + 1)(2n + 1)
for all natural numbers n.
11. Answer 720
The sum of the exterior angles of any polygon is 360 degrees, going in
one direction. In the figure, a + g + e + c = 360 degrees (clockwise),
and b + d + f + h = 360 degrees (anti-clockwise), so the total sum is
720 degrees.
12. Answer 021
If I buy x chocolate bars and y cool-drinks, then 25x + 9y = 839 with
x > y. If we put x = y as a first guess, then x = y = 839/34 24,
so we can write x = 24 + a and y = 24 b. The equation becomes
25a 9b = 23, which by easy trial and error (guess and check) has a
solution a = 2 and b = 3. Thus x = 24 + 2 = 26 and y = 24 3 = 21,
which is the required answer.
13. Answer 096
If the number in the bottom right square is x, then from the bottom
row k = 31 + 28 + x = 59 + x. Similarly, from one diagonal the number
in the middle is 59 + x 31 33 = x 5. It is now possible to fill in
all the squares to obtain
x 10
36
33
38
x 5 26
31
28
x
Finally, from the main diagonal we have (x 10) + (x 5) + x = k, so
3x 15 = x + 59. Thus 2x = 74, so x = 37 and k = x + 59 = 96.
Alternatively, if you are aware that for a 3 3 magic square the value
3

of k is always three times the number in the middle, it is possible to

obtain the equation 3x 15 = x + 59 more quickly.
14. Answer 007
If the number of balls in the boxes are denoted x1 , x2 , . . ., then
xn + xn+1 + xn+2 + xn+3 = 30 = xn+1 + xn+2 + xn+3 + xn+4 .
Thus xn = xn+4 for all n, which means that the numbers recur in cycles
of length four. Since 2015 = 4 503 + 3, it follows that x2015 = x3 = 7.
15. Answer 024
Denote the side lengths of squares A, B, C, D, E by a, b, c, d, e respectively. The two right-angled triangles enclosed by squares C, D, E
and the line are congruent to each other and have sides c, d, e, so by
Pythagoras theorem d2 = c2 + e2 . We are given that c2 = 42 = 16 and
d2 = 2 20 = 40, so e2 = 40 16 = 24.
16. Answer 031
Since each of the given sums involves exactly three of the numbers, it
follows that the sum of the four sums is three times the sum of the four
numbers. Thus the required sum is equal to (20 + 22 + 24 + 27)/3 =
93/3 = 31.
17. Answer 015
We are given 3 = f (500) = f (100 5) =

f (100)
,
5

so f (100) = 3 5 = 15.

18. Answer 050

If the length and breadth of a rectangle are divided into the same
number of pieces, then it can be seen that its perimeter is equal to the
sum of the perimeters of the diagonal subrectangles. Applying this to
the four subrectangles at the top left of the figure, we see that the first
subrectangle has perimeter 18 + 18 22 = 14. Similarly, at the bottom
right, the last subrectangle has perimeter 20 + 16 22 = 14. Finally,
by the same principle, the perimeter of the whole rectangle is equal to
14 + 22 + 14 = 50.
19. Answer 100
Rotate triangle DBC about point D to a position DB 0 C 0 , where C 0
coincides with E (since DC 0 = DC = DE). Then AEB 0 is a straight
4

b 0 = AED
b + DC
b 0 B 0 = AED
b + D CB
b
line, since AEB
= 180 . Also
0
0
AB = AE + CB = AB (given) and DB = DB. Therefore tric = 2.ADB
c =
angles DAB 0 and DAB are congruent (SSS), so B 0 DB
c = B DC,
c
2(180 70 60) = 100 . Finally, since B 0 DE
it follows that
0c

c
E DC = B DB = 100 .
Remark. Note that since triangles DAB 0 and DAB are congruent
as shown above, we can reflect DAB 0 around DA to map onto DAB.
This implies that if triangles EDA and CDB are reflected in the lines
DA and DB respectively, then the reflections of points E and C will
coincide at the foot of the perpendicular from D to AB. From this, the
result also follows easily.
An alternative proof, using trigonometry, is as follows. Denote the
sides of triangle ABD by a, b, d in the usual way, and let x = ED and
y = EA. Then CD = x and CB = d y. Let F be the foot of the perpendicular from D to AB. By Pythagoras theorem we have x2 +y 2 = b2
and x2 +(dy)2 = a2 , which gives a2 = x2 +y 2 2dy+d2 = b2 +d2 2dy.
From the Cosine Rule (or Apollonius theorem) we also have a2 =
b2 + d2 2bd cos A, from which it follows that y = b cos A = AF . Thus
the right-angled triangles DAE and DAF are congruent, as are trianc = 2ADB
c = 100 .
gles DBC and DBF . It follows that E DC

20. Answer 138

The required numbers are of the form 3a 4b 5c 6d 7e , where
0 a 1,

0 b 2,

0 c 2,

0 d 1,

0 e 3,

and a + b + c + d + e 2. This gives two possible values of a, three of b,

three of c, two of d, and four of e, making a total of 23324 = 144
possible numbers if we ignore the last restriction. To satisfy it, we must
exclude one possibility with a + b + c + d + e = 0 and five possibilities
with a + b + c + d + e = 1, so the final total is 144 1 5 = 138.