2021 AMC 12A Problem 18


Let ff be a function defined on the set of positive rational numbers with the property that f(ab)=f(a)+f(b)f(a\cdot b)=f(a)+f(b) for all positive rational numbers aa and bb . Suppose that ff also has the property that f(p)=pf(p)=p for every prime number pp . For which of the following numbers xx is f(x)<0f(x)<0 ?

(A) 1732(B) 1116(C) 79(D) 76(E) 2511\textbf{(A) }\frac{17}{32} \qquad \textbf{(B) }\frac{11}{16} \qquad \textbf{(C) }\frac79 \qquad \textbf{(D) }\frac76\qquad \textbf{(E) }\frac{25}{11}


Full credit goes to MAA for authoring these problems. These problems were taken on the AOPS website.

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Category: AMC 12A
Points: 3
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