INTERNATIONAL MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS (IMSO) 2008

Mathematics Contest in Taiwan

Name:111 1 School: 111111 Grade: 1111 number: 11111

Short Answer: there are 12 questions, fill in the correct answers in the answer
sheet. Each correct answer is worth 10 points. Time limit: 90 minutes.

1. In the diagram the top two sets of scales are in perfect balance. For the third set,
the right hand side is heavier than the left hand side, and has to be supported as
shown. What can be added to the left hand side to achieve a perfect balance in
this case as well?

Form the top two sets of scales, will be in perfect balance

with . Removing from both side of these collections,
we see that would be in perfect balance with . It follows that if
we add to the left hand side of the third sets of scales, we achieve a perfect
balance.
ANS:
2. A rectangle is divided into 9 small rectangles, as shown in the diagram, which is
not drawn to scale. The areas of 5 of the small rectangles (in suitable units) are
given. What is X?
6 9
15 18

X 27

If we call the unknown area A, B and C as shown:

6 9 A
B 15 18

X C 27
 We can use the rule that says that the ratio of the areas of two rectangles having a
side in common equals the ratio of their respective side perpendicular to the
common side. Thus
B 6
= , so B=10
15 9
A 18 54
and = , so A=
9 15 5
C 15 45
and = , so C=
27 18 2
C B
and = , so X=15
X 15
ANS: 15
3. The diagram depicts seven soft drink cans, seen from above, which are held
tightly together by means of a ribbon. The circles represent the tops of the cans,
and the other curve, which is clearly not a circle, represents the edge of the
ribbon. The ends of the ribbon meet exactly; there is no overlap. Given that the
cans all have diameter 6 cm, find the exact length of the ribbon.
.

Consider figures 1 and 2 below:

