AMC 10 · 2006 · #5

Grade 5 arithmetic
fraction-arithmeticratio-proportionmental-arithmetic identify-subproblems ↑ Prerequisites: fraction-arithmetic
📏 Short solution 💡 2 insights
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Problem
A pizza has 8 equal slices. A plain pizza costs 8 dollars, and adding anchovies to one half (the 4 slices on that side) costs an extra 2 dollars. Dave ate all 4 anchovy slices and 1 plain slice; Doug ate the other 3 plain slices. Each person pays only for the slices he ate. Find how many more dollars Dave paid than Doug.

Pick an answer.

(A)
1
(B)
2
(C)
3
(D)
4
(E)
5

AMC 10 2006 problem © Mathematical Association of America (MAA AMC). Reproduced for educational use.

How to solve
Strategy Analyze the Units

The whole question is really about dollars-per-slice, so Tool #8 (Analyze the Units) drives it: find the cost of one plain slice and one anchovy slice. Tool #7 (Identify Subproblems) then handles each eater separately — add up Dave's slices, add up Doug's slices. Tool #3 (Eliminate Possibilities) keeps the arithmetic honest: the two payments must still add to the $10 total, which flags any slip.

1STEP 1

Price one plain slice

The plain $8 splits evenly over the 8 equal slices, so every slice carries $1 of plain cost.

8/(8slices)=8/(8 slices) =1 per slice
2STEP 2

Price one anchovy slice

The extra $2 rides on the 4 anchovy slices alone, adding $0.50 each, so such a slice costs $1.50 and a plain one $1.

2/(4anchovyslices)=2/(4 anchovy slices) =0.50; 1+1 +0.50 = $1.50 per anchovy slice
3STEP 3

Add up what Dave ate

Dave's four anchovy slices come to 4 × $1.50 = $6, and his plain slice adds $1, so Dave pays $7.

4 × 1.50+1.50 +1 = 6+6 +1 = $7
4STEP 4

Add up Doug's share and compare

Doug's 3 plain slices cost $3, and $7 + $3 = $10 checks out, so Dave paid $4 more — choice (D).

3 × 1=1 =3; 77 -3 = $4 → (D)
Answer
4
The two payments should rebuild the whole bill, and $7 + $3 = $10 = $8 + $2, so nothing is lost or double-counted. Dave ate more slices and the pricier ones, so it makes sense he paid more; a gap of $4 sits comfortably among the single-digit choices and is not near the impossible extremes.
💡Key takeaway

Find the price of each kind of slice first, put the anchovy charge only on the slices that got anchovies, then charge each person for exactly what he ate.

  • Price one plain slice
  • Price one anchovy slice
  • Add up what Dave ate
  • Add up Doug's share and compare