SECONDARY 2 SET 1

Multiple-Choice Questions:
1. If December 25 falls on Monday, then November 25 of the same year was a:
A. Tuesday
B. Wednesday
C. Thursday
D. Friday
E. Saturday

2. The page numbers of a book sum to 1200. One page number was counted twice. Which page
number was that?
A. 12
B. 24
C. 36
D. 48
E. 60

3. In a party, the first time the doorbell rang 1 guest arrived. On each succeeding ring, two more
guests arrived than on the previous ring. After 15 rings, the number of guests at the party was:
A. 31
B. 120
C. 165
D. 225
E. 240

4. If a taffy is worth a gummy and a candy, a taffy and a gummy are worth one chocolate, and two
chocolates are worth four candies, then the number of gummies a taffy is worth is:
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. 5
5. If 𝑥 𝑦 = 4, then the value of 𝑥 3𝑦 + 7 is:
A. 4𝑥 3 + 7
B. 19
C. 23
D. 56
E. 71

6. Positive integers which read the same backwards as forwards are called 𝑝𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠; for
example, 12321 and 52425 are palindromes. The number of palindromes less than 105 but greater
than 10 is:
A. 9
B. 99
C. 999
D. 1089
E. 1989

7. John have just won 35 of 60 games on the computer. The number of games out of the next 20
games that John must win in order to have won 55% overall is:
A. 9
B. 10
C. 11
D. 12
E. 13

8. If 𝑥 is a positive integer, then 𝑥 + 4√𝑥 cannot possibly be equal to:

A. 12
B. 32
C. 77
D. 92
E. 117

9. The number of different pairs of positive integers (𝑥, 𝑦) that satisfies 𝑥 𝑦 = 524 is:
A. 6
B. 7
C. 8
D. 9
E. More than 9

10. A fair six-sided die, with faces numbered 1 to 6, is tossed two times. The probability that the two
outcomes are in strictly descending order, for example a 6 and then a 4, (equality is NOT allowed)
is:
1
A. 9
1
B. 4
1
C. 3
5
D. 12
4
E.
9
OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
11. If the month of June has 5 Mondays, and three of them fall on even-numbered days, what is the date
of the third Monday in June?

12. A box contains 5 yellow balls, 10 red balls, and 12 blue balls. If balls are selected at random, then
the smallest number of balls that need to be selected to be assured of selecting at least two balls of
each color is?

𝑎−𝑏
13. If 𝑎⨂𝑏 = 𝑎+𝑏, find 𝑛 such that 4⨂𝑛 = 7.

14. Find all real values of 𝑥 for which √9𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 + 4 = 3𝑥 − 2.

15. Find the number of positive factors of 2023.

1 1
16. Given 𝑥 > 0 and 𝑥 + 𝑥 = 25, find the value of 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 2 .

17. If 𝑥 and 𝑦 are positive numbers such that 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 12 and 𝑥𝑦 = 22, find 𝑥 + 𝑦.

18. How many positive integers less than 2023 are divisible by 27 but not divisible by 12?

19. The sum of two numbers is 8 and their product is 20. What is the sum of their cubes?

20. In triangle 𝐴𝐵𝐶, 𝐴𝐵 = 20, 𝐴𝐶 = 25 and 𝐵𝐶 = 40. If 𝐷 and 𝐸 is on 𝐴𝐶 and BC respectively such that
𝐴𝐵||𝐷𝐸 and 𝐸𝐶 = 20, find the length of 𝐶𝐷.

21. A square is inscribed in a circle of radius 3. Find the perimeter of the square.

22. Find the area of a triangle whose sides have lengths 15,19 and 26.

23. If (𝑥 − 4) is a factor of the polynomial 5𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 − 𝑐, find the value of 𝑐.

