EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 1
Mrs. Mita is a lucky woman that she lives with all her daughters and granddaughters together in the
same house. The interesting thing is that each of her daughters has same number of sisters and
daughters. The age of Mrs. Mita’s oldest daughter is 50 years and that of her youngest
granddaughter is only one year. Mrs. Mita’s age is exactly the same as the total number of the
women members of the family but less than 75 years. How old is Mrs. Mita?
Solution
Mrs.Mita

 x daughters each having x-1 sisters and x-1 daughters

  x ( x − 1) granddaugh ters

Mrs. Mitas age = 1 + x + x( x −1) = 1 + x 2 < 75

The inequality is true for ∀x ≤ 8

If x = 8 , Mrs. Mitas age is 65 years

If x = 7 , Mrs. Mitas age is 50 years, but it cannot be since her oldest daughter is 50 years old.
Therefore, Mrs. Mita is 65 years old.

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 2
Given that f ( x) = ax + b and g ( x) = bx + a , where a and b are integers. If f (1) = 8 and
f ( g (50 )) − g ( f (50 )) = 28 , what is the value of a − b ?
Solution
f (1) = a ⋅1 + b = a + b = 8
∴a = 8 − b (1)
g (50 ) = 50 b + a
f ( g (50 )) = a (50 b + a ) + b = 50 ab + a 2 + b (2)
f (50 ) = 50 a + b
g ( f (50 )) = b(50 a + b) + a = 50 ab + b 2 + a (3)

From (2) and (3)

f ( g (50 )) − g ( f (50 )) = 50 ab + a 2 + b − (50 ab + b 2 + a ) = a 2 + b − b 2 − a = 28 (4)

From (4) and (1)

(8 − b) 2 + b − b 2 − (8 − b) = 64 −16 b + b 2 + b − b 2 − 8 + b = −14 b + 56 = 28 (5)

From (5)
−14 b = 28 −56
14 b = 28
∴b = 2
∴a = 8 − b = 8 − 2 = 6
a − b = 6 − 2 = 4 (Ans)

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 3
Mitul, a 16 years old boy, was walking along a straight road through a dense forest. Suddenly, he
saw the following writing just below his feet:

“The tallest tree of this forest is only 200 feet away from here along this road.”

Mitul tried to see the tree from there and could just see the top of the tree after moving his eyes 50°
up from the horizontal line of sight. Then he tried to see the other parts of the tree, but could not see
due to dense bushes. However, suddenly he could see the bottom of the tree through the bushes after
moving his eyes 1.7° down from the horizontal line of sight. If Mitul was 6.2 feet tall, what was the
height of the tallest tree of the forest? [Calculate with four digit precision]
Solution

h1
H
50°
1.7° h2
200′

h1 = 200 tan 50 ° = 200 ×1.1918 = 238 .3600

h2 = 200 tan 1.7° = 200 × 0.0297 = 5.9400

∴H = 5.9400 + 238 .3600 = 244 .3000 feet (Ans)

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 4
In a math competition, eight participants are from Dhaka division, six from Khulna division, four
from Rajshahi division, and the remaining from Sylhet division. If the probability that the three top
rankers are from Dhaka, Rajshahi, and Sylhet divisions each is 48/855, how many participants are
from Sylhet division?
Solution
Let x = number of participants from Sylhet division.
Total number of participants = 8 + 6 + 4 + x = 18 + x
Number of choice of one top ranker from Dhaka division = 8 C1 = 8
Number of choice of one top ranker from Rajshahi division = 4 C1 = 4
Number of choice of one top ranker from Sylhet division = x C1 = x

P[Three top rankers are from Dhaka, Rajshahi, and Sylhet division each]
8×4× x 32 x 48
= 18 + x = 18 + x = (1)
C3 C 3 855
18 +x (18 + x )! (18 + x )! (18 + x)(17 + x)(16 + x) (306 + 35 x + x 2 )(16 + x )
C3 = = = =
(18 + x − 3)! 3! (15 + x)! 3! 6 6
(2)
4896 + 306 x + 560 x + 35 x 2 +16 x 2 + x 3 x 3 + 51 x 2 + 866 x + 4896
= =
6 6

