Number theoryDifficulty 7.7National Olympiad, round 2Prove itHong Kong
Let n be a positive integer. Prove that there exists a positive integer m such that 3n+5n−1 is divisible by 7n.
Solution
We show that m=7n−1 works. By the lifting the exponent lemma, we have v7(3m+4m)=v7(3m+4m)+v7(m)=1+(n−1)=n. This implies 7m∣3m+4m, and hence 3m≡−4m(mod7n). Similarly, 5m≡−2m(mod7n). It follows that 3m+5m−1≡−4m−2m−1≡−(22m+2m+1)(mod7n).(1) Next, again by the lifting the exponent lemma, we have v7(8m−1)=