B1 P1 E P2 B
2

A1 A2
A1 D A2
A6 A3
C

A5 A4 C

Figure 1 Figure 2
Let C be the centre of the centre can, and the number the cans around the outside
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 in order. Let Ai be the centre of can i. For each i, draw a line CAi
and extend it to cut the ribbon at Bi. Then the ribbon is cut into 6 equal segments,
and ∠BiCBi+1=60˚. Consider the segment between cans 1 and 2. Suppose the
cans touch at D. then the line CD bisects angle ∠B1CB2, and A1A2 and CD are
perpendicular. Let the point where the ribbon loses contact with the ith can be Pi,
and let CD cut P1P2 at E, so CE and P1P2 are perpendicular.
The ribbon is tangent to can 1 at P1, and so ∠A1P1E=90˚. Thus P1E=A1D=3 cm.
 1 1
Also ∠B1A1P1=∠B1CE=30˚. Therefore the length of the arc B1P1= × 6π = π .
12 2
1
So the length of ribbon from B1 to E is π + 3 , and the length of ribbon from B1
2
⎛1 ⎞
to B2 is 2 ⎜ π + 3 ⎟ = π + 6 . The total length of the ribbon is
⎝2 ⎠
6(π + 6) = 6π + 36 =54.84.
ANS: 54.84 cm
4. A, B, C and D are four members of the football team. No two have the same
weight. A is 8 kg heavier than C. D is 4 kg heavier than B. The sum of the
weights of the heaviest and the lightest is 2 kg less than the sum of the weights of
the other two people. If the sum of all their weights is 402 kg, what does B
weigh?
Let B and C weight x kg and y kg respectively. Then A weights y+8 kg and D
weights x+4 kg. Either A or D is the heaviest, and either B or C is the lightest.
There are four possible cases to consider.
Case Ⅰ. A is the heaviest and B is the lightest. In this case
y+8+x = y+x+4－2
i.e. x+y+8 = x+y+2.
This is clearly incorrect.
Case Ⅱ. A is the heaviest and C is the lightest. In this case
y+8+y = x+x+4－2
i.e. 2y+8 = 2x+2, or y+3 = x.
This implies that the weights of A, B, C and D are respectively y+8,
y+3, y and y+7 kg. Their total weight is 402 kg, so we get 4y+18=402,
which gives y=96. The weights (in the same order) are 104 kg, 99 kg,
96 kg, and 103 kg. These figures are consistent with the information
given in the question.
Case Ⅲ. D is the heaviest and B is the lightest. In this case
x+4+x = y+8+y－2
i.e. 2x+4 = 2y+6, or x = y+1.
But if this is true, then D’s weight is y+5 kg, which less than A’s weight
of y+8 kg, contradicting the assumption that D is the heaviest.
Case Ⅳ. D is the heaviest and C is the lightest. In this case
x+4+y = y+8+x－2
i.e. x+y+4 = x+y+6.
This is clearly incorrect.
Therefore Case Ⅱ gives the only possibility. It follws that B’s weight is 99 kg.
ANS: 99 kg
5. At a youth club one evening, one quarter of the members were playing pool, one
sixth were playing table tennis, and five times the difference between these
numbers were watching television. A further twelfth of the members were
reading, leaving 7 members wandering around undecided what to do. How many
 members were present that evening? (Please note: nobody was trying to do more
than one thing at a time. For example, no one was playing pool and watching
television.)
⎛1 1⎞ 5
5×⎜ − ⎟ = of the members were watching television and so
⎝ 4 6 ⎠ 12
1 1 5 1 11 1
+ + + = of the members were occupied. That leaves of the
4 6 12 12 12 12
members. We are told that there were 7 members wandering around undecided
what to do. Assuming that all the references to members have been to members
1
present, we see that 7 members constitute of the members present and so
12
there were 12×7=84 members present that evening.
ANS: 84 members
6. In the sum shown, each digit 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 occurs just once.
3 9
4 5
7 8
Total 1 6 2
There are many similar sums, in which three 2-digit numbers are added together
to give a 3-digit number and each digit 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 occurs just once.
What is the largest total (the 3-digit number)?
In the addition sum shown below, the different letters stand for different digits
and there are no zeros.
a b
c d
e f
Total g h k
The total is equal to 10(a+c+e)+(b+d+f ), so the total is less than
10(7+8+9)+(4+5+6)=255 and hence we can assume g=2 and h≦5 in order to
find the largest total.
Note that if the sum of two of b, d and f is 10, then k is equal to the remainder
one. This is clearly incorrect.
Case Ⅰ. h=5.
Thus (a, c, e) must be 7, 8, 9 and b+d+f >10. In this situation, the
possible values of b, d, f and k are 1, 3, 4 and 6. So two of b, d and f is 4
and 6. This is clearly incorrect.
Case Ⅱ. h=4.
There are two possibilities.
(i) (a, c, e) is 7, 8, 9 and b+d+f <10. Then, the possible values of b,
d, f and k are 1, 3, 5 and 6. So (b, d, f ) is 1, 3, 5 and hence
k=1+3+5=9. This contradicts with k=6.
(ii) (a, c, e) is 6, 8, 9 and 20>b+d+f >10. Then, the possible values of
b, d, f and k are 1, 3, 5 and 7. So (b, d, f ) is 1, 5, 7 and hence
 k=1+5+7－10=3. Thus we get a sum shown below:
6 1
8 5
9 7
Total 2 4 3
So the largest total is 243.
ANS: 243
7. There is a duck-pond in the local park, with a one mile path right round it. One
morning, grandma decided that she would have an hour’s gentle exercise and
walked round the pond at an average speed of 3 miles per hour. Her grandson
Jerry started off at the same place and the same time, ran for an hour at an
average speed of 8 miles per hour and went in the opposite direction to his
grandmother. How many times did they meet after they had started and before
they came to the end of their respective ordeals? (No including the final
encounter.)
Grandma went round exactly 3 times and Jerry went round exactly 8 times. Since
they went in opposite directions, Grandma met Jerry as often as she would have
done if she had sat down and Jerry had gone round 11 times. The number of
meetings, including the final encounter, would therefore have been 11 and so
they met 10 times after they had started and before they came to the end of their
respective ordeals.
ANS: 10
8. Catriona would like to become an Olympic sprinter. Her younger sister Morag
would rather play football, but helps Catriona by racing against her. When they
tried the 100 metre dash, Catriona cross the winning line when Morag was still
20 metres short of it. Catriona wanted something more challenging, so it was
agreed that she would start 20 metres behind the normal starting line. They both
ran at exactly the same speeds as in the first race. Where was Morag when
Catriona crossed the winning line?
Morag ran 80 metres in the time that Catriona ran 100 metres so Morag runs at
4 4
the speed of Catriona. Every race they run, Morgan will run only of the
5 5
distance that Catriona runs in tha same time. While Catriona runs 120 metres,
4
Morgan will run of 120 metres = 96 metres. Thus, Catriona crossed the
5
winning line first and Morag was in the 4 metres short of the line.
ANS: the 4 metres short of the line
9. My bank card has a four digit number code that I need to punch in when I get
money out of the ATM. To help me remember it I noted the following facts
(a) No two digits are the same.
(b) The fourth digit is the sum of the other three.
(c) The first digit is the sum of the middle two digits.
(d) If I reverse the number, the result as an exact multiple of 7
What is my number?
 Let the number be wxyz, where w, x, y and z are digits. Form (b) we have
z=w+x+y. Form (c) we have w=x+y. Hence z=2w. It follows that z is even and
w<5. If x=0, then w=y, since w=x+y. This contradicts (a). Similarly, if y=0, then
w=x, which again contradicts (a). Hence x and y are different digits, both greater
than 0. Since w=x+y it follows that the only possible values of w are 3 and 4.
If w=3, then z=6 and, since w=x+y, the digits x and y are either 1 and 2
respectively or 2 and 1 respectively. The number wxyz is then 3126 or 3216.
Condition (d) requires the reversal zyxw to be an exact multiple of 7. However,
neither 6213 or 6123 is an exact multiple of 7. We deduce that w cannot be 3.
Hence w=4 and z=8. Since w=x+y, the digit x and y are 1 and 3 respectively or 3
and 1 respectively (they cannot both be 2, since no two digits are the same). The
number wxyz is then 4138 or 4318. When reversed, 8314 is not exactly divisible
by 7, but 4318 reversed is 8134, which is exactly divisible by 7; in fact,
8134=7×1162. Therefore my number is 4318.
ANS: 4318
10.
1 2 3 4 5 6

