PRIME
µα+ͪ gazine
Poly-Gone
To knock out every square in the
2-by-2 grid below, you need to
What is the fewest number of line
segments you need to demolish to
knock out every square in a
1. 5-by-5 grid? Place an X on each
line segment.
demolish 3 line segments.
(Note: There are four 1-by-1
squares and one 2-by-2
square in the 2-by-2 grid)
Take the PRIME MATHgazine Challenge!
Solve the problems and send in your
solutions for a chance to become the
GREAT STEMATICIAN OF 2014.
2. 7-by-7 grid? Place an X on each
line segment.
Awards in July 2014.
Submissions for this issue are due
March 31, 2014
3 ways to submit:
Email: [email protected]
Fax:
480-727-0910
Mail: Lesley Le, Editor at PRIME Center
MATHgazine
PO Box 875703
Tempe, AZ 85287-5703
PRIME
C ENT E R
VOLUME 5 | ISSUE 6 | February 2014
©2014 PRIME Center, Arizona State University
Alphabet Ender
Use the hints below to find the values of V, W, X, Y, and Z.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
W + X + Y = 22
V + W + Z = 25
X + Y + Z = 20
V + W + X + Y + Z = 36
V + 2X + Z = 22
V = ___
W = ___ X = ___
Y = ___
Z = ___
What’s the Difference?
Lottery Luck
Two 3-Digit palindromes
differ by 11.
In one state lottery,
you pick a 6-digit
number. If the 6
digits on your ticket
are in the same order as the
winning number, you win
$1,000,000. If your ticket has the
last 5 digits in the same order as
the winning number, you win
$250,000. If your ticket has the
last 4 digits in the same order as
the winning number, you win
$50,000.
What are the pairs of
palindromes that fit
these conditions?
A Real Cut-Up!
You have two square pieces of paper,
4’’ on a side. Cut one square in half to
make two congruent triangles. Using
these three shapes, make a trapezoid.
1. The area of the trapezoid is
______ square inches
2. The perimeter of the trapezoid is
_______ inches.
PRIME
C ENT E R
If you buy one ticket, what are the
chances of winning
1. $1,000,000?
2. $250,000?
3. $50,000?
VOLUME 5 | ISSUE 6 | February 2014
©2014 PRIME Center, Arizona State University
Math in History: Right to Vote
On February A , ____B____, the 15th Amendment to the
U.S. Constitution was ratified. It guaranteed the right of
citizens to vote “regardless of race, color, or previous condition
of servitude.” However, it wasn’t until __C__ years later, on
August __D__, ____E____, that the __F__th Amendment gave American women the right to vote.
Clues

E — B = 50

The sum of the digits of B is 16. Both 10 and 11 are
factors of this 19th century date.

F + A is divisible by 11

D—F=A+4

A3 — D = 1

F — A is a square number
Ladder Art
Each rung of a ladder is a different color. From top to bottom:





The middle rung is purple.
The orange rung is 4 rungs above the purple rung.
The gray rung is 8 rungs below the orange rung.
The green rung is 12 rungs above the gray rung.
The green rung is 4 rungs from the top of the ladder.
How many rungs are in the ladder?
PRIME
C ENT E R
VOLUME 5 | ISSUE 6 | February 2014
©2014 PRIME Center, Arizona State University
Circle Clues
What’s the 4-digit number?
Each digit must come from the column above the
.
Numbers in circles at the end of each row indicate the number
of digits in that row that are the correct digits and in the correct positions of
the answer.
There may be more than one correct answer to each problem.
1.
3.
5
4
3
1
2
2.
4
3
2
1
1
3
4
9
8
2
3
6
2
7
1
4
8
9
2
2
5
2
0
1
1
4
8
1
2
1
6
4
3
1
2
3
8
2
0
2
6
2
3
1
2
7
3
3
3
2
8
0
3
7
2
3
1
0
3
2
7
7
5
9
2
3
7
1
4
1
3
9
3
6
1
3
2
1
3
1
5
1
8
9
1
6
7
1
4
1
4
5
2
5
1
PRIME
C ENT E R
4.
VOLUME 5 | ISSUE 6 | February 2014
©2014 PRIME Center, Arizona State University