Difference between revisions of "2023 AMC 10B Problems/Problem 15"

(Solution 3)
(Solution 2)
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We can immediately eliminate B, D, and E since 13 only appears in <math>13!, 14!, 15, 16!</math>, so <math>13\cdot 13\cdot 13\cdot 13</math> is a perfect square.
 
We can immediately eliminate B, D, and E since 13 only appears in <math>13!, 14!, 15, 16!</math>, so <math>13\cdot 13\cdot 13\cdot 13</math> is a perfect square.
 
Next, we can test if 7 is possible (and if it is not we can use process of elimination)
 
Next, we can test if 7 is possible (and if it is not we can use process of elimination)
7 appears in 7! to 16!
+
7 appears in <math>7! to 16!</math>
14 appears in 14! to 16!
+
14 appears in <math>14! to 16!</math>
 
So, there is an odd amount of 7's. Since 30 is not a divisor of 7, our answer is 70 which is <math>\boxed{\text{C}}</math>.
 
So, there is an odd amount of 7's. Since 30 is not a divisor of 7, our answer is 70 which is <math>\boxed{\text{C}}</math>.
  

Revision as of 16:44, 15 November 2023

Problem

What is the least positive integer $m$ such that $m\cdot2!\cdot3!\cdot4!\cdot5!...16!$ is a perfect square?

Solution 1

Consider 2, there are odd number of 2's in $2!\cdot3!\cdot4!\cdot5!...16!$ (We're not counting 3 2's in 8, 2 3's in 9, etc).

There are even number of 3's in $2!\cdot3!\cdot4!\cdot5!...16!$ ...

So, original expression reduce to \begin{align*} m \cdot 2 \cdot 4 \cdot 6 \cdot 8 \cdot 10 \cdot 12 \cdot 14 \cdot 16 &\equiv m \cdot 2^8 \cdot (1 \cdot 2 \cdot 3 \cdot 4 \cdot 5 \cdot 6 \cdot 7 \cdot 8)\\ &\equiv m \cdot 2 \cdot 3 \cdot (2 \cdot 2) \cdot 5  \cdot (2 \cdot 3)  \cdot 7  \cdot (2  \cdot 2 \cdot 2)\\ &\equiv m  \cdot 2 \cdot 5  \cdot 7\\ m &= 2 \cdot 5 \cdot 7 = 70 \end{align*}


Solution 2

We can prime factorize the solutions: $A = 2 \cdot 3 \cdot 5,  B = 2 \cdot 3 \cdot 5 \cdot 7 \cdot 11 \cdot 13,  C = 2 \cdot 5 \cdot 7,  D = 2 \cdot 5 \cdot 11 \cdot 13,  E = 7 \cdot 11 \cdot 13,$

We can immediately eliminate B, D, and E since 13 only appears in $13!, 14!, 15, 16!$, so $13\cdot 13\cdot 13\cdot 13$ is a perfect square. Next, we can test if 7 is possible (and if it is not we can use process of elimination) 7 appears in $7! to 16!$ 14 appears in $14! to 16!$ So, there is an odd amount of 7's. Since 30 is not a divisor of 7, our answer is 70 which is $\boxed{\text{C}}$.

~aleyang

Solution 3

First, we note $3! = 2! \cdot 3$. Simplifying the whole sequence and cancelling out the squares, we get $3 \cdot 5 \cdot 7 \cdot 9 \cdot 11 \cdot 13 \cdot 15 \cdot 16!$. Prime factoring $16!$ and cancelling out the squares, the only numbers that remain are $2, 5,$ and $7$. Since we need to make this a perfect square, $m = 2 \cdot 5 \cdot 7$. Multiplying this out, we get $\boxed{\text{(C) }   70}$.

~yourmomisalosinggame (a.k.a. Aaron)