AMC 10 Step by Step

2015 AMC 10B Problem 10

P1-10~2 minPrint

What is the sign and units digit of the product of all the odd negative integers strictly greater than −2015-2015 ?

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Key insight

There are 1007 negative numbers, an odd count, so the product is negative. All the numbers are odd and one of them is -5, so the product ends in 5.

Solution

We need two things: the sign and the last digit. Handle them separately.

  1. List the numbers. The odd negative integers bigger than −2015-2015 are −1,−3,−5,…,−2013-1, -3, -5, \ldots, -2013. The number −2015-2015 itself is not included, because the problem says "strictly greater".
  2. Count them. Ignoring signs, these are the odd numbers 1,3,5,…,20131, 3, 5, \ldots, 2013. From 11 to 20142014 there are 20142014 whole numbers and half of them are odd, so there are 10071007 numbers.
  3. The sign. Each pair of negatives multiplies to a positive. With 10071007 negative numbers, an odd count, one is left over after pairing, so the product is negative.
  4. The last digit. Every number in the list is odd, so the product is odd. The list includes −5-5, so the product is a multiple of 55. A multiple of 55 ends in 00 or 55, and an odd one ends in 55.

So the product is negative and ends in 55.

The answer is (C) It is a negative number ending with a 5.\boxed{\textbf{(C)}\ \text{It is a negative number ending with a 5.}}

Why this works

You never have to multiply anything out. The sign of a product depends only on how many negative numbers are in it: an odd count gives a negative result. The last digit comes from two quick facts: a multiple of 55 ends in 00 or 55, and an odd number cannot end in 00.

Concise solution

A shorter write-up, the way contest solutions are usually written. It may take a different route from the solution above.

The integers in question are −1,−3,−5,…,−2013-1, -3, -5, \dots, -2013 (not −2015-2015, since "strictly greater"). Writing them as −(2m−1)-(2m-1) for m=1,…,1007m = 1, \dots, 1007, there are 10071007 of them.

Sign: each factor is negative and there are 10071007 factors, an odd number, so the product is negative.

Units digit: the absolute value is 1⋅3⋅5⋯20131 \cdot 3 \cdot 5 \cdots 2013. This product is odd (all factors odd) and divisible by 55 (it contains the factor 55). An odd multiple of 55 ends in 55.

So the product is negative and ends in 55: (C) It is a negative number ending with a 5.\boxed{\textbf{(C)}\ \text{It is a negative number ending with a 5.}}

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Problem © Mathematical Association of America (MAA), American Mathematics Competitions. Reproduced for non-commercial educational use. Solution and commentary are original to this site.