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2003 AMC 10B Problem 16

Problem 16 of 25IntermediateAlgebraCounting & Probability

A restaurant offers three desserts, and exactly twice as many appetizers as main courses. A dinner consists of an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert. What is the least number of main courses that the restaurant should offer so that a customer could have a different dinner each night in the year 2003?2003?

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Solution

With mm main courses, the number of dinners is 3m2m=6m2.3 \cdot m \cdot 2m = 6m^2. This must be at least 365.365. So m2365660.8.m^2 \ge \dfrac{365}{6}\approx 60.8. Since 72=497^2=49 is too small but 82=648^2=64 works, m=8.m=8. Thus, the correct answer is E.

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Concepts: multiplication principle · inequality

Problem text and solution from the LIVE past-contest archive. See also the AoPS wiki page for community solutions.