HMMT February 2024
February 17, 2024
Algebra and Number Theory Round
1. Suppose r, s, and t are nonzero reals such that the polynomial x2 + rx + s has s and t as roots, and
the polynomial x2 + tx + r has 5 as a root. Compute s.
2. Suppose a and b are positive integers. Isabella and Vidur both fill up an a × b table. Isabella fills it
up with numbers 1, 2, . . . , ab, putting the numbers 1, 2, . . . , b in the first row, b + 1, b + 2, . . . , 2b in the
second row, and so on. Vidur fills it up like a multiplication table, putting ij in the cell in row i and
column j. (Examples are shown for a 3 × 4 table below.)
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 2 4 6 8
9 10 11 12 3 6 9 12
Isabella’s Grid Vidur’s Grid
Isabella sums up the numbers in her grid, and Vidur sums up the numbers in his grid; the difference
between these two quantities is 1200. Compute a + b.
3. Compute the sum of all two-digit positive integers x such that for all three-digit (base 10) positive
integers a b c, if a b c is a multiple of x, then the three-digit (base 10) number b c a is also a multiple of
x.
4. Let f (x) be a quotient of two quadratic polynomials. Given that f (n) = n3 for all n ∈ {1, 2, 3, 4, 5},
compute f (0).
5. Compute the unique ordered pair (x, y) of real numbers satisfying the system of equations
x 1 y 1
√ − =7 and √ + = 4.
2
x +y 2 x 2
x +y 2 y
6. Compute the sum of all positive integers n such that 50 ≤ n ≤ 100 and 2n + 3 does not divide 2n! − 1.
7. Let P (n) = (n − 13 )(n − 23 ) . . . (n − 403 ) for positive integers n. Suppose that d is the largest positive
integer that divides P (n) for every integer n > 2023. If d is a product of m (not necessarily distinct)
prime numbers, compute m.
8. Let ζ = cos 2π 2π
13 + i sin 13 . Suppose a > b > c > d are positive integers satisfying
√
|ζ a + ζ b + ζ c + ζ d | = 3.
Compute the smallest possible value of 1000a + 100b + 10c + d.
9. Suppose a, b, and c are complex numbers satisfying
a2 = b − c,
b2 = c − a, and
c2 = a − b.
Compute all possible values of a + b + c.
10. A polynomial f ∈ Z[x] is called splitty if and only if for every prime p, there exist polynomials
gp , hp ∈ Z[x] with deg gp , deg hp < deg f and all coefficients of f − gp hp are divisible by p. Compute
the sum of all positive integers n ≤ 100 such that the polynomial x4 + 16x2 + n is splitty.
