2005AIME-IIsolutions.pdfVIP

The Mathematical Association of America American Mathematics Competitions rd 23 Annual (Alternate) AMERICAN INVITATIONAL MATHEMATICS EXAMINATION (AIME) SOLUTIONS PAMPHLET Tuesday, March 22, 2005 This Solutions Pamphlet gives at least one solution for each problem on this year’s AIME and shows that all the problems can be solved using precalculus mathematics. When more than one solution for a problem is provided, this is done to illustrate a significant contrast in methods, e.g., algebraic vs geometric, computational vs. conceptual, elementary vs. advanced. The solutions are by no means the only ones possible, nor are they necessarily superior to others the reader may devise. We hope that teachers inform their students about these solutions, both as illustrations of the kinds of ingenuity needed to solve nonroutine problems and as examples of good mathematical exposition. Routine calculations and obvious reasons for proceeding in a certain way are often omitted. This gives greater emphasis to the essential ideas behind each solution. Remember that reproduction of these solutions is prohibited by copyright. Correspondence about the problems and solutions for this AIME and orders for any of the publications listed below should be addressed to: American Mathematics Competitions University of Nebraska, P.O. Box 81606 Lincoln, NE 68501-1606 Phone: 402-472-2257; Fax: 402-472-6087; email: amcinfo@unl.edu Theproblems and solutions for this AIME wereprepared by the MAA’s Committee on the AIME under the direction of: