SENIOR SECONDARY

SET 5

LOGICAL THINKING
1. According to the pattern shown below, what is the number in the blank?
1,10,73,514,3601, __ , …
8
2. Given that 1.1472 < √3 < 1.1473, find the largest integer 𝑎 that satisfies 𝑎8 ≤ 341 .
3. Find the average of the following number sequence:
2,6,18,54,162, … ,1458,4374.
4. Convert octal(base 8) number 27108 to nonary(base 9) number.
5. Ben and 7 other students are sharing 275 apples. Each of them has at least 1 apple and no two of
them have the same number of apples. If Ben has the most number of apples among them, at least
how many apples does he get?

ALGEBRA

6. Simplify √115 + 6√364.

7. Factorize 𝑥 4 − 2𝑥 3 − 7𝑥 2 + 8𝑥 + 12.
8. Solve the equation log 9 3 + log 9 (16𝑥 3 + 3773) − 2 = 3 log 9 𝑥.
89
9. Find the maximum value of 𝑥 2 +18𝑥+421 for real number 𝑥 satisfying |𝑥| ≤ 5.
1 1
10. Given 𝑥 > 0 and 𝑥 − 𝑥 = 23, find the value of 𝑥 3 − 𝑥 3 .

NUMBER THEORY
11. Find the remainder when 415634 is divided by 21.
12. Find the last two digits of 1 + 91 + 92 + 93 + ⋯ + 92024 .
13. A 4-digit positive number has a remainder 70 when divided by 158. What is the smallest possible
value of this 4-digit number?
248
14. Find the value of the expression −23 + 248 if it exists and is a negative real number.
−23+ 248
−23+
−23+⋯
15. A 3-digit number has a remainder 6 when divided by 7, has a remainder 8 when divided by 10 and
has a remainder 10 when divided by 13. What is the smallest possible value of this 3-digit
number?
GEOMETRY
16. Find the area of the circumcircle of an equilateral triangle with side length 9. (Answer in terms of
𝜋)
17. Find the radius of the inscribed circle of a rhombus with diagonals of lengths 28 and 96.
18. Find the shortest distance from the point (7, −4) to line 6𝑥 − 15𝑦 + 18 = 0.
19. In ∆𝐴𝐵𝐶, 𝐴𝐵 = 24, 𝐴𝐶 = 22, 𝐵𝐶 = 20. Find the value of cos 𝐵.
20. Find the area enclosed by the 𝑥-axis, straight line 9𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 18 and straight line 9𝑥 + 10𝑦 = 54 in
a rectangular coordinate plane.

COMBINATORICS
21. Find the number of different way(s) of arranging 3 identical blue cups, 6 identical green cups and
7 identical red cups in a row.
22. Determine the number of integer(s) 𝑥 such that 𝑥 2 < 4𝑥 + 221.
23. Two balls are drawn at random without replacement from a bag containing 5 blue balls, 7 red
balls and 9 green balls. Given one of the balls drawn is red, what is the probability that the other
ball drawn is also red?
24. It is known that 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, and 𝑑 are natural numbers. Find the number of solution sets of 𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑐 +
𝑑 ≤ 22.
25. How many different way(s) is/are there to divide 15 people into five groups of three?
 SENIOR SECONDARY
SET 5
SOLUTION MANUAL

LOGICAL THINKING
1. According to the pattern shown below, what is the number in the blank?
1,10,73,514,3601, __ , …
Answer: 25210
Solution:
3 + 7(1) = 10
3 + 7(10) = 73
3 + 7(73) = 514
3 + 7(514) = 3601
3 + 7(3601) = 25210
8
2. Given that 1.1472 < √3 < 1.1473, find the largest integer 𝑎 that satisfies 𝑎8 ≤ 341 .
Answer: 278
Solution:
8 8
√𝑎8 ≤ √341
1
𝑎 ≤ 35 (38 )
8
𝑎 ≤ 243( √3)
𝑎 < 243(1.1473)
𝑎 < 278.7939
Therefore, 𝑎 = 278.

