64 2022 AMC Senior Solutions

Senior Solutions
Solutions – Senior Division
1. (Also J2)
4 − 7 = −3,
hence (C).

2. 135 ÷ 15 = 9,
hence (B).

3. 51 + 42 + 33 + 24 + 15 = 5 + 16 + 27 + 16 + 1 = 65,
hence (E).

1 1 11 10 1
4. − = − = ,
20 22 220 220 220
hence (E).

5. (Also I11)
The diagonals of the rectangle meet at the midpoints of its two diagonals. One of these
diagonals
 hasendpoints (1, 8) and (7, 4). The midpoint is found by averaging coordinates
1+7 8+4
, = (4, 6),
2 2
hence (A).

6. Alternative 1
Let the perpendicular height of the trapezium (and hence the shaded parallelogram) be
h. Then the area of the large trapezium is 12 (3 + 5)h = 4h and the area of the shaded
1
parallelogram is 1h = h. So of the area is shaded,
4
hence (C).
Alternative 2
In this grid of five rectangles, the trapezium is shaded. Since the last
two rectangles are together half shaded, the trapezium’s area is 4 grid
rectangles.
The area coloured gold is two half grid grid rectangles, for a total of 1
1
grid rectangle. So this is of the trapezium’s area,
4
hence (C).

7. To leave the largest possible sum, we need

√ to remove the smallest number. This will be
the most
√ negative number
√ which √ is −4
√ 7. The sum of the remaining five numbers is
(1 + 3) 5 + (2 + 5 − 3) 7 = 4 5 + 4 7,
hence (E).

8. The angle sum in a quadrilateral is 360◦ . Thus 140 + 90 + 2x = 360 and so 2x = 130 and
x = 65,
hence (A).

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2022 AMC Senior Solutions65

9. Alternative 1
The only way of obtaining 12 is 11 on the large dice and 1 on the small dice. Since these
two rolls are independent,
1 1 1
P (total 12) = P (11 on large dice) × P (1 on small dice) = × =
6 2 12

hence (D).
Alternative 2
These rolls can be visualised as this 6 × 6 table of 36 equally likely outcomes:

0 0 0 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 4 4 4
5 5 5 5 6 6 6
7 7 7 7 8 8 8
9 9 9 9 10 10 10
11 11 11 11 12 12 12

3 1
As shown, 3 of the 36 have total 12, so the probability is = ,
36 12
hence (D).

10. The answer is approximately 25−1/2 + 16−1/4 = 15 + 12 = 10 7

, strongly suggesting that (C)
−1/2
is the closest. Furthermore, 25 = 0.2 is slightly less than 24−1/2 , whilst 16−1/4 = 0.5 is
−1/4
slightly greater than 17 so the errors will tend to cancel rather than accumulate.
Consequently, 0.7 is the closest of the five options,
hence (C).

11. Suppose p  q = q  p. Then 2p − q = 2q − p and so 3p = 3q. Consequently the only pairs

are where p = q.
Conversely every pair where p = q has p  q = q  p.
So (−6, −6), (−5, −5), . . . , (0, 0), (1, 1), . . . , (6, 6) are the 13 possible pairs,
hence (B).

12. Let the radii of the circles be x, y and z, with z being the radius of the largest circle.
Then x + y = 8, x + z = 9, and y + z = 13. Adding all three equations, 2x + 2y + 2z =
8 + 9 + 13 = 30 so that x + y + z = 15. Then z = 15 − 8 = 7,
hence (C).

13. The five numbers have integer mean, so their sum is a multiple of 5. The original four
numbers add to 26, and the fifth number must be between 3 and 11 but can’t be 4. So the
fifth number is 9, the sum of all five is 35 and the new mean is 35 ÷ 5 = 7,
hence (D).

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66 2022 AMC Senior Solutions

√
√ √ 3
14. By Pythagoras’ theorem, BC = 22 − 12 = 3. By similar triangles, BD = .
 2
3 3
So, again by Pythagoras’ theorem, CD = 3 − = ,
4 2
hence (B).

15.
√
3x + 3x+1 + 3x+2 = 13 3
√
3x (1 + 3 + 32 ) = 13 3
√ 1
3x = 3 = 3 2
1
x=
2

hence (B).