From (1) and (2)

32 x × 6 48
=
x + 51x + 866 x + 4896 855
3 2

164160 x = 48 x 3 + 2448 x 2 + 41568 x + 235008

48 x 3 + 2448 x 2 −122592 x + 235008 = 0
x 3 + 51 x 2 − 2554 x + 4896 = 0
x 3 − 2 x 2 + 53 x 2 −106 x − 2448 x + 4896 = 0
x 2 ( x − 2) + 53 x ( x − 2) − 2448 ( x − 2) = 0
( x − 2)( x 2 + 53 x − 2448 ) = 0

x −2 = 0
∴x = 2

Or, x 2 + 53 x − 2448 = 0
− 53 ± (53 ) 2 + 4 × 2448 − 53 ±112 .254
∴x = =
2 2

As x cannot be a fractional number or a negative number, x = 2 is the answer.

Therefore, 2 participants are from Sylhet division.

Problem 5

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

At East West University, students come from all six divisions of Bangladesh with equal chance.
What should be the minimum number of students enrolled at East West University to ensure that at
least 800 students are from a division?
Solution
Students come from all six divisions with equal chance.
Let us assume that exactly 800 – 1 = 799 students have come from each division making a total
student number 799 × 6 = 4794.
If another student is enrolled from any of the six divisions, total student from that division will be
799 + 1 = 800 satisfying the condition.

Therefore, at least 4794 + 1 = 4795 students must be enrolled at East West University to ensure that
at least 800 from a division.

[The same solution can be obtained using Generalized Pigeonhole Principle]

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 6
Rita, a school going girl, is playing with her six feet long red ribbon and trying to make a right-
angle triangle so that the area enclosed within the triangle is maximum. What would be the
maximum area of the right-angle triangle that Rita could make using her ribbon? [Calculate with
four digit precision]
Solution

Perimeter of the right-angle triangle = 6 feet

x + y + x2 + y2 =6
x 2 + y 2 = 6 − ( x + y)
x 2 + y 2 = 36 −12 ( x + y ) + ( x + y ) 2
x 2 + y 2 = 36 −12 x −12 y + x 2 + 2 xy + y 2
36 −12 x −12 y + 2 xy = 0
18 − 6 x − 6 y + xy = 0
18 − 6 x = 6 y − xy
y (6 − x ) =18 − 6 x
18 − 6 x
y=
6 −x

Area of the triangle,

1 1  18 − 6 x  9 x − 3 x 2
A= xy = x =
2 2  6−x  6−x

To make the area maximum

dA d  9 x − 3x 2 
=  
=0
dx dx  6 −x 
(6 − x )( 9 − 6 x ) − (9 x − 3 x 2 )( −1)
=0
(6 − x ) 2
54 − 36 x − 9 x + 6 x 2 + 9 x − 3 x 2 = 0
3 x 2 − 36 x + 54 = 0
x 2 −12 x +18 = 0

12 ± 144 − 72 12 ± 8.4853
∴x = =
2 2
x = 10 .2427 or x = 1.7574

x ≠ 10 .2427 , since the perimeter of the triangle is 6

Therefore, x = 1.7574

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

18 − 6 x 18 − 6 ×1.7574
y= = = 1.7573
6−x 6 −1.7574

1
A= xy = 0.5 ×1.7574 ×1.7573 = 1.5441 sq. feet (ans)
2

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 7
An ant starts walking from A and walks along a curved path up to B, then walks in a straight line up
to C and then returns to A in another straight line. If we consider that the line AC lies on the x-axis
and A is on the origin, then the curved path AB can be expressed as a function f ( x) = x 3 − x 2 . The
length of the line AC is 40 feet. If we draw a perpendicular line BD on the line AC, then the length
of the line DC is 30 feet. How much area in square feet does the ant enclose in its walk? [Calculate
up to four digit precision]

A C
D

Solution
Coordinate of A is (0, 0)
AD = AC – DC = 40 – 30 = 10
∴ Coordinate of D is (10, 0)
10
10  x 4 x3  10 4 10 3
Area of the region ABD = ∫0 ( x 3 − x 2 )dx =  −  = − = 2166 .6667 square feet
4 3 0 4 3

