MathDB
Rectangular Floor

Source: AMC 12 2008B Problem 16

February 28, 2008
geometryrectangleAMC

Problem Statement

A rectangular floor measures a a by b b feet, where a a and b b are positive integers with b>a b > a. An artist paints a rectangle on the floor with the sides of the rectangle parallel to the sides of the floor. The unpainted part of the floor forms a border of width 1 1 foot around the painted rectangle and occupies half of the area of the entire floor. How many possibilities are there for the ordered pair (a,b) (a,b)? <spanclass=latexbold>(A)</span> 1<spanclass=latexbold>(B)</span> 2<spanclass=latexbold>(C)</span> 3<spanclass=latexbold>(D)</span> 4<spanclass=latexbold>(E)</span> 5 <span class='latex-bold'>(A)</span>\ 1\qquad<span class='latex-bold'>(B)</span>\ 2\qquad<span class='latex-bold'>(C)</span>\ 3\qquad<span class='latex-bold'>(D)</span>\ 4\qquad<span class='latex-bold'>(E)</span>\ 5