3. Find the average of the following number sequence:

2,6,18,54,162, … ,1458,4374.
Answer: 820
Solution:
The sequence is a geometric sequence with 𝑎1 = 2 and 𝑟 = 3.
Counting the number of terms, we have 𝑛 = 8.
Getting the sum,
𝑎1 (1 − 𝑟 𝑛 )
𝑆𝑛 =
1−𝑟
2(1 − 38 )
𝑆8 =
1−3
2(−6560)
𝑆8 =
−2
 𝑆8 = 6560.
Now, solving for the average,
𝑆𝑢𝑚 6560
𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 = = = 820.
# 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑠 8

4. Convert octal(base 8) number 27108 to nonary(base 9) number.

Answer: 2024 𝑜𝑟 20249
Solution:
Converting 27108 to decimal (base 10) first, we have
0 × 80 = 0
1 × 81 = 8
7 × 82 = 448
2 × 83 = 1024
which when added altogether becomes
8 + 448 + 1024 = 1480.
We now have 148010 .
Converting 148010 to base 9, we have
1480
= 164 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 4
9
164
= 18 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 2
9
18
= 2 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 0
9
2
= 0 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 2
9
Taking note of the remainders in reverse order, we have
2,0,2,4.
Hence, we have
27108 = 148010 = 20249 .

5. Ben and 7 other students are sharing 275 apples. Each of them has at least 1 apple and no two of
them have the same number of apples. If Ben has the most number of apples among them, at least
how many apples does he get?
Answer: 38
Solution:
275 3
= 34
8 8
We let 34 be the 4th or 5th value.
We have
31,32,33,34,35,36,37, 𝐵𝑒𝑛
but this arrangement will give Ben 37 apples.
We then adjust one of the values, specifically 31 to 30.
This would give Ben 38 apples, the minimum value which satisfies that he has the most number of
apples.
ALGEBRA

6. Simplify √115 + 6√364.

Answer: 3√7 + 2√13 𝑜𝑟 2√13 + 3√7
Solution:
√115 + 2(3)√364

= √115 + 2√(32 )(364)

= √115 + 2√63(52)

= √63 + 2√63(52) + 52
2
= √(√63 + √52)
= √63 + √52
= 3√7 + 2√13 𝑜𝑟 2√13 + 3√7

7. Factorize 𝑥 4 − 2𝑥 3 − 7𝑥 2 + 8𝑥 + 12.
Answer: (𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 + 2) 𝑜𝑟 (𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 − 3)
Solution:
(𝑥 4 − 7𝑥 2 + 12) − (2𝑥 3 − 8𝑥)
= (𝑥 2 − 4)(𝑥 2 − 3) − 2𝑥(𝑥 2 − 4)
= (𝑥 2 − 4)(𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 3)
= (𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 + 1)
= (𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 + 2) 𝑜𝑟 (𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 − 3)

8. Solve the equation log 9 3 + log 9 (16𝑥 3 + 3773) − 2 = 3 log 9 𝑥.

Answer: 7
Solution:
log 9 3 + log 9 (16𝑥 3 + 3773) − 2 = 3 log 9 𝑥
1
+ log 9 (16𝑥 3 + 3773) − 2 = log 9 𝑥 3
2
1
log 9 (16𝑥 3 + 3773) − log 9 𝑥 3 = 2 −
2
16𝑥 3 + 3773 3
log 9 =
𝑥3 2
16𝑥 3 + 3773 3
= 92
𝑥3
16𝑥 3 + 3773
= 27
𝑥3
16𝑥 3 + 3773 = 27𝑥 3
11𝑥 3 = 3773
𝑥 3 = 343
𝑥=7
 89
9. Find the maximum value of 𝑥 2 +18𝑥+421 for real number 𝑥 satisfying |𝑥| ≤ 5.
1
Answer: 4 𝑜𝑟 0.25
Solution:
89
(𝑥 2
+ 18𝑥) + 421
89
= 2
(𝑥 + 18𝑥 + 81) + 421 − 81
89
=
(𝑥 + 9)2 + 340
The denominator attains minimum when 𝑥 = −9.
However, we have |𝑥| ≤ 5 or −5 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 5.
This means that we will use 𝑥 = −5, which produces the least value out of (𝑥 + 9)2 .
We have
89
(−5 + 9)2 + 340
89
=
16 + 340
89
=
356
1
= 𝑜𝑟 0.25.
4
1 1
10. Given 𝑥 > 0 and 𝑥 − 𝑥 = 23, find the value of 𝑥 3 − 𝑥 3 .
Answer: 12236
Solution:
1 3
(𝑥 − ) = 233
𝑥
1 1 2 1
𝑥 3 − 3(𝑥)2 ( ) + 3(𝑥) ( ) − 3 = 12167
𝑥 𝑥 𝑥
3 1
𝑥 3 − 3𝑥 + − 3 = 12167
𝑥 𝑥
1 1
𝑥 3 − 3 − 3 (𝑥 − ) = 12167
𝑥 𝑥
1
𝑥3 − = 12167 + 3(23) = 12236
𝑥3