24. Solve for a nonzero 𝑥 in the equation 2 + √𝑥 = √2𝑥 + 4.

25. 100 cards are marked 0 to 99 and two cards are drawn at random. Find the probability that two
cards are both divisible by 3 and 7.
 SECONDARY 2 SET 1
SOLUTION MANUAL
Multiple-Choice Questions:
1. If December 25 falls on Monday, then November 25 of the same year was a:
A. Tuesday
B. Wednesday
C. Thursday
D. Friday
E. Saturday
Answer: E
Solution:
From December 1 to 25, there are 25 days and from November 26 to 30, there are 5 days.
25 + 5 30 2
= =4 .
7 7 7
So, counting 2 days before Monday, we have Saturday.

2. The page numbers of a book sum to 1200. One page number was counted twice. Which page
number was that?
A. 12
B. 24
C. 36
D. 48
E. 60
Answer: B
Solution:
Let 𝑛 be the number of pages and 𝑚 be the page counted twice where 𝑚 ≤ 𝑛.
𝑛(𝑛 + 1)
+ 𝑚 = 1200
2
𝑛(𝑛 + 1) + 2𝑚 = 2400
𝑛(𝑛 + 1) = 2400 − 2𝑚
We have
𝑛 = 48.
48(49) = 2400 − 2𝑚
2352 = 2400 − 2𝑚
2𝑚 = 48
𝑚 = 24
Hence, the page number counted twice was 24.
3. In a party, the first time the doorbell rang 1 guest arrived. On each succeeding ring, two more
guests arrived than on the previous ring. After 15 rings, the number of guests at the party was:
A. 31
B. 120
C. 165
D. 225
E. 240
Answer: D
Solution:
Note that
1 + 3 + 5 + ⋯ + (2𝑛 − 1) = 𝑛2
Hence, we have
152 = 225.

4. If a taffy is worth a gummy and a candy, a taffy and a gummy are worth one chocolate, and two
chocolates are worth four candies, then the number of gummies a taffy is worth is:
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. 5
Answer: C
Solution:
Let 𝑡, 𝑔, 𝑐, 𝐶 be one taffy, one gummy, one candy and one chocolate respectively.
Then
𝑡 =𝑔+𝑐
{𝐶 = 𝑡 + 𝑔 .
2𝐶 = 4𝑐
Now,
𝑐 = 𝑡 − 𝑔.
Then,
2(𝑡 + 𝑔) = 4(𝑡 − 𝑔)
𝑡 + 𝑔 = 2(𝑡 − 𝑔)
𝑡 + 𝑔 = 2𝑡 − 2𝑔
𝑡 = 3𝑔.
Hence, a taffy is worth 3 gummies.
5. If 𝑥 𝑦 = 4, then the value of 𝑥 3𝑦 + 7 is:
A. 4𝑥 3 + 7
B. 19
C. 23
D. 56
E. 71
Answer: E
Solution:
𝑥 3𝑦 + 7
= (𝑥 𝑦 )3 + 7
= 43 + 7
= 71

6. Positive integers which read the same backwards as forwards are called 𝑝𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠; for
example, 12321 and 52425 are palindromes. The number of palindromes less than 105 but greater
than 10 is:
A. 9
B. 99
C. 999
D. 1089
E. 1989
Answer: D
Solution:
There are 9 2-digit palindromes.
There are 10 × 9 = 90 3-digit palindromes.
There are 10 × 9 = 90 4-digit palindromes.
There are 10 × 10 × 9 = 900 5-digit palindromes.
Hence, we have
9 + 90 + 90 + 900 = 1089.

7. John have just won 35 of 60 games on the computer. The number of games out of the next 20
games that John must win in order to have won 55% overall is:
A. 9
B. 10
C. 11
D. 12
E. 13
Answer: A
Solution:
60 + 20 = 80
Now,
55% 𝑜𝑓 80 = 0.55(80) = 44.
Hence, he needs to win 44 − 35 = 9 games.
8. If 𝑥 is a positive integer, then 𝑥 + 4√𝑥 cannot possibly be equal to:
A. 12
B. 32
C. 77
D. 92
E. 117
Answer: D
Solution:
2
𝑥 + 4√𝑥 = (√𝑥) + 4√𝑥
We then equate it to each choice.
For option D,
2
(√𝑥) + 4√𝑥 = 92
2
(√𝑥) + 4√𝑥 + 4 = 92 + 4
2
(√𝑥 + 2) = 96
√𝑥 + 2 = √96.
From here, we can already see that we can’t have a positive integer value for 𝑥.