Six of seven positions are occupied by six frogs, which are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6 as shown. A frog can jump to an adjacent position if it is vacant, or leap over
another frog to the next position but one if it is vacant, and can move backwards
or forwards. What is the least possible number of moves required if the frogs are
to occupy the six positions which were occupied at the start, but in the order 6 5
4 3 2 1 reading from left to right?
6×5
There are = 15 pairs of frogs. The order of each pair must be reversed. A
2
reversal requires a jump over another frog and each jump effects one reversal.
Hence at least 15 jumps are needed. If the blank square is in an even position (its
initial position or label 2, 4, 6) then at most three jump then moves the blank
squares to one of the positions labeled 1, 3, 5 and at most two reversals can be
achieved by ‘leap-over’ jumps.
Hence at least 15+6=21 jumps are needed. We can show that 21 jumps are in fact
sufficient with an example:
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 → 2 1 - 3 4 5 6 → 2 1 4 3 - 5 6
→ 2 1 4 3 6 5 - → 2 1 4 3 6 - 5 → 2 1 4 - 6 3 5
→ 2 - 4 1 6 3 5 → - 2 4 1 6 3 5 → 4 2 - 1 6 3 5
→ 4 2 6 1 - 3 5 → 4 2 6 1 5 3 - → 4 2 6 1 5 - 3
→ 4 2 6 - 5 1 3 → 4 - 6 2 5 1 3 → - 4 6 2 5 1 3
→ 6 4 - 2 5 1 3 → 6 4 5 2 - 1 3 → 6 4 5 2 3 1 -
→ 6 4 5 2 3 - 1 → 6 4 5 - 3 2 1 → 6 - 5 4 3 2 1
→ - 6 5 4 3 2 1
ANS: 21
11. As I am sure you know, a date can be represented by writing down three positive
integers. For example, the seventeenth of June 1995 can be represented by
17.6.95; it is the 17th day of the 6th month in the 95th year of the 20th century.
Define the “date sum” of any date to be the sum of the corresponding integers.
Thus the date sum of 17 June 1995 is 17+6+95=118. Now let n be the sum of the
date sums of all the days from 1st January 2001 to 31st December 2007 inclusive.
Find the value of n.
We shall refer to the three components as the day number, the month number and
the year number. To find n, we can first add all the day numbers together to
obtain a number d, then all the month numbers to obtain a number m and finally
all the year number to obtain a number y. Then n=d+m+y.
There are one leap year (2004) and 7×12=84 months between 2001 and 2007, so
there are 7×7=49 of these months have 31 days, 7×4=28 of these months have 30
days, 1 of these months has 29 days and 6 of these months has 28 days. Hence
d=(1+2+3+…+28)×84+29×78+30×77+31×49=40195,
m=(1+3+5+7+8+10+12)×31×7+(4+6+9+11) ×30×7+2×29×1+2×28×6=16676,
and y=(1+2+3+5+6+7)×365+4×366=10224.
So n=40195+16676+10224=67095.
ANS: 67095
12. AB is a diameter of a circle with centre M. CD is a chord of this circle which is
parallel to AB and C is its extremity nearer to A. MC meets AD at a point E such
that AC=EC. Find the size of the angle CAM.

C D
E x˚
y˚ y˚
A x˚ B
M

Let ∠CAE= y° and ∠DAM= x°. Then

∠CDA=∠DAM= x° (alternate angles)
∠CMA=2∠DAM=2x° (angle at centre)
∠CEA=∠CAE= y° (△ACE is isosceles)
But ∠CEA+∠AEM= 180° and ∠EAM+∠AME+∠AEM = 180° means that
∠CEA =∠EAM+∠AME, i.e. y=x+2x=3x.
But AM=MC since they are radii of the circle, thus △AMC is isosceles and
∠ACM=∠CAM= x°+ y°. So from the sum of the angles of △AEC
x+y+y+y=180
10x=180
x=18
and y=54. Thus ∠CAM= 72°
ANS: 72°