Length of the line BD = f (10 ) = 10 3 −10 2 = 900

Area of the right-angle triangle BCD = 0.5 × DC × BD = 0.5 × 30 × 900 = 13500 square feet

Total are of the region ABC = 2166.6667 + 13500 = 15666.6667 square feet (Ans)

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 8
Prof. Khan is a microbiologist. He is experimenting with growth of a certain type of bacteria in a
given environment. He finds that the total number of bacteria after 0 ≤ t ≤ 10 hours can be
expressed as

a = 2 + e t + e −t ,

where initial number of bacteria is 4. The expression is an exponential expression and, as a

microbiologist, Prof. Khan dislikes complex mathematical expressions like such exponential
expressions. One of his friends, Prof. Rahman, a mathematician, suggests him to approximate the
exponential expression using an eighth-order polynomial expression. Do this to help Prof. Khan.

Solution
a = 2 + e t + e −t
 t t2 t3 t4 t5 t6 t7 t8   t t2 t3 t4 t5 t6 t7 t8 
= 2 + 1 + + + + + + + + + + 1 − + − + − + − + +
 1! 2! 3! 4! 5! 6! 7! 8!   1! 2! 3! 4! 5! 6! 7! 8! 
4 6 8
t t t
= 4 +t 2 + + +
12 360 20160

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 9
How many 6-digit numbers are there such that :
the digits of each number are all from the set { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 }; and
any digit that appears in the number appears at least twice?
( Example: 334343 is an admissible number, while 111355 is not.)

Solution:

Since each digit occurs at least twice, we have the following possibilities:
(i). Three digits occur twice each. We may choose three digits from { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 }in 5 C3 =10
ways. If each occurs exactly twice, the number of such admissible 6-digit numbers is
6!
×10 = 900 .
2!2!2!
(ii). Two digits occur exactly three times each. We can choose 2 digits in 5 C2 = 10 ways.
6!
Hence the number of admissible 6-digit numbers is ×10 = 200 .
3!3!
(iii). One digit occurs four times and the other twice. We are choosing two digits again, which can
be done in 10 ways. The two digits are interchangeable. Hence the desired number of admissible 6-
6!
digit numbers is 2 × ×10 = 300 .
4!2!
(iv). Finally all digits are the same. There are 5 such numbers. Thus the total number of admissible
6-digit numbers is 900 + 200 + 300 + 5 = 1405.

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

 EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 10.
If a,b,c are three positive real numbers, prove that
a 2 +1 b 2 +1 c 2 +1
+ + ≥ 3.
b +c c+a a +b

Solution:

We have the trivial inequalities a 2 +1 ≥ 2a, b 2 +1 ≥ 2b, and c 2 + 1 ≥ 2c . Hence

a 2 +1 b 2 +1 c 2 +1 2a 2b 2c
+ + ≥ + + . Let b+c = x , c + a = y and a + b = z. Then
b+c c+a a +b b +c c +a a +b
2a 2b 2c y +z −x z +x − y x + y −z
+ + = + + =
b +c c + a a +b x y z
y z  z x  x y  x y  y z  z x
 + − 1 +  + − 1 +  + − 1 =  +  +  +  +  +  − 3 ≥ 2 + 2 + 2 − 3 = 3.
x x  y y  z z  y x z y x z
This is a consequence of A.M ≥ G.M . Hence the result follows.

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

 EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 11.
Find the least possible value of a+b , where a, b are positive integers such that 11
divides a+13b and 13 divides a+11b.

Solution: Since 13 divides a+11b , we see that 13 divides a-2b and hence it also divides
6a – 12b . This in turn implies that 13/ (6a+b) . Similarly
11 /( a +13 b) ⇒11 / ( a + 2b ) ⇒11 / ( 6a +12 b ) ⇒11 / ( 6a + b ). Since gcd (11,13) =1
we conclude that 143/(6a+b) . Thus we may write 6a+b=143k for some natural
number k . Hence
6a+6b = 143k+5b =144k+6b-(k+b).
This shows that 6 divides k+b and hence k + b ≥ 6. We therefore obtain

6( a +b) =143 k +5b =138 k +5( k +b) ≥138 +5 ×6 =168 .It follows that a +b ≥28 .
Taking a =23 and b =5 , we see that the conditions of the problem are satisfied .
Thus the minimum value of a +b is 28.

