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# Number theory AMC 8 2014 Problem Number 23

Try this beautiful problem from AMC 8. It involves number theory and logical reasoning. We provide sequential hints so that you can try the problem.

# What are we learning ?

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.0.9″ text_font=”Raleway||||||||” text_font_size=”20px” text_letter_spacing=”1px” text_line_height=”1.5em” background_color=”#f4f4f4″ custom_margin=”10px||10px” custom_padding=”10px|20px|10px|20px” box_shadow_style=”preset2″]Competency in Focus: Number theory This problem from American Mathematics contest (AMC 8, 2014) is based on basic knowledge about prime numbers and simple logical reasoning and number theory .[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”Raleway|300|||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” header_font=”Raleway|300|||||||” header_text_color=”#e2e2e2″ background_color=”#0c71c3″ custom_padding=”20px|20px|20px|20px” border_radii=”on|5px|5px|5px|5px” box_shadow_style=”preset3″]

# Next understand the problem

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.0.9″ text_font=”Raleway||||||||” text_font_size=”20px” text_letter_spacing=”1px” text_line_height=”1.5em” background_color=”#f4f4f4″ custom_margin=”10px||10px” custom_padding=”10px|20px|10px|20px” box_shadow_style=”preset2″]Three members of the Euclid Middle School girls’ softball team had the following conversation. Ashley: I just realized that our uniform numbers are all $2$-digit primes. Brittany : And the sum of your two uniform numbers is the date of my birthday earlier this month. Caitlin: That’s funny. The sum of your two uniform numbers is the date of my birthday later this month. Ashley: And the sum of your two uniform numbers is today’s date. What number does Caitlin wear?[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.0″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_accordion open_toggle_text_color=”#0c71c3″ _builder_version=”4.0.9″ toggle_font=”||||||||” body_font=”Raleway||||||||” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”10px||10px”][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Source of the problem” _builder_version=”4.0.9″ open=”off”]American Mathematical Contest 2014, AMC 8 Problem 23[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Key Competency” open=”on” _builder_version=”4.0.9″]Basic knowledge about prime numbers , simple logical reasoning and number theory.[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Difficulty Level” _builder_version=”4.0.9″ open=”off”]6/10[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Suggested Book” _builder_version=”4.0.9″ open=”off”]Challenges and Thrills in Pre College Mathematics Excursion Of Mathematics

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_tabs _builder_version=”4.0.9″][et_pb_tab title=”HINT 0″ _builder_version=”4.0.9″]Do you really need a hint? Try it first![/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”HINT 1″ _builder_version=”4.0.9″]The maximum amount of days any given month can have is $31$, and the smallest two digit primes are 11,13,17. Now see that there are a few different sums that can be deduced from the following numbers, which are $24, 30,$ and $28$, all of which represent the three days. So,the uniform numbers must be 11,13,17 otherwise there different sums will be more than 31 which gives a contradiction as the maximum amount of days any given moth can have is 31.[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”HINT 2″ _builder_version=”4.0.9″]Now we have to find which member has what uniform numbers from the given  conversation .[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”HINT 3″ _builder_version=”4.0.9″] since Brittany says that the other two people’s uniform numbers are earlier, so that means Caitlin and Ashley’s numbers must add up to $24$. Similarly, Caitlin says that the other two people’s uniform numbers is later, so the sum must add up to $30$. This leaves $28$ as today’s date.[/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”HINT 4″ _builder_version=”4.0.9″]From this, Caitlin was referring to the uniform wearers $13$ and $17$, telling us that her number is $11$, giving our solution as 11.[/et_pb_tab][/et_pb_tabs][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”Raleway|300|||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” header_font=”Raleway|300|||||||” header_text_color=”#e2e2e2″ background_color=”#0c71c3″ min_height=”12px” custom_margin=”50px||50px” custom_padding=”20px|20px|20px|20px” border_radii=”on|5px|5px|5px|5px” box_shadow_style=”preset3″]