9. The number of different pairs of positive integers (𝑥, 𝑦) that satisfies 𝑥 𝑦 = 524 is:
A. 6
B. 7
C. 8
D. 9
E. More than 9
Answer: C
Solution:
Note: (Power Rule)
(𝑎𝑚 )𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚𝑛
We just have to find the number of factor pairs of 24 and count all combinations.
We have
24 = 23 × 3.
Now,
(3 + 1)(1 + 1) = 4(2) = 8.
Hence, we have 8.
 10. A fair six-sided die, with faces numbered 1 to 6, is tossed two times. The probability that the two
outcomes are in strictly descending order, for example a 6 and then a 4, (equality is NOT allowed)
is:
1
A. 9
1
B. 4
1
C. 3
5
D. 12
4
E. 9
Answer: D
Solution:
5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 15 5
= =
62 36 12

OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
11. If the month of June has 5 Mondays, and three of them fall on even-numbered days, what is the date
of the third Monday in June?
Answer: June 16
Solution:
June has 30 days.
June has two possible date combinations for Monday, which are
𝐽𝑢𝑛𝑒 1,8,15,22,29
𝐽𝑢𝑛𝑒 2,9,16,23,30.
Since three of them fall on even-numbered days, then
𝐽𝑢𝑛𝑒 2,9,16,23,30.
Hence, the third Monday is June 16.

12. A box contains 5 yellow balls, 10 red balls, and 12 blue balls. If balls are selected at random, then
the smallest number of balls that need to be selected to be assured of selecting at least two balls of
each color is?
Answer: 24
Solution:
Worst-case scenario
12 𝑏𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑠 + 10 𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑠 + 2 𝑦𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑠
which is a total of 24 balls.

𝑎−𝑏
13. If 𝑎⨂𝑏 = 𝑎+𝑏, find 𝑛 such that 4⨂𝑛 = 7.
Answer: −3
Solution:
4−𝑛
4⨂𝑛 = =7
4+𝑛
4 − 𝑛 = 7(4 + 𝑛)
4 − 𝑛 = 28 + 7𝑛
8𝑛 = −24
𝑛 = −3
14. Find all real values of 𝑥 for which √9𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 + 4 = 3𝑥 − 2.
2
Answer: 𝑥 ≥ 3
Solution:
√9𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 + 4 = 3𝑥 − 2
√(3𝑥 − 2)2 = 3𝑥 − 2
|3𝑥 − 2| = 3𝑥 − 2
We have
3𝑥 − 2 = 3𝑥 − 2
0 = 0(𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑒)
and
3𝑥 − 2 = −(3𝑥 − 2)
6𝑥 − 4 = 0
2
𝑥= .
3
2
Now, since we are looking for all real-valued 𝑥, we can’t have values less than 3 since it will lead to
a negative value for 3𝑥 − 2 on the right-hand side of the given equation.
2
Hence, we have 𝑥 ≥ 3.

15. Find the number of positive factors of 2023.

Answer: 6
Solution:
2023 = 7 × 172
We have
(1 + 1)(2 + 1)
= 2(3)
= 6.

1 1
16. Given 𝑥 > 0 and 𝑥 + 𝑥 = 25, find the value of 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 2 .
Answer: 623
Solution:
1 2
(𝑥 + ) = 252
𝑥
1
𝑥 2 + 2 + 2 = 625
𝑥
1
𝑥 2 + 2 = 623
𝑥

