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2021 Pascal Contest

(Grade 9)

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

(in North America and South America)

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

(outside of North America and South America)

Solutions

©2020 University of Waterloo

2021 Pascal Contest Solutions Page 2

1. Since Q is between P and R, then P Q + QR = P R.

Since P R = 12 and P Q = 3, then QR = P R − P Q = 12 − 3 = 9.
Answer: (D)

4 1
2. The fraction is equivalent to the fraction .
8 2
Therefore, the number 4 should be placed in the .
Answer: (C)

3. Elena works for 4 hours and earns $13.25 per hour.

This means that she earns a total of 4 × $13.25 = $53.00.
Answer: (E)

4. The perimeter of each of the squares of side length 1 is 4 × 1 = 4.

The perimeters of the 7 squares in the diagram do not overlap, and so the perimeter of the
entire figure is 7 × 4 = 28.
Answer: (D)

5. Since there are 60 seconds in 1 minute, the number of seconds in 1.5 minutes is 1.5 × 60 = 90.
Thus, Wesley’s times were 63 seconds, 60 seconds, 90 seconds, 68 seconds, and 57 seconds.
When these times in seconds are arranged in increasing order, we obtain 57, 60, 63, 68, 90.
Thus, the median time is 63 seconds.
Answer: (A)

6. The area of the original rectangle is 13 × 10 = 130.

When the dimensions of the original rectangle are each increased by 2, we obtain a rectangle
that is 15 by 12.
The area of the new rectangle is 15 × 12 = 180, and so the area increased by 180 − 130 = 50.
Answer: (A)

7. Solution 1
1
10% of 500 is 10 of 500, which equals 50.
Thus, 110% of 500 equals 500 + 50, which equals 550.

Solution 2
110
110% of 500 is equal to × 500 = 110 × 5 = 550.
100
Answer: (E)

8. Solution 1
We undo each of the operations in reverse order.
The final result, 85, was obtained by multiplying a number by 5. This number was 85 ÷ 5 = 17.
The number 17 was obtained by decreasing n by 2. Thus, n = 17 + 2 = 19.

Solution 2
When n is decreased by 2, we obtain n − 2.
When n − 2 is multiplied by 5, we obtain 5 × (n − 2).
From the given information, 5 × (n − 2) = 85 which means that 5n − 10 = 85.
95
From this, we obtain 5n = 95 and so n = = 19.
5
Answer: (B)
2021 Pascal Contest Solutions Page 3

9. Because 2 circles balance 1 triangle and 1 triangle balances 3 squares, then 2 circles balance 3
squares.
Because 2 circles balance 3 squares, then 2 + 2 = 4 circles balance 3 + 3 = 6 squares, which is
choice (E).
(Can you argue that none of the other choices is equivalent to 6 squares?)
Answer: (E)

10. The integers that are multiples of both 5 and 7 are the integers that are multiples of 35.
The smallest multiple of 35 greater than 100 is 3 × 35 = 105. (The previous multiple of 35 is
2 × 35 = 70.)
Starting at 105 and counting by 35s, we obtain

105, 140, 175, 210, 245, 280, 315

The integers in this list that are between 100 and 300 and are not multiples of 10 (that is,
whose units digit is not 0) are 105, 175, 245, of which there are 3.
Answer: (C)

11. Since a∇b = ab × ba , then 2∇3 = 23 × 32 = 8 × 9 = 72.

Answer: (B)

12. Since 4P QR is right-angled at Q, then ∠P RQ = 90◦ − ∠QP R = 90◦ − 54◦ = 36◦ .

Since ∠P RS = ∠QRS, then ∠QRS = 21 ∠P RQ = 12 (36◦ ) = 18◦ .
Since 4RQS is right-angled at Q, then ∠RSQ = 90◦ − ∠QRS = 90◦ − 18◦ = 72◦ .
Answer: (E)

n−2
13. Since m + 1 = , then 3(m + 1) = n − 2.
3
This means that 3m + 3 = n − 2 and so 3m − n = −2 − 3 = −5.
Answer: (B)

14. Starting at 38, the robot moves 2 squares forward to 36, then rotates 90◦ clockwise to face 29
and then moves to 29.
Starting at 29, the robot moves 2 squares forward to 15, then rotates 90◦ clockwise to face 16
and then moves to 16.
Answer: (A)

15. There are 25 possible locations for the disc to be placed.

In the diagram below, each of these locations is marked with a small black disc if it is touching
2 shaded and unshaded squares (an equal number) and a small white disc if it is touching
different numbers of shaded and unshaded squares.
2021 Pascal Contest Solutions Page 4

