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2015 AMC 10A Problem 20

Problem 20 of 25HarderAlgebraGeometry

A rectangle with positive integer side lengths in cm\mathrm{cm} has area AA cm2\mathrm{cm}^2 and perimeter PP cm.\mathrm{cm}. Which of the following numbers cannot equal A+P?A+P?

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Solution

Let the side lengths be positive integers xx and yy. Then A+P=xy+2x+2y=(x+2)(y+2)−4. \begin{aligned} &A+P=xy+2x+2y \\ &=(x+2)(y+2)-4. \end{aligned} Hence A+P+4A+P+4 must factor into two integers both at least 33. The answer choices plus 44 are 104,106,108,110,112104,106,108,110,112. All except 106106 have a factorization with both factors at least 33: 104=4⋅26,104=4\cdot26, 108=9⋅12,108=9\cdot12, 110=10⋅11,110=10\cdot11, 112=7⋅16.112=7\cdot16. But 106=2⋅53106=2\cdot53, so it cannot equal (x+2)(y+2)(x+2)(y+2). Thus, B is the correct answer.
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