AoPSWiki
Want to learn how to tackle those tough MATHCOUNTS and AMC counting and probability problems? Check out Art of Problem Solving's Introduction to Counting & Probability by David Patrick.

2005 PMWC Problems/Problem I8

From AoPSWiki

Problem

Some people in Hong Kong express 2/8 as 8th Feb and others express 2/8 as 2nd Aug. This can be confusing as when we see 2/8, we don’t know whether it is 8th Feb or 2nd Aug. However, it is easy to understand 9/22 or 22/9 as 22nd Sept, because there are only 12 months in a year. How many dates in a year can cause this confusion?

Solution

assume a/b has the month first.


January: 1/1 can't cause confusion, 1/2 can. so can 1/3,......1/12. That makes 11. February: 1/2 can, but 2/2 can't. 2/3...2/12 can, so that's 11 again.

So the first 12 days that aren't in the from x/x will cause confusion, so there are 11 each month.

11*12=\boxed{132}



See also

2005 PMWC (Problems)
Preceded by
Problem I7
Followed by
Problem I9
I: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
T: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Trying to get to the USAMO in 2010? Our AIME Problem Series can help you get there! Click here to enroll today!
© Copyright 2008 AoPS Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. • FoundationPrivacyContact Us