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2005 AMC 10B Problems/Problem 24

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Problem

Let x and y be two-digit integers such that y is obtained by reversing the digits of x. The integers x and y satisfy x^2 - y^2 = m^2 for some positive integer m. What is x + y + m?

\mathrm{(A)} 88 \qquad \mathrm{(B)} 112 \qquad \mathrm{(C)} 116 \qquad \mathrm{(D)} 144 \qquad \mathrm{(E)} 154

Solution

Let x = 10a+b, y = 10b+a, without loss of generality with a>b. Then x^2 - y^2 = (x-y)(x+y) = (9a - 9b)(11a + 11b) = 99(a-b)(a+b) = m^2. It follows that 11|(a-b)(a+b), but a-b < 10 so 11|a+b \Longrightarrow a+b=11. Then we have 33^2(a-b) = m^2. Thus a-b is a perfect square. Also, since a-b and a+b have the same parity, so a-b is a one-digit odd perfect square, namely 1 or 9. The latter case gives (a,b) = (10,1), which does not work. The former case gives (a,b) = (6,5), which works, and we have x+y+m = 65 + 56 + 33 = 154\ \mathbf{(E)}.

See Also

2005 AMC 10B (ProblemsResources)
Preceded by
[[2005 AMC 10B Problems/Problem {{{num-b}}}|Problem {{{num-b}}}]]
Followed by
[[2005 AMC 10B Problems/Problem {{{num-a}}}|Problem {{{num-a}}}]]
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