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2019 AMC 10A Problem 14

Problem 14 of 25IntermediateCounting & Probability

For a set of four distinct lines in a plane, there are exactly NN distinct points that lie on two or more of the lines. What is the sum of all possible values of N?N?

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Solution

The values 0,1,3,4,5,0,1,3,4,5, and 66 are attainable. Four parallel lines give 00, four concurrent lines give 11, three parallel lines cut by a fourth give 33, three concurrent lines plus a fourth not through that point give 44, three lines forming a triangle plus a fourth parallel to one side give 55, and four lines in general position give (42)=6\binom42=6. It remains to rule out 22. Choose two nonparallel lines, meeting at XX. If a third line also passes through XX, then a fourth line not through XX intersects at least two of those three concurrent lines at two different new points; otherwise all four lines pass through XX, giving only one point. If the third line does not pass through XX, then to create only one new point it must be parallel to one of the first two lines. A fourth distinct line cannot pass through either existing intersection without meeting the parallel line at a new point, and if it passes through neither, it creates a new intersection immediately. Thus exactly two intersection points are impossible. Thus the possible values are 0,1,3,4,5,60,1,3,4,5,6, whose sum is 1919. Thus, D is the correct answer.

More practice

Concepts: counting intersections · casework

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