NUMBER THEORY
11. Find the remainder when 415634 is divided by 21.
Answer: 16
Solution:
4156 ≡ 19 ≡ −2 ≡ 19 𝑚𝑜𝑑 21
41562 ≡ (−2)2 ≡ 4 𝑚𝑜𝑑 21
41563 ≡ (−2)3 ≡ −8 ≡ 13 𝑚𝑜𝑑 21
41564 ≡ (−2)4 ≡ 16 𝑚𝑜𝑑 21
4156 ≡ (−2)5 ≡ −32 ≡ −11 ≡ 10 𝑚𝑜𝑑 21
5

41566 ≡ (−2)6 ≡ 64 ≡ 1 𝑚𝑜𝑑 21

 The pattern for remainders is (19,4,13,16,10,1).
We then divide the exponent by the number of values in the pattern, that is
34 ≡ 4 𝑚𝑜𝑑 6.
The 4 remainder in the pattern is 16.
th

Hence, we have 16.

12. Find the last two digits of 1 + 91 + 92 + 93 + ⋯ + 92024 .

Answer: 81
Solution:
Note that
91 + 92 ≡ 9(1 + 9) ≡ 90 𝑚𝑜𝑑 100
93 + 94 ≡ 93 (1 + 9) ≡ 729(10) ≡ 90 𝑚𝑜𝑑 100
and so on.
This is true as the last digit of 9 raised to an odd integer is always 9 and it is being multiplied by
10, which gives the last two digits 90.
Hence, we have
2024
1+ (90) ≡ 1 + 1012(90) ≡ 1 + 12(90) ≡ 1 + 80 ≡ 81 𝑚𝑜𝑑 100.
2
Therefore, the last two digits are 81.

13. A 4-digit positive number has a remainder 70 when divided by 158. What is the smallest possible
value of this 4-digit number?
Answer: 1018
Solution:
We have
𝑥 ≡ 70 𝑚𝑜𝑑 158.
𝑥 = 158𝑘 + 70, 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑘 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑔𝑒𝑟
Now,
𝑥 = 158𝑘 + 70 ≥ 1000
158𝑘 ≥ 930
930 70
𝑘≥ =5 .
158 79
When 𝑘 = 6, we have
𝑥 = 158(6) + 70 = 1018.
248
14. Find the value of the expression −23 + 248 if it exists and is a negative real number.
−23+ 248
−23+
−23+⋯
Answer: −31
Solution:
Let
248
𝑥 = −23 + .
248
−23 + 248
−23 + −23 + ⋯
248
𝑥 = −23 +
𝑥
𝑥 2 = −23𝑥 + 248
𝑥 2 + 23𝑥 − 248 = 0
(𝑥 − 8)(𝑥 + 31) = 0
 Since the given expression is a negative real number, we have
𝑥 + 31 = 0
𝑥 = −31.

15. A 3-digit number has a remainder 6 when divided by 7, has a remainder 8 when divided by 10 and
has a remainder 10 when divided by 13. What is the smallest possible value of this 3-digit
number?
Answer: 608
Solution:
𝑥 ≡ 6 𝑚𝑜𝑑 7
𝑥 ≡ 8 𝑚𝑜𝑑 10
𝑥 ≡ 10 𝑚𝑜𝑑 13
Using CRT, we have

6 𝑚𝑜𝑑 7 8 𝑚𝑜𝑑 10 10 𝑚𝑜𝑑 13

𝑥≡ 10 × 13 × 5 7 × 13 × 8 7 × 10 × 2
𝑥≡ 650 728 140
Now,
𝑥 ≡ (650 + 728 + 140) 𝑚𝑜𝑑 (𝐿𝐶𝑀(7,10,13)) ≡ 1518 ≡ 608 𝑚𝑜𝑑 910
Therefore, the smallest 3-digit number for 𝑥 is 608.

GEOMETRY
16. Find the area of the circumcircle of an equilateral triangle with side length 9. (Answer in terms of
𝜋)
Answer: 27𝜋
Solution:
Note that the circumradius of an equilateral triangle given side 𝑠, we have
𝑠
𝑅= .
√3
Now,
9 9√3
𝑅= = = 3√3.
√3 3
Hence, we have
2
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 = 𝜋(3√3) = 27𝜋.

