Skip to main content

2020 AMC 10A Problem 18

Problem 18 of 25IntermediateAlgebraNumber TheoryCombinatorics

Let (a,b,c,d)(a,b,c,d) be an ordered quadruple of not necessarily distinct integers, each one of them in the set {0,1,2,3}.\{0,1,2,3\}. For how many such quadruples is it true that a⋅d−b⋅ca\cdot d-b\cdot c is odd? (For example, (0,3,1,1)(0,3,1,1) is one such quadruple, because 0⋅1−3⋅1=−30\cdot 1-3\cdot 1 = -3 is odd.)

Answer choices

Show solution

Solution

Only parity matters. Modulo 22, the condition is that ad−bcad-bc is 11, meaning the matrix (abcd)\begin{pmatrix}a&b\\ c&d\end{pmatrix} is invertible over F2\mathbb F_2. There are (4−1)(4−2)=6(4-1)(4-2)=6 invertible 2×22\times2 matrices over F2\mathbb F_2. Each parity pattern lifts to 24=162^4=16 choices from {0,1,2,3}\{0,1,2,3\}, so there are 6⋅16=966\cdot16=96 quadruples. Thus, C is the correct answer.
AoPS wiki

Tagged: parity · determinant · multiplication principle

More practice