Therefore, there are 15 locations where the disc is touching an equal number of shaded and
unshaded squares.
This means that the desired probability is 15
25
, which equals 35 .
Answer: (E)

16. Perfect cubes have the property that the number of times that each prime factor occurs is a
multiple of 3. This is because its prime factors can be separated into three identical groups; in
this case, the product of each group is the cube root of the original number.
In particular, if n3 = 24 × 32 × 55 × k where n is an integer, then the number of times that the
prime factors 2, 3 and 5 occur in the integer n3 must be multiples of 3.
Since n3 already includes 4 factors of 2, then k must include at least 2 additional factors of
2, so that n3 has a factor of 26 . (k could also include more factors of 2, as long as the total
number of factors of 2 is a multiple of 3.)
Since n3 already includes 2 factors of 3, then k must include at least 1 additional factor of 3.
Since n3 already includes 5 factors of 5, then k must include at least 1 additional factor of 5.
Therefore, k includes at least 2 factors of 2, at least 1 factor of 3, and at least 1 factor of 5.
This means that the smallest possible value of k is 22 × 3 × 5 = 60. In principle, k could also
include other prime factors, but to make k as small as possible, we do not need to consider this
further.
Answer: (C)

17. To compare the lengths of these Paths, we begin by removing identical portions. In particular,
we remove the horizontal segment of length 2, a vertical segment of length 1 from the left, and
a vertical segment of length 4 from the right to obtain the following images:

Path 1 Path 2 Path 3

By removing the same lengths, we do not change the relative lengths of the Paths.
Each of the Paths still has a vertical segment of length 1, so we remove each of these segments,
again maintaining the relative lengths of the Paths.

Path 1 Path 2 Path 3

Each of Path 1 and Path 3 now consists of the diagonals of two of the grid squares. Thus, their
original lengths were equal and so x = z.
This means that the final answer must equal (C) or (E), depending on whether x = z is less
than y or greater than y.
2021 Pascal Contest Solutions Page 5

To answer this question, we re-draw the remaining segments of Path 1 under Path 2:

Path 1 Path 2 Path 3

Since a straight line path between two points is shorter than any other path between these
two points, the length of the semi-circle is longer than the total length of the two straight line
segments.
This means that x = z and z < y.
(As an alternate approach, can you determine the length of each of the original Paths and
compare these numerically?)
Answer: (C)

18. The length of time between 10:10 a.m. and 10:55 a.m. is 45 minutes.
The length of time between 10:55 a.m. and 11:58 a.m. is 1 hour and 3 minutes, or 63 minutes.
Since trains arrive at each of these times and we are told that trains arrive every x minutes,
then both 45 and 63 must be multiples of x. (In other words, if we count forward repeatedly
by x minutes starting at 10:10 a.m., we will eventually count 10:55 a.m. and then eventually
count 11:58 a.m.)
Of the given choices (9, 7, 5, 10, 11), only 9 is a factor of each of 45 and 63.
Answer: (A)

19. Solution 1
We work backwards through the given information.
At the end, there is 1 candy remaining.
Since 56 of the candies are removed on the fifth day, this 1 candy represents 16 of the candies
left at the end of the fourth day.
Thus, there were 6 × 1 = 6 candies left at the end of the fourth day.
Since 45 of the candies are removed on the fourth day, these 6 candies represent 15 of the candies
left at the end of the third day.
Thus, there were 5 × 6 = 30 candies left at the end of the third day.
Since 34 of the candies are removed on the third day, these 30 candies represent 14 of the candies
left at the end of the second day.
Thus, there were 4 × 30 = 120 candies left at the end of the second day.
Since 32 of the candies are removed on the second day, these 120 candies represent 13 of the
candies left at the end of the first day.
Thus, there were 3 × 120 = 360 candies left at the end of the first day.
Since 21 of the candies are removed on the first day, these 360 candies represent 12 of the candies
initially in the bag.
Thus, there were 2 × 360 = 720 in the bag at the beginning.

