2024 SSMO Accuracy Round Problems/Problem 1

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Problem

Let a time of day be three-full if exactly three of its digits are $3$s when displayed on a $12$-hour clock in the $hh:mm:ss$ format. How many seconds of the day are three-full?

Solution

Note that $hh$ is a number from $01$ to $12,$ $mm$ and $ss$ are both integers from $00$ to $59.$ There are $45,14,1$ two-digit integers from $00$ to $59$ that have $0,1,2$ $3's,$ respectively. If $hh$ contains a $3,$ then there are $(45)(1)+(14)(14)+(1)(45) = 286$ possibilities. Otherwise, there are $(11)((1)(14)+(14)(1)) = 308$ possibilities. Since the all times on the $12$-hour clock appear twice each day, our answer is $2(286+308) = \boxed{1188}.$


~SMO_Team