16. Since the spaces between the numbers are equal

 
1 1 1 3 2 3 1 15 − 11 2
Y = +3× − = − = − = =
20 22 20 22 20 22 10 110 55

hence (D).

17. Alternative 1
1
AC
Using the labelling in the diagram, note that AZ =
4 C
3 1 3 3
and AX = AB. Hence the area of AXZ is × = 2
4 4 4 16
of the area of ABC. 6
The same applies to the other smaller triangles, so their
9 Z 6
combined area is of ABC.
16 2
The smaller equilateral triangle is formed by taking these
three triangles away from the larger equilateral triangle, A 6 X 2 B
7
leaving an area of . So the ratio is 7 : 16,
16
hence (B).
Alternative 2
Subdivide each side of the large triangle into 4, and draw a grid of 16
equilateral triangles to use as area units. Each of the shaded triangles
is half of a parallelogram with area 6, so has area 3.
So the unshaded triangle has area 16 − 9 = 7. Consequently this
7
triangle is the area of the large one,
16
hence (B).

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2022 AMC Senior Solutions67

18. The full square pyramid is 3 times the height of piece P , and is similar to P . Consequently
it has 3 times the width and 3 times the depth, so is 33 = 27 times the volume. That is,
the full square pyramid has volume 27 × 5 = 135 cm3 .
Similarly, the pyramid formed by just P and Q has volume 23 = 8 times the volume of P ,
which is 8 × 5 = 40 cm3 .
Then piece R has volume 135 − 40 = 95 cm3 ,
hence (D).

19. Continuing with some more terms past the initial a1 = 1, a2 = 2:

a2 + 1 2+1
a3 = = =3
a1 1
a3 + 1 3+1
a4 = = =2
a2 2
a4 + 1 2+1
a5 = = =1
a3 3
a5 + 1 1+1
a6 = = =1
a4 2
a6 + 1 1+1
a7 = = =2
a5 1

Since each term only depends on the previous two, the repeat of the pair a1 = a6 = 1
and a2 = a7 = 2 means that the pattern 1, 2, 3, 2, 1, 1, 2, 3, 2, 1, . . . will continue, repeating
every five terms. Consequently a100 = a5 = 1,
hence (A).

20. (Also I21)

Label points as shown, where M is the midpoint
√ of BC. P
Due
√ to Pythagoras’ theorem, P B = P C = 8 2 + 12 =
1
65.
Since P BC is isosceles, P M C has a right angle at M , B A
√ 8
√ 4
and then M P = ( 65)2 − 42 = 49 = 7.
M 8
Then P BC has base BC = 8, altitude M P = 7 and 4
area 12 × 8 × 7 = 28, C
hence (B).

21. Alternative 1
The volume is the dotted cube minus the 8 cut-off pyramids.
√ √ √ √
The side length of the cube is 2 2, so its volume is (2 2)3 = 16 2. 2
2 2
Consider one of the cut-off pyramids. It has three dotted edges,
√ 1√ √
each of length 2. The area of its base is A = 2 2 = 1 and so 2 2 √
√ 2 2
1 2
its volume is Ah = . Since there are 8 identical corners, their √
3 √3 2
8 2
combined volume is .
3

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68 2022 AMC Senior Solutions

√ √
√ 8 2 40 2
Thus the volume of the cuboctahedron is 16 2 − = ,
3 3
hence (B).
Alternative 2
√
As in the first solution, the original cube had squares of side 2 2 and the diagonals of these
√
squares are therefore length 4. We can make 4 vertical cuts to slice it into a 2 × 2 × 2 2
prism plus 4 rectangle-based pyramids, as shown.
√
The volume of the prism is 8 2.
Each of the
√ 4 pyramids
√ has a rectangular base of
area 2×2 2 = 4 2 and perpendicular height 1, as
1 √ 4 1
shown in the top view. So it has volume ×4 2 =
3 2
4√
2.
3 1
Then the volume of the cuboctahedron is
√ √
4√ 24 + 16 √ 40 2
8 2+4× 2= 2=
3 3 3

hence (B).

