Number theoryDifficulty 2.4JuniorFind the answerCanada
Positive integers s and t have the property that s(s−t)=29. What is the value of s+t?
1 28 57 30 29
A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.
Solution
We are given that s and t are positive integers and that s(s−t)=29. Since s and t are positive, then s−t is less than s. Since s is positive and 29 is positive and s(s−t)=29, then s−t must also be positive. Since 29 is a prime number, the only way that it can be written as a product of two positive integers is 29=29⋅1. Since s(s−t)=29 and s>s−t, then we must have s=29 and s−t=1. Since s=29 and s−t=1, we obtain t=28. Therefore, s+t=29+28=57.
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