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

 EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 12.
If x, y are integers and 17 divides both the expressions
x 2 − 2 xy + y 2 − 5 x + 7 y and x 2 − 3 xy + 2 y 2 + x − y , then prove that 17 divides
xy-12x +15y .

Solution: Observe that x 2 − 3 xy + 2 y 2 + x − y = ( x − y )( x − 2 y +1) . Thus

17 divides either x-y or x-2y+1. Suppose that 17 divides x-y. In
this case x ≡ y (mod 17) and hence
x 2 − 2 xy + y 2 − 5 x + 7 y ≡ y 2 − 2 y 2 + y 2 − 5 y + 7 y ≡ 2 y (mod 17).

Thus the given condition that 17 divides x 2 − 2 xy + y 2 − 5 x + 7 y implies

that 17 also divides 2y and hence y itself . But then x ≡ y (mod 17)
implies that 17 divides x also .Hence in this case 17 divides xy-12x+15y.
Suppose on the other hand that 17 divides x-2y+1 . Thus x ≡ 2 y −1 (mod 17)
and hence x 2 − 2 xy + y 2 − 5 x + 7 y ≡ y 2 − 5 y + 6 (mod 17)
Thus 17 divides y 2 − 5 y + 6. But x ≡ 2 y −1 (mod 17) also implies that
xy −12 x +15 y ≡ 2( y 2 − 5 y + 6) (mod 17).
Since 17 divides y 2 − 5 y + 6 , it follows that 17 divides xy-12x+15y.

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

 EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 13
Let ABCD be a convex quadrilateral ; P, Q ,R, S be the midpoints of AB , BC ,CD,
DA respectively such that triangles AQR and CSP are equilateral . Prove that ABCD
is a rhombus . Determine its angles .

Solution: We have QR = BD/2 =PS .Since AQR and CSP are both equilateral and
QR=PS, they must be congruent triangles . This implies that AQ =QR = RA =CS =SP=PC Also
∠CEF = 60 0 = ∠RQA .(See Fig.1)

R C
D
E

V F

L
W
S Q
M O
U

A P B
Fig.1
Hence CS is parallel to QA . Now CS =QA implies that CSQA is a parallelogram . In
particular SA is parallel to CQ and SA =CQ . This shows that AD is parallel to BC
and AD =BC .Hence ABCD is a parallelogram.

Let the diagonal AC and BD bisect each other at W. Then DW =DB/2=QR =CS =AR .
Thus in triangle ADC ,the medians AR,DW,CS are all equal. Thus ADC is equilateral.
This implies ABCD is a rhombus . Moreover the angles are 60 0 and 120 0 .

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 14
If α is a real root of the equation x 5 − x 3 + x − 2 = 0 ,prove that [α 6 ] = 3 (For any real number a,
we denote by [a] the greatest integer not exceeding a).

Solution: Suppose α is a real root of the given equation .Then

α 5 − α 3 + α − 2 = 0 …………………………………(1)
This gives α 5 − α 3 + α − 1 = 1 and hence ( α − 1) (α 4 + α 3 + 1) = 1 .observe that

− 1 ≤ α 〈 0 α + 2〉 0 α ( α + 2) 〉 0
α 4 + α 3 + 1 ≥ 2α 2 + α 3 = α 2 ( α + 2) . If ,then , giving
2

And hence
( α − 1) (α + α + 1) 〈 0 α −〈 1 α + α = α (α + 1) 〉 0 α + α + 1〉 0
4 3 . If , then
4 3 3
and hence
4 3
. This

again gives
( α − 1) ( α + α + 1) 〈 0
4 3 .

The above reasoning shows that for α 〈0 ,we have

α − α + α − 1〈 0
5 3 and hence cannot be equal to

1. We conclude that a real root α of x 5 − x 3 + x − 2 = 0 is positive

(obviously α ≠ 0 ).
Now using α 5 − α 3 + α − 2 = 0 , we get
α 6 = α 4 − α 2 + 2α

The statement [α 6 ] = 3 is equivalent to

3≤ α 〈 4
6 .