22. Rearranging the two given equations, we have

b+c f −e
x= and y=
a d
So x must be positive, but y may be negative. In order to minimise x + y, f should be less
than e. The smallest value of y occurs when f = 2, e = 9, and d = 1, giving y = −7. So
x + y is greater than −7.
7
Then with d, e, f as above and b = 3, c = 4, and a = 8, we have x = < 1 so that
8
x + y < −6. Whether or not this is the smallest possible value of x + y, we know that this
smallest value is between −7 and −5,
hence (B).

23. Alternative 1
As we are only concerned with ratios, let the radius of the semicircle be 1. Since the dashed
radii shown below are perpendicular to the corresponding tangent lines,√the large triangle
consists of 4 smaller right-angled isosceles triangles with sides 1, 1 and 2. Consequently
the large triangle has area 2.

1
x

x
2

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2022 AMC Senior Solutions69

Let x be the side-length of the square. From the triangle formed by joining the corner of
 x 2 2
the square to the centre, we have x2 + = 1, giving x = √ . Then the square has area
2 5
4 4
and the required ratio is 5
: 2 = 2 : 5,
5
hence (C).
Alternative 2
Choose a length unit so that the square has side 2, and hence area 4. By symmetry, the
centre of the semicircle is on the midpoint
√ of the lower side of the square. By Pythagoras’
theorem, the semicircle has radius 5. Draw √a copy of the diagram reflected in the diameter
of the √
semicircle, making√ a circle of radius 5 inscribed in a square. This square will have
side 2 5 and area (2 5)2 = 20. Then the original triangle has area 10 and the ratio of
areas is 4 : 10 = 2 : 5,
hence (C).

24. If we start in a corner there are four possibilities:

2 3 6 7 2 3 8 7 2 3 4 5 8 7 6 5
1 4 5 8 1 4 5 6 1 8 7 6 1 2 3 4

It is the same for each of the four corners, giving 16 placements.

If we start in a centre square, there are three possibilities:

3 4 5 8 3 4 5 6 7 6 5 4
2 1 6 7 2 1 8 7 8 1 2 3

It is the same for each of the four centre squares giving 12 placements. In total there are
16 + 12 = 28 placements,
hence (D).

6 5
25. After 42 minutes I had gone of the distance and Sally had gone . So Sally’s speed is
11 11
5 6 4
of mine, and she will take × 77 minutes for the trip. After 44 minutes I had gone
6 5 7
3 3 4
and Wally had gone . So Wally’s speed is of mine and he will take × 77 for the trip.
7 4 3
Therefore the time difference will be
 
4 6 154
77 − = ≈ 10 minutes
3 5 15

hence (E).

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70 2022 AMC Senior Solutions

26. (Also J29)

The regular hexagon consists of six equilateral triangles of area 10, which can be used as
a measurement grid.
The diagram shows the only three different (non-congruent) types of triangle that Horton
measures. Using the grid, we can measure each triangle’s area, and by considering rotations
and reflections, we can count how many of each type there are:

Area 10 + 5 + 5 = 20 Area 5 + 5 = 10 Area 6 × 5 = 30

12 of these 6 of these 2 of these

Then the total area of the 20 triangles is

12 × 20 + 6 × 10 + 2 × 30 = 240 + 60 + 60 = 360,

hence (360).

27. Let the square, cube and fourth power be s, c and f , respectively, with f = sc.
We are told s is even, so f is an even fourth power which, to be as small as possible, must
be of the form f = 24 × 34k for some k ≥ 1.
Since c is an odd cube factor of f , it must be of the form c = 33 , so s = 24 × 34k−3 . But
s is a square, so the index 4k − 3 must be non-negative and even.
The smallest solution is when k =  = 2, so s = 24 × 32 = 144, c = 36 = 729, and
s + c = 144 + 729 = 873,
hence (873).

28. Alternative 1
If the terms are a1 , a2 , . . . then an = 12 (an−1 + an+1 ) − 1 so that an−1 + 2an + an+1 = 2. We
can rewrite this equation in the following way an − an−1 + 2 = an+1 − an so the differences
between the two consecutive terms are every time increased by 2. Therefore,
an − an−1 = 2 + an−1 − an−2
= 4 + an−1 − an−2
= ···
= 2(n − 2) + a2 − a1 = 2n

Then
an = a1 + (a2 − a1 ) + (a3 − a2 ) + · · · + (an−1 − an−2 ) + (an − an−1 )
= 2 + 4 + 6 + · · · + 2n
= n(n + 1)

To find the largest value of an = n(n + 1) less than 1000, we note that a30 = 30 × 31 = 930,
then a31 = a30 + 2 × 31 = 992 and a32 = a31 + 2 × 32 = 1056. So 992 is the largest term
less than 1000,
hence (992).