17. If 𝑥 and 𝑦 are positive numbers such that 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 = 12 and 𝑥𝑦 = 22, find 𝑥 + 𝑦.
Answer: 2√14
Solution:
(𝑥 + 𝑦)2 = 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦 2
(𝑥 + 𝑦)2 = 12 + 2(22) = 56
𝑥 + 𝑦 = √56
𝑥 + 𝑦 = 2√14
18. How many positive integers less than 2023 are divisible by 27 but not divisible by 12?
Answer: 56
Solution:
2022
⌊ ⌋ = 74
27
Note that 27 = 33 and 12 = 22 × 3.
In order for the number to be divisible by 27 but not divisible by 12, it must not be divisible by 4.
Hence, we have
74
74 − ⌊ ⌋ = 74 − 18 = 56.
4

19. The sum of two numbers is 8 and their product is 20. What is the sum of their cubes?
Answer: 32
Solution:
𝑎 + 𝑏 = 8 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑏 = 20
We have
(𝑎 + 𝑏)3 = 𝑎3 + 3𝑎2 𝑏 + 3𝑎𝑏 2 + 𝑏 3
(𝑎 + 𝑏)3 = 𝑎3 + 𝑏 3 + 3𝑎𝑏(𝑎 + 𝑏)
83 = 𝑎3 + 𝑏 3 + 3(20)(8)
𝑎3 + 𝑏 3 = 512 − 480 = 32.

20. In triangle 𝐴𝐵𝐶, 𝐴𝐵 = 20, 𝐴𝐶 = 25 and 𝐵𝐶 = 40. If 𝐷 and 𝐸 is on 𝐴𝐶 and BC respectively such that
𝐴𝐵||𝐷𝐸 and 𝐸𝐶 = 20, find the length of 𝐶𝐷.
25 1
Answer: 12.5 𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑟 12 2
2
Solution:
𝐸𝐶 𝐶𝐷
=
𝐵𝐶 𝐴𝐶
20 𝐶𝐷
=
40 25
40(𝐶𝐷) = 20(25)
500
𝐶𝐷 =
40
25 1
𝐶𝐷 = 12.5 𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑟 12
2 2

21. A square is inscribed in a circle of radius 3. Find the perimeter of the square.
Answer: 12√2
Solution:
The diameter is 2(3) = 6.
Let 𝑠 be the side length of the square.
By Pythagorean theorem, we have
𝑠 2 + 𝑠 2 = 62
2𝑠 2 = 36
𝑠 2 = 18
𝑠 = 3√2.
Therefore, the perimeter is 4𝑠 = 4(3√2) = 12√2.
22. Find the area of a triangle whose sides have lengths 15,19 and 26.
Answer: 30√22
Solution:
15 + 19 + 26
𝑠= = 30
2
Using Heron’s formula, we have
𝐴 = √30(30 − 15)(30 − 19)(30 − 26)
= √30(15)(11)(4)
= 30√22.

23. If (𝑥 − 4) is a factor of the polynomial 5𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 − 𝑐, find the value of 𝑐.

Answer: 32
Solution:
By factor theorem,
𝑃(4) = 5(42 ) − 12(4) − 𝑐 = 0
80 − 48 − 𝑐 = 0
𝑐 = 32.

24. Solve for a nonzero 𝑥 in the equation 2 + √𝑥 = √2𝑥 + 4.

Answer: 16
Solution:
2 + √𝑥 = √2𝑥 + 4
√2𝑥 + 4 − √𝑥 = 2
2
(√2𝑥 + 4 − √𝑥) = 22
2𝑥 + 4 − 2 (√2𝑥 2 + 4𝑥) + 𝑥 = 4
2
(3𝑥)2 = (2√2𝑥 2 + 4𝑥)
9𝑥 2 = 4(2𝑥 2 + 4𝑥)
9𝑥 2 = 8𝑥 2 + 16𝑥
𝑥 2 − 16𝑥 = 0
𝑥(𝑥 − 16) = 0
𝑥 = 0,16
Hence, we have𝑥 = 16.

25. 100 cards are marked 0 to 99 and two cards are drawn at random. Find the probability that two
cards are both divisible by 3 and 7.
1
Answer: 495
Solution:
A card must be divisible by 21 if it is both divisible by 3 and 7.
There are 5 cards (including 0) that are divisible by 21 from 0 to 99.
Therefore,
5 4 1
× = .
100 99 495