Student Name ________________________ School ____________________________
Grade ________ Math Department Head _______________________________
Directions: Solve as many as you can of the problems and list your solutions on this sheet of paper. On separate sheets, in an organized way, show how you solved the problems. You will be awarded full credit for a complete correct answer which is adequately supported by mathematical reasoning. You can receive half credit for correct answers which are the result of guesses, conjectures or incomplete solutions. Included as incomplete solutions are solutions that list some, but not all, solutions when the problem asks for solutions of equations. The decisions of the graders are final. You may earn bonus points for "commendable solutions"- solutions that display creativity, ingenuity and clarity. Your answers and solutions must be postmarked by March 17, 2003 and submitted to Tony Trono, Vermont State Mathematics Coalition, 419 Colchester Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401. (For Coalition information and a copy of the test: http://www.vermontinstitutes.org/vsmc)
Answer: a)__________________, b)__________________
Answer: ______________________
Answer: ______________________
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Note that the first equation has three terms, the second has five
terms, the third has seven terms, etc. An equation in the
continuation of the list has 2003 terms, and is written
w2 + ... + x2 = y2 + ... +
z2 (where w < ... < x < y < ... < z).
Find the sum w + x + y + z.
Answer: ______________________
Answer: ______________________
Answer: ______________________
Answer: ______________________