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2022 AMC Senior Solutions71

Alternative 2
a+c
If three successive terms are a, b, c then b = − 1 so that c = 2b − a + 2. Using this
2
rule the sequence continues:
2, 6, 12, 20, 30, 42, . . .
From this we claim that the nth term is n(n + 1).
Assuming this claim, we need√ the largest value of n(n + 1) less than 1000. Since n(n + 1) =
2 2
n + n ≈ n , we check n ≈ 1000 ≈ 31.6. Then 31 × 32 = 992 and 32 × 33 = 1056 so that
the largest term less that 1000 is 992.
We address the claim by strong induction on n. The statement to be proven is that for
n  1 the nth term is given by the formula n(n + 1). This is true for n = 1, 2. For
n  3, let terms n − 2, n − 1 and n be a, b, c as above, then by the inductive hypothesis,
a = (n − 2)(n − 1) and b = (n − 1)n. Then
c = 2b − a + 2 = 2n(n − 1) − (n − 2)(n − 1) + 2 = n2 + n = n(n + 1)
so that the nth term is n(n + 1), completing the induction.
By strong induction, the claim is confirmed and 992 is the largest term less than 1000,
hence (992).

29. Alternative 1
At the beginning, stage 0, Wayne has the unstamped original. So there is 1 sheet with 0
occurrences of the ‘COPY’ stamp.
After stage 1, he has the unstamped original plus two stamped copies. So there is 1 sheet
with 0 stamps, and 2 sheets with 1 stamp.
After stage 2, he has the unstamped original, the first two copies, and two stamped copies
of each of these. So there is 1 sheet with 0 stamps, 4 sheets with 1 stamp, and 4 sheets
with 2 stamps.
We set up a table to track the number of sheets with a given number of stamps. At each
stage, the number of sheets with k stamps is equal to the number with k stamps at the
previous stage (those which were fed through the copier and not re-stamped) plus twice
the number with k − 1 stamps at the previous stage (the two new copies of each which
gain one extra stamp). Also, there is only ever one copy with no stamps, being the original
sheet of paper. Since we are interested only in the number of copies with 2 stamps, the
important part of the table is as follows:

Number of stamps
Stage
0 1 2
0 1 0 0
1 1 2 0
2 1 4 4
3 1 6 12
4 1 8 24
5 1 10 40
6 1 12 60
7 1 14 84
8 1 16 112

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72 2022 AMC Senior Solutions

So, after 8 stages there are 112 sheets with 2 stamps,

hence (112).
Alternative 2
As well as stamping, suppose Wayne wrote a digit 0, 1 or 2 at each stage, depending on
whether at this stage it is an original, copy 1 or copy 2. He writes these digits on each
page from left to right.
The final stack of 38 pages will have all 8-digit base-3 numerals from 00000000 = 0 to
8
8 = 3 − 1. The pages with two stamps are those with two nonzero digits. There
22222222
are 2 = 28 ways to choose the positions of these two digits. Further, for each choice
of positions, each nonzero digit can be 1 or 2, giving 4 possibilities. In all there are
28 × 4 = 112 possibilities,
hence (112).
Alternative 3
After stage n of the copying process, there are 3n sheets, each with between 0 and n stamps.
The number of pages with each number of stamps is easily worked out from the previous
stage. For instance, if after stage n there are a pages with k stamps and b pages with k + 1
stamps, then after stage n + 1 there will be 2a + b pages with k + 1 stamps. So we can
tabulate:
Stage 0 1 2 3 ... Polynomial
0 1 (1 + 2x)0 = 1
1 1 2 (1 + 2x)1 = 1 + 2x
2 1 4 4 (1 + 2x)2 = 1 + 4x + 4x2
3 1 6 12 8 (1 + 2x)3 = 1 + 6x + 12x2 + 8x3
.. .. ..
. . .

This iterative process is the same as that for the coefficients of xk in (1 + 2x)n shown in
the last column of the table. When multiplying by (1 + 2x), the coefficient of xk+1 in
(1 + 2x)n+1 is twice the coefficient of xk plus the coefficient of xk+1 in (1 + 2x)n .

