AMC 10 Step by Step
2020 AMC 10BProblem 23P21-25~6 minPrint

Square ABCDABCD in the coordinate plane has vertices at the points A(1,1),B(1,1),C(1,1),A(1,1), B(-1,1), C(-1,-1), and D(1,1).D(1,-1). Consider the following four transformations:

\quad\bullet\qquad L,L, a rotation of 9090^{\circ} counterclockwise around the origin;

\quad\bullet\qquad R,R, a rotation of 9090^{\circ} clockwise around the origin;

\quad\bullet\qquad H,H, a reflection across the xx -axis; and

\quad\bullet\qquad V,V, a reflection across the yy -axis.

Each of these transformations maps the squares onto itself, but the positions of the labeled vertices will change. For example, applying RR and then VV would send the vertex AA at (1,1)(1,1) to (1,1)(-1,-1) and would send the vertex BB at (1,1)(-1,1) to itself. How many sequences of 2020 transformations chosen from {L,R,H,V}\{L, R, H, V\} will send all of the labeled vertices back to their original positions? (For example, R,R,V,HR, R, V, H is one sequence of 44 transformations that will send the vertices back to their original positions.)

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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.