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Number theory Difficulty 6.1 National olympiad Prove it Estonia

Digits AA, BB, CC are given distinct values from 11 to 99 to make the value of the expression 2024ABCCBA2024 \cdot AB \cdot CC \cdot BA a perfect square. How many distinct values can the expression A+B+CA+B+C obtain?

Solution

Denote the value of the given expression by kk. We know that 2024=2311232024 = 2^3 \cdot 11 \cdot 23 and CC=C11CC = C \cdot 11. In a perfect square, all prime exponents are even. Thus one of the numbers ABAB, BABA, CCCC must be divisible by 2323. This cannot be CCCC, so let it be ABAB without loss of generality (the other option is symmetrical). The two-digit multiples of 2323 are 2323, 4646, 6969 and 9292.

* If AB=23AB = 23, then BA=32=25BA = 32 = 2^5, so k=28112232Ck = 2^8 \cdot 11^2 \cdot 23^2 \cdot C. Then kk is a perfect square iff CC is a perfect square, meaning C=1C = 1, C=4C = 4 or C=9C = 9. The sum A+B+CA+B+C is 66, 99 or 1414 respectively.

* If AB=46AB = 46, then BA=64=26BA = 64 = 2^6, so k=210112232Ck = 2^{10} \cdot 11^2 \cdot 23^2 \cdot C. Then kk is a perfect square iff CC is a perfect square, meaning C=1C = 1 or C=9C = 9 (the digit 44 is already in use). The sum A+B+CA+B+C is 1111 or 1919 respectively.

* If AB=69AB = 69, then BA=96=253BA = 96 = 2^5 \cdot 3, so k=2832112232Ck = 2^8 \cdot 3^2 \cdot 11^2 \cdot 23^2 \cdot C. Then kk is a perfect square iff CC is a perfect square, meaning C=1C = 1 or C=4C = 4 (the digit 99 is already in use). The sum A+B+CA+B+C is 1616 or 1919 respectively.

* If AB=92AB = 92, then BA=29BA = 29, so k=2511223229Ck = 2^5 \cdot 11^2 \cdot 23^2 \cdot 29 \cdot C. This cannot be a perfect square, as CC cannot be divisible by 2929.

The sum A+B+CA+B+C can thus obtain 66 different values (1919 was present in two different cases).

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