The x2 term in (1 + 2x)8 is 82 16 (2x)2 = 112x2 , with coefficient 112, and this is also the
number of pages with 2 stamps,
hence (112).

30. Alternative 1
We first calculate how many ways the five runners could finish the race, with each receiving
a different placing to the week before. This is equal to the number of permutations of
A, B, C, D, E such that each symbol is not in its original position. When this permutation
is written in cycle notation, it must be a 5-cycle such as (A, C, E,
5B,
 D) or a 3-cycle and a
2-cycle such as (A, E, D)(B, C). There are 4! = 24 5-cycles and 3 × 2 = 20 permutations
that comprise a 3-cycle and a 2-cycle. Thus, there are 24 + 20 = 44 ways in which the five
runners could receive a different placing to the week before.
Within each of these 44 permutations there will be some “up” runners whose place in the
second race is higher than their place in the first race, and some “down” runners the other
way around.
There is only one possibility with 4 up runners and 1 down runner, with order BCDEA,
corresponding to the 5-cycle (A, E, D, C, B). The reverse permutation gives the only pos-
sibility with 4 down runners and 1 up runner, with order EABCD, corresponding to the
5-cycle (A, B, C, D, E).

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2022 AMC Senior Solutions73

Of the remaining 42 permutations, half have 3 up and 2 down and the other half have 3
down and 2 up. This is because the reversed permutation effectively swaps race 1 and race
2, while turning an increase in placing to a decrease in placing and vice-versa. This creates
a one-to-one correspondence between these two sets of permutations.
Consequently there are 21 possibilities,
hence (21).
Alternative 2
Label the runners A to E, and we’ll use notation like C↑ to mean that C’s place in the
second race is higher than in the first. Then E↑ and A↓.
One other runner will move up in the ranking, giving 3 cases: B↑, C↑ or D↑.
In the first case, B↑, E↑, A↓, C↓ and D↓. The possibilities for the second race are then
shown in Table 1: B must move up to 1st and D must move down to 5th, C down to 4th,
then A and E can go in either order. This gives 2 possibilities.
A↓ B A↓ C E A↓ D D D E E E
B↑ A,E B↓ A,E C B↓ E A,E A,E D A,D A,D
C↓ A,E C↑ A,B,E A,B C↓ B A,E A,B,E B A,D A,B,D
D↓ C D↓ A,B,E A,B D↑ C C A,B,E C C A,B
E↑ D E↑ D D E↑ A B C A B C
2 4 2 1 2 4 1 2 3
Table 1 Table 2 Table 3
Table 2 summarises possibilities if C↑, E↑, A↓, B↓ and D↓. D must move down to 5th, and
only C or E can end up 1st, so we consider those separately. If C is 1st then 2nd must be
A or E. Also B must be 3rd or 4th. This gives the 4 possibilities. If E is first, then C must
be 2nd. This leaves A and B for 3rd and 4th as shown. So Table 2 includes 6 possibilities.
Table 3 summarises possibilities if D↑, E↑, A↓, B↓ and C↓. The 6 columns consider the
6 subcases based on 1st and 5th positions. Note that C must finish 4th or 5th, so the
subcases where A or B finish 5th must have C finishing 4th, giving very few possibilities.
Summing up these 6 subcases gives 1 + 2 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 = 13 possibilities.
In all, we have counted 2 + 6 + 13 = 21 possibilities,
hence (21).

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74 2022 AMC Answer Key

Answer Key

Middle Upper
Question Junior Intermediate Senior
Primary Primary
1 C E E C C
2 D D C A B
3 B C B B E
4 B B D A E
5 A C D B A
6 D A B C C
7 E E E C E
8 B C D E A
9 C E B A D
10 A A A D C
11 B D C A B
12 E E C C C
13 B D E D D
14 A A C E B
15 B D D D B
16 B C C C D
17 E D A D B
18 E A B C D
19 D B D D A
20 C C D C B
21 C B C B B
22 E E C B B
23 C B C B C
24 C A C D D
25 D E A E E
26 258 56 497 475 360
27 138 405 27 999 873
28 990 151 47 784 992
29 56 150 360 15 112
30 151 189 784 64 21

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