2016 AMC-8 Prep

Interesting articles on math for this week:

How to Fall in Love With Math by Manil Suri from the New York Times

The Simpsons' secret formula : it's written by math geeks by Simon Singh from the Guardian

For this week's self studies (part I work):
Review:

2009 #25 : Review using the Harvey method. :D

2008 #25   Don't use the method on the link. Use the much faster method we talked about at our lesson.

2008 #24  Make a chart. Slow down on similar question such as this one. 
This type of problem is very easy to make mistake on under or overcounting. 
Skip first and definitely slow down and double, triple check. 

2007 #25 Read the solution if you don't get the method we talked about at our lesson.
It takes time to develop insights so you need to be patient.
If you understand the method, this question will be easy, right ?
Stay with this question longer.

2007 #24 
Aayush's method is faster.
(To get the sum of three digits that is a multiple of 3, you either get rid of 1 or 4 [do you see it jumps by 3, why?] ) , so the answer is 1/2.

2006 #25
I've seen other problems (AMC-10s) using the oddest prime, which is "2", the only prime number that is even.
Thus, make sure you understand this question.

2006#24  Taking out the factor question.
Also, learn "1001 = 7 x 11 x 13"
"23 x 29 = 667"

2005 #25 Venn diagram is your friend.

2005 #24 Working backwards is the way to go.

For part II work :
This week, work on the last 5 problems from AMC-8 year 2010, 2011, 2012, 1999 and 1998.
Here is the link from AoPs.

Sam' original question:
David has a bag of 8 different-colored six-sided dice. Their colors are red, blue, yellow, green, purple, orange, black, and white. What is the probability that David takes out a red die, rolls a 6, then takes out a purple die, and rolls another 6 without replacement?

Solution:
The probability of rolling a 6 on a red die is 1/8 * 1/6 = 1/48. The probability of rolling a purple die and rolling a 6 after that, without replacement, is 1/7 * 1/6 = 1/42. Therefore, to get both events, 1/48 * 1/42 = 1/2016.

Evan's compiled question:
\(\sqrt {18+8\sqrt {2}}=a+b\sqrt {c}\)
a, b and c are positive integers. Find a + b + c.
Solution:
Square both sides and you have \(18+8\sqrt{2}\) = \( a^2 + 2ab\sqrt {2} + b^2c\)
You can see ab = 4 = 4 x 1 and c = 2
a = 4, b = 1 and c = 2 so the sum is 7.

Sounak's problem:
A rhombus with sides 4 is drawn. It has an angle of 60 degrees. What is length of the longer diagonal?

Solution:
Well first you have to draw the rhombus's height .The resulting triangle will be 30,60, 90 triangle.
We know the hypotenuse is 4 so now we know the rest of the sides are \(2\sqrt {3}\) and 2.
Now if we draw the diagonal we see that it makes another right angle triangle.
We know the legs of this triangle are the same as the previous lengths so then we know the diagonal is \(4\sqrt {3}\).

First week's review reminders

For 16-17 Mathcounts handbook :

Warm-up 1 : review #3, 7, 9.
Think of ways to get these questions in seconds.

Warm-up 2 : review 17,18,19,20 -- slow down on #18, similar types are very easy to
get wrong the first try

direct and inverse relationship 

From AoPS videos :

7.1 Direct Proportion

7.2 Inverse Proportion

7.3 Joint Proportion

Instructions for reviewing 

2014 School Rounds link here 

Sprint : 

#18 (trial and error are faster), #20 (loose pennies out first)
#22, #26, #27, #28, #29, #30 -- Read the solutions and make sure to fully understand
what major concept(s) is (are) tested -- these are not hard problems.

Target : 

#1 : Calendar questions could be tricky, so slow down a bit.
       Check what stage it starts first.

#2 : WOW, this one is a killer, so tedious -- hard to get it right the first time. 

# 3 and 4 are in seconds questions.

# 5: One line, two numbers and you are done.
       With a calculator, you don't even need to write anything down, right?  :)

#6 : more interesting question

#7 and 8 : standard questions, not hard, just need to be careful and thorough.

Team : 

# 2, 3, 5, 6 (very tedious, I suggest skipping first)
8, 9 (more tedious than 8 and 10, so don't work on problems in order), and
#10 (very easy if you've noticed what is actually tested) It's in seconds question. 

Agai, scan those questions and only try those that are your weak spots or marked red.

Please check the solution files I'd sent you to learn the better methods.

Whenever you have extra time, use the other links (individually based) to keep learning.

Keep me posted. Have fun at problem solving.

Don't just do math.  :) 

Math related video : Making Stuff Faster, 

which includes "The Travelling Salesman Problem" and a competition between an astrophysicist and a paleontologist on how to move passengers boarding the planes faster 

Good luck, from Mrs. Lin