Consider
α − α + 2α 〈 4
4 2 .Since α 〉 0 , this is equivalent to 5 3 α − α + 2α 〈 4α2 .

Using the relation(1), we can write

2α − α + 2〈 4α o 2α −r5α + 2〈 0
2 2 .

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

1
Treating this as a quadratic ,we get this is equivalent to 〈α 〈2 .Now observe that

2
1,
if α ≥ 2 then 1 = (α − 1) (α 4 + α 3 + 1) ≥ 25 which is impossible .If 0〈 α ≤
2
then
( )
1 = ( α − 1) α + α + 1 〈 0
4 3 which again is impossible . We conclude

1
that 〈α 〈2 . Similarly α 4 − α 2 + 2α ≥ 3 is equivalent to α 5 − α 3 + 2α 2 − 3α ≥ 0

2
which is equivalent to 2α 2 − 4α + 2 ≥ 0 .But this is 2(α −1) 2 ≥ 0 which is valid .

Hence
3≤ α 〈 46 and we get [α 6 ] = 3 .

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

 EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 15
Let A,B,C and D be four distinct points on a line, in that order. The circles with diameters AC and
BD intersect at the points X and Y. The line XY meets BC at the point Z. Let P be a point on the line
XY different from Z. The line CP intersects the circle with diameter AC at the points C and M, and
the line BP intersects the circle with diameter BD at the points B and N. Prove that the lines AM, DN
and XY are concurrent.

Solution:

Let the lines XY and DN meet at the point Q. Then triangles BPZ and QDZ are similar. Hence
ZQ ZB ZD .ZB
= or ZQ = . Now let the lines XY and AM meet at the point R. Then the triangles
ZD ZP ZP
ZR ZC ZA.ZC ZD .ZB
CPZ and RAZ are similar. Hence = or ZR = = . Therefore, ZQ = ZR. That
ZA ZP ZP ZP
is, Q and R are same points and so AM, DN and XY are concurrent.

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 16

A father wishes to divide a square piece of land among his five sons. One son is his favorite, and he
wants to give him one quarter of the land, as shown. All others get equal share. He wants to do it
using no more than 8 straight cuts. How can he do it?

Answer

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 17

Write a ten-digit number so that the first digit tells how many zeros there are in the number, the
second how many ones, the third how many twos, and so forth.

Answer: 6,210,001,000

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 18

An eight-digit number contains two 1's, two 2's, two 3's, and two 4's. The 1's are separated by one
digit, the 2's by two digits, the 3's by three digits, and the 4's by four digits. What is the number?

Answer: 41,312,432

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 19

An egg salesman was asked how many eggs he had sold that day. He replied, "My first customer
said, 'I'll buy half your eggs and half an egg more.' My second and third said the same thing. When I
had filled all three orders I was sold out and I had not had to break a single egg all day."

Answer: Seven. He sold four eggs to the first customer, two to the second, and one to the third. The
problem is solved most easily if you start with the last customer and work backwards.

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 20

A chauffeur always arrives at the train station at exactly five o'clock to pick up his boss and drive
her home. One day his boss arrives an hour early, starts walking home, and is picked up by the
chauffeur on the way out to the train station. They arrive at home twenty minutes earlier than usual.
How long did she walk before she met her chauffeur?

Answer: For fifty minutes. She saved the chauffeur ten minutes of traveling time each way and thus
was picked up at 4:50 pm rather than the usual time.

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 21

A girl was eight years old on her first birthday. How could that be?

Answer: She was born on February 29, 1896. The year 1900 was not a leap year (only centuries
divisible by 400 are leap years), so the next February 29 fell in 1904 when she was eight. She was
twelve on her second birthday.

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY

EWUIUMO2009 Question & Solve

Problem 22

A staircase has 10 steps. One can climb the stair by 1-step jump, 2-step jumps or 3-step jumps. In
how many different ways can he climb up the staircase?

Answer: Sn=Sn-1+Sn-2+Sn-3

Solve by: SANIUL ISLAM EEE EAST WEST UNIVERSITY