Solution 2
Suppose that there were x candies in the bag at the beginning.
2021 Pascal Contest Solutions Page 6

On the first day, 12 of the candies are eaten, which means that 1 − 12 = 21 of the candies remain.
Since there were x candies at the beginning of the first day, there are 12 x candies at the end of
the first day.
On the second day, 32 of the remaining candies are eaten, which means that 1 − 23 = 13 of the
candies from the beginning of the day remain at the end of the day.
Since there were 21 x candies at the beginning of the second day, there are 31 × 12 x = 61 x candies
at the end of the second day.
On the third day, 34 of the remaining candies are eaten, which means that 1 − 34 = 14 of the
candies from the beginning of the day remain at the end of the day.
Since there were 16 x candies at the beginning of the third day, there are 14 × 61 x = 24 1
x candies
at the end of the third day.
On the fourth day, 45 of the remaining candies are eaten, which means that 1 − 45 = 15 of the
candies from the beginning of the day remain at the end of the day.
1
Since there were 24 x candies at the beginning of the fourth day, there are 15 × 241 1
x = 120 x candies
at the end of the fourth day.
On the fifth day, 65 of the remaining candies are eaten, which means that 1 − 56 = 16 of the
candies from the beginning of the day remain at the end of the day.
1
Since there were 120 x candies at the beginning of the fifth day, there are 61 × 120
1 1
x = 720 x candies
at the end of the fifth day.
1
Since 1 candy remains, then 720 x = 1 which gives x = 720, and so there were 720 candies in
the bag before the first day.
Answer: (B)

20. We make a chart of the possible integers, building their digits from left to right. In each case,
we could determine the required divisibility by actually performing the division, or by using
the following tests for divisibility:
• An integer is divisible by 3 when the sum of its digits is divisible by 3.
• An integer is divisible by 4 when the two-digit integer formed by its tens and units digits
is divisible by 4.
• An integer is divisible by 5 when its units digit is 0 or 5.
8R 8RS N = 8RST
81 812 8120
8125
816 8160
8165
84 840 8400
8405
844 8440
8445
848 8480
8485
87 872 8720
8725
876 8760
8765
In the first column, we note that the integers between 80 and 89 that are multiples of 3 are 81,
84 and 87. In the second column, we look for the mutiples of 4 between 810 and 819, between
2021 Pascal Contest Solutions Page 7

840 and 849, and between 870 and 879. In the third column, we add units digits of 0 or 5.
This analysis shows that there are 14 possible values of N .
Answer: (E)

21. Since the average volume of three cubes is 700 cm3 , their total volume is 3 × 700 cm3 or
2100 cm3 .
The volume of a cube with edge length s cm is s3 cm3 .
Therefore, 33 + 123 + x3 = 2100 and so 27 + 1728 + x3 = 2100 or x3 = 345.
Since x3 = 345, then x ≈ 7.01, which is closest to 7.
Answer: (E)

22. The height of each block is 2, 3 or 6.

Thus, the total height of the tower of four blocks is the sum of the four heights, each of which
equals 2, 3 or 6.
If 4 blocks have height 6, the total height equals 4 × 6 = 24.
If 3 blocks have height 6, the fourth block has height 3 or 2.
Therefore, the possible heights are 3 × 6 + 3 = 21 and 3 × 6 + 2 = 20.
If 2 blocks have height 6, the third and fourth blocks have height 3 or 2.
Therefore, the possible heights are 2×6+3+3 = 18 and 2×6+3+2 = 17 and 2×6+2+2 = 16.
If 1 block has height 6, the second, third and fourth blocks have height 3 or 2.
Therefore, the possible heights are 6+3+3+3 = 15 and 6+3+3+2 = 14 and 6+3+2+2 = 13
and 6 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 12.
If no blocks have height 6, the possible heights are 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12 and 3 + 3 + 3 + 2 = 11
and 3 + 3 + 2 + 2 = 10 and 3 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 9 and 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 8.
The possible heights are thus 24, 21, 20, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8.
There are 14 possible heights.
Answer: (B)

23. When the cylinder is created, W and X touch and Z and Y touch.

W
X

V Z
Y

This means that W Y is vertical and so is perpendicular to the plane of the circular base of the
cylinder.
This means that 4V Y W is right-angled at Y .
By the Pythagorean Theorem, W V 2 = W Y 2 + V Y 2 .
Note that W Y equals the height of the rectangle, which is 3 (the length of W Z) and that V Y
is now measured through the cylinder, not along the line segment ZY .
Let O be the centre of the circular base of the cylinder.
In the original rectangle, ZY = W X = 4 and ZV = 3, which means that V Y = 1 = 41 ZY .
This means that V is one-quarter of the way around the circumference of the circular base from
Y back to Z.
2021 Pascal Contest Solutions Page 8

Y
O

As a result, ∠Y OV = 90◦ , since 90◦ is one-quarter of a complete circular angle.