17. Find the radius of the inscribed circle of a rhombus with diagonals of lengths 28 and 96.
336 11
Answer: 25 𝑜𝑟 13.44 𝑜𝑟 13 25
Solution:
Solving for the side length 𝑠 of the rhombus, we have
𝑑1 2 𝑑2 2
√
𝑠 = ( ) +( )
2 2
𝑠 = √142 + 482
𝑠 = 50.
Now,
𝑑1 𝑑2
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑟ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑏𝑢𝑠 = = 2𝑠𝑟.
2
 We have
28(96)
= 2(50)(𝑟)
2
1344 = 100𝑟
1344 336 11
𝑟= = 𝑜𝑟 13.44 𝑜𝑟 13 .
100 25 25

18. Find the shortest distance from the point (7, −4) to line 6𝑥 − 15𝑦 + 18 = 0.
40√29
Answer: 29
Solution:
Using the formula in finding the distance between a point to a line, we have
|6(7) − 15(−4) + 18| |42 + 60 + 18| 120 40 40√29
𝑑= = = = = .
√62 + (−15)2 √36 + 225 3√29 √29 29

19. In ∆𝐴𝐵𝐶, 𝐴𝐵 = 24, 𝐴𝐶 = 22, 𝐵𝐶 = 20. Find the value of cos 𝐵.

41
Answer:
80
Solution:
Using cosine law, we have
(𝐴𝐶)2 = (𝐴𝐵)2 + (𝐵𝐶)2 − 2(𝐴𝐵)(𝐵𝐶)(cos 𝐵)
2(𝐴𝐵)(𝐵𝐶)(cos 𝐵) = (𝐴𝐵)2 + (𝐵𝐶)2 − (𝐴𝐶)2
(𝐴𝐵)2 + (𝐵𝐶)2 − (𝐴𝐶)2
cos 𝐵 =
2(𝐴𝐵)(𝐵𝐶)
242 + 202 − 222
cos 𝐵 =
2(24)(20)
576 + 400 − 484
cos 𝐵 =
2(24)(20)
492
cos 𝐵 =
2(24)(20)
41
cos 𝐵 = .
80

20. Find the area enclosed by the 𝑥-axis, straight line 9𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 18 and straight line 9𝑥 + 10𝑦 = 54 in
a rectangular coordinate plane.
Answer: 9
Solution:
Note that the region is bounded by 𝑦 = 0, 9𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 18 and 9𝑥 + 10𝑦 = 54.
For 𝑦 = 0 and 9𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 18, we have the intersection at (2,0).
For 𝑦 = 0 and 9𝑥 + 10𝑦 = 54, we have the intersection at (6,0).
9
For 9𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 18 and 9𝑥 + 10𝑦 = 54, we have the intersection at (1, 2).
Hence, the area of the region, which is a triangle is
1 9 1 9 1
𝐴 = |(6 − 2) ( − 0)| = |4 ( )| = (18) = 9.
2 2 2 2 2
COMBINATORICS
21. Find the number of different way(s) of arranging 3 identical blue cups, 6 identical green cups and
7 identical red cups in a row.
Answer: 960960
Solution:
(3 + 6 + 7)!
3! 6! 7!
16!
=
3! 6! 7!
16 × 15 × 14 × 13 × 12 × 11 × 10 × 9 × 8 × 7!
=
3 × 2 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 7!
16 × 15 × 14 × 13 × 12 × 11 × 10 × 9 × 8
=
3×2×6×5×4×3×2
= 960960

22. Determine the number of integer(s) 𝑥 such that 𝑥 2 < 4𝑥 + 221.

Answer: 29
Solution:
𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 − 221 < 0
(𝑥 + 13)(𝑥 − 17) < 0
Hence, the solution set is
−13 < 𝑥 < 17.
Therefore, we have 12 + 1 + 16 = 29 integer solutions.

23. Two balls are drawn at random without replacement from a bag containing 5 blue balls, 7 red
balls and 9 green balls. Given one of the balls drawn is red, what is the probability that the other
ball drawn is also red?
3
Answer: 17
Solution:
(72)
(51)(71) + (19)(71) + (72)
21
=
5(7) + 9(7) + 21
21
=
35 + 63 + 21
21
=
119
3
=
17
24. It is known that 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐, and 𝑑 are natural numbers. Find the number of solution sets of 𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑐 +
𝑑 ≤ 22.
Answer: 7315
Solution:
Case 1: 𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑐 + 𝑑 = 22
We have
22 − 1
( )
4−1
21
=( )
3
= 1330.
Case 2: 𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑐 + 𝑑 < 22
Adding one variable on the left-hand side, let’s say 𝑘, we have
𝑎 + 𝑏 + 𝑐 + 𝑑 + 𝑘 = 22.
Now,
22 − 1
( )
5−1
21
=( )
4
= 5985.
Hence, we have a total of 1330 + 5985 = 7315.

25. How many different way(s) is/are there to divide 15 people into five groups of three?
Answer: 1401400
Solution:
(15
3
)(12
3
)(39)(63)(33)
5!
(455)(220)(84)(20)(1)
=
5×4×3×2
= 1401400