Skip to main content

2016 AMC 12A Problem 14

Problem 14 of 25IntermediateGeometry

Each vertex of a cube is to be labeled with an integer from 11 through 8,8, with each integer being used once, in such a way that the sum of the four numbers on the vertices of a face is the same for each face. Arrangements that can be obtained from each other through rotations of the cube are considered to be the same. How many different arrangements are possible?

Answer choices

Show solution

Solution

Each vertex belongs to 33 faces, so 6S=3(1+2++8)=108,6S=3(1+2+\cdots+8)=108, giving each face-sum S=18.S=18. The four-element subsets containing 11 with sum 1818 are {1,2,7,8},\{1,2,7,8\}, {1,3,6,8},\{1,3,6,8\}, {1,4,5,8},\{1,4,5,8\}, and {1,4,6,7}.\{1,4,6,7\}. Only one omits 8,8, so at least two of the three distinct faces through 11 contain 8.8. Two vertices of a cube lie on two common faces exactly when they are adjacent; hence 11 and 88 are adjacent. Rotate the cube so that 11 is at the lower-left-front vertex and 88 at the lower-right-front vertex. The unique face through 11 that does not contain 88 must use 4,6,7,4,6,7, and these can be placed in 3!=63!=6 orders. Each order forces 5,3,25,3,2 at the three opposite vertices, and the remaining face sums are then 18.18. Hence there are 66 arrangements. Thus, the correct answer is C.

More practice

Concepts: cube geometry · casework · symmetry

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