Thus, 4Y OV is right-angled at O.
By the Pythagorean Theorem, V Y 2 = V O2 + OY 2 .
Since Y O and OV are radii of the circular base, then V O = OY and so Y V 2 = 2V O2 .
Since the circumference of the circular base is 4 (the original length of ZY ), then if the radius
4 2
of the base is r, we have 2πr = 4 and so r = = .
2π π
 2
2 8
Since V O = r, then Y V 2 = 2V O2 = 2 = 2.
π π
This means that
8 9π 2 + 8 8 + 9π 2
WV 2 = WY 2 + Y V 2 = 9 + = =
π2 π2 π2
r
8 + 9π 2
and so W V = .
1 · π2
Since the coefficient of π 2 in the denominator is 1, it is not possible to “reduce” the values of
a, b and c any further, and so a = 8, b = 9, and c = 1, which gives a + b + c = 18.
Answer: (C)

24. Starting with a list of 66 = 2 × 33 items, the items in the first 33 positions
1, 2, 3, . . . , 31, 32, 33
are moved by an in-shuffle to the odd positions of the resulting list, namely to the positions
1, 3, 5, . . . , 61, 63, 65
respectively. This means that an item in position x with 1 ≤ x ≤ 33 is moved by an in-shuffle
to position 2x − 1.
We can see why this formula works by first moving the items in positions 1, 2, 3, . . . , 31, 32, 33
to the even positions 2, 4, 6, . . . , 62, 64, 66 (doubling the original position numbers) and then
shifting each backwards one position to 1, 3, 5, . . . , 61, 63, 65.
Also, the items in the second 33 positions
34, 35, 36, . . . , 64, 65, 66
are moved by an in-shuffle to the even positions of the resulting list, namely to the positions
2, 4, 6, . . . , 62, 64, 66
respectively. This means that an item in position x with 34 ≤ x ≤ 66 is moved by an in-shuffle
to position 2(x − 33).
We can see why this formula works by first moving the items in positions 34, 35, 36, . . . , 64, 65, 66
backwards 33 positions to 1, 2, 3, . . . , 31, 32, 33 and then doubling their position numbers to ob-
tain 2, 4, 6, . . . , 62, 64, 66.
2021 Pascal Contest Solutions Page 9

In summary, the item in position x is moved by an in-shuffle to position

• 2x − 1 if 1 ≤ x ≤ 33
• 2(x − 33) if 34 ≤ x ≤ 66

Therefore, the integer 47 is moved successively as follows:

List Position
1 47
2 2(47 − 33) = 28
3 2(28) − 1 = 55
4 2(55 − 33) = 44
5 2(44 − 33) = 22
6 2(22) − 1 = 43
7 2(43 − 33) = 20
8 2(20) − 1 = 39
9 2(39 − 33) = 12
10 2(12) − 1 = 23
11 2(23) − 1 = 45
12 2(45 − 33) = 24
13 2(24) − 1 = 47

Because the integer 47 moves back to position 47 in list 13, this means that its positions continue
in a cycle of length 12:
47, 28, 55, 44, 22, 43, 20, 39, 12, 23, 45, 24
This is because the position to which an integer moves is completely determined by its previous
position and so the list will cycle once one position repeats.
We note that the integer 47 is thus in position 24 in every 12th list starting at the 12th list.
Since 12 × 83 = 996 and 12 × 84 = 1008, the cycle occurs a total of 83 complete times and so
the integer 47 is in the 24th position in 83 lists. Even though an 84th cycle begins, it does not
conclude and so 47 does not occur in the 24th position for an 84th time among the 1001 lists.
Answer: (C)

25. When Yann removes 4 of the n integers from his list, there are n − 4 integers left.
Suppose that the sum of the n − 4 integers left is T .
1 1 9 1433
The average of these n − 4 integers is 89.5625 = 89.5 + 0.0625 = 89 + + = 89 = .
2 16 16 16
T 1433
Since the sum of the n−4 integers is T , then = which means that 16T = 1433(n−4).
n−4 16
Since 1433 and 16 have no common divisor larger than 1 (the positive divisors of 16 are 1, 2,
4, 8, 16, none of which other than 1 is a divisor of 1433), the value of n − 4 is a multiple of 16.
Since 100 < p < q < r < s, the original list includes more than 100 numbers.
Since the original list includes consecutive integers starting at 1 and only 4 of more than 100
numbers are removed, it seems likely that the average of the original list and the average of the
new list should be relatively similar.
Since the average of the new list is 89.5625 which is close to 90, it seems reasonable to say that
the average of the original list is close to 90.
Since the original list is a list of consecutive positive integers starting at 1, this means that we
would guess that the original list has roughly 180 integers in it.
2021 Pascal Contest Solutions Page 10

In other words, n appears to be near 180.

We do know that n − 4 is a multiple of 16. The closest multiples of 16 to 180 are 160, 176 and
192, which correspond to n = 164, n = 180, and n = 196.
Suppose that n = 180, which seems like the most likely possibility. We will show at the end of
the solution that this is the only possible value of n.
T
The equation = 89.5625 gives T = 176 × 89.5625 = 15 763.
n−4
The sum of the n integers in the original list is
1
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + · · · + (n − 1) + n = n(n + 1)
2
1
When n = 180, the sum of the integers 1, 2, 3, . . . , 178, 179, 180 is (180)(181) = 16 290.
2
Since the sum of the numbers in the original list is 16 290 and the sum once the four numbers
are removed is 15 763, the sum of the four numbers removed is 16 290 − 15 763 = 527.
In other words, p + q + r + s = 527.
We now want to count the number of ways in which we can choose p, q, r, s with the conditions
that 100 < p < q < r < s ≤ 180 and p + q + r + s = 527 with at least three of p, q, r, s
consecutive.
The fourth of these integers is at least 101 and at most 180, which means that the sum of the
three consecutive integers is at least 527 − 180 = 347 and is at most 527 − 101 = 426.
This means that the consecutive integers are at least 115, 116, 117 (whose sum is 348) since
114 + 115 + 116 = 345 which is too small and smaller integers will give sums that are smaller
still.
If p, q, r equal 115, 116, 117, then s = 527 − 348 = 179.
The consecutive integers are at most 141, 142, 143 (whose sum is 426) since 142+143+144 = 429
which is too large and larger integers will give sums that are larger still.
If p, q, r equal 141, 142, 143, then s = 527 − 426 = 101.
When each of the three consecutive integers is increased by 1 and the sum is constant, the
fourth integer is decreased by 3 to maintain this constant sum.
Using all of this, we obtain the following lists p, q, r, s:

115, 116, 117, 179 ; 116, 117, 118, 176 ; . . . ; 130, 131, 132, 134

128, 132, 133, 134 ; 125, 133, 134, 135 ; . . . ; 101, 141, 142, 143
Note that we cannot use 131, 132, 133, 131, since p, q, r, s must be distinct.
There are 26 lists of integers that can be removed (16 in the first set and 10 in the second set).
The corresponding values of s are:

179, 176, 173, 170, 167, 164, 161, 158, 155, 152, 149, 146, 143, 140, 137, 134

134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143
There are 4 values of s that overlap between the two lists, and so there are 26 − 4 = 22 possible
values for s.
Why is n = 180 the only possible value of n?
To see this, we use the fact that the average of the list of consecutive integers starting at a and
a+b
ending at b equals the average of a and b, or . (This is true because the integers in the
2
2021 Pascal Contest Solutions Page 11

list have a constant difference and are thus evenly distributed, which means that the average
of the first and last integers will equal the average of all of the integers in the list.)
n+1
The original list of integers is 1, 2, . . . , n − 1, n which has an average of .
2
If the four largest integers are removed from the list, the new list is 1, 2, . . . , n − 5, n − 4, which
n−3
has an average of .
2
If the four smallest integers are removed from the list, the new list is 5, 6, . . . , n − 1, n, which
n+5
has an average of .
2
When any four integers are removed, the sum of the remaining integers is greater than or equal
to the sum of 1, 2, . . . , n − 5, n − 4 and less than or equal to the sum of 5, 6, . . . , n − 1, n. Since
the denominator in the average calculation remains the same, the average of any of the lists
n−3 n+5
after four numbers are removed is at least and at most .
2 2
n−3
This means that the actual average (which is 89.5625) is greater than or equal to and
2
n+5
less than or equal to .
2
n−3
Since 89.5625 ≥ , then n − 3 ≤ 179.125 and so n ≤ 182.125.
2
n+5
Since 89.5625 ≤ , then n + 5 ≥ 179.125 and so n ≥ 174.125.
2
Since n is an integer, then 175 ≤ n ≤ 182 and so 171 ≤ n − 4 ≤ 178.
Since n − 4 is a multiple of 16, then n − 4 = 176 and so n = 180, as required.
Answer: 22

(The correct answer was missing from the original version of the problem.)