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2007 AIME I Problems/Problem 5

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Problem

The formula for converting a Fahrenheit temperature to the corresponding Celsius temperature is An integer Fahrenheit temperature is converted to Celsius, rounded to the nearest integer, converted back to Fahrenheit, and again rounded to the nearest integer.

For how many integer Fahrenheit temperatures between 32 and 1000 inclusive does the original temperature equal the final temperature?

Contents

Solution

Solution 1

Examine modulo 9.

  • If \displaystyle F - 32 \equiv 0 \pmod{9}, then we can define . This shows that F = \left[\frac{9}{5}\left[\frac{5}{9}(F-32)\right] + 32\right] \Longrightarrow F = \left[\frac{9}{5}(5x) + 32\right] \Longrightarrow F = 9x + 32. This case works.
  • If \displaystyle F - 32 \equiv 1 \pmod{9}, then we can define . This shows that F = \left[\frac{9}{5}\left[\frac{5}{9}(F-32)\right] + 32\right] \Longrightarrow F = \left[\frac{9}{5}(5x + 1) + 32\right] \LongrightarrowF = \left[9x + \frac{9}{5}+ 32 \right] \Longrightarrow F = 9x + 34. So this case doesn't work.

Generalizing this, we define that . Thus, F = \left[\frac{9}{5}\left[\frac{5}{9}(9x + k)\right] + 32\right] \Longrightarrow F = \left[\frac{9}{5}(5x + \left[\frac{5}{9}k\right]) + 32\right] \Longrightarrow F = \left[\frac{9}{5} \left[\frac{9}{5}k \right] \right] + 9x + 32. We need to find all values that \left[ \frac{9}{5} \left[ \frac{5}{9} k \right] \right] = k. Testing every value of shows that , so of every values of work.

There are \lfloor \frac{1000 - 32}{9} \rfloor = 107 cycles of , giving numbers that work. Of the remaining numbers from onwards, work, giving us as the solution.

Solution 2

Notice that \left[ \frac{9}{5} \left[ \frac{5}{9} k \right] \right] = k holds iff for some . Thus, after translating from we want count how many values of there are such that is an integer from to . This value is computed as , adding in the extra solution corresponding to .

Solution 3

Let be a degree Celcius, and rounded to the nearest integer. |(\frac 59)(f-32)-c|\leq \frac 5{18} so it must round to because . Therefore there is one solution per degree celcius in the range from to (\frac 59)(1000-32) + 1=(\frac 59)(968) + 1=538.8, meaning there are solutions.

See also

2007 AIME I (ProblemsResources)
Preceded by
Problem 4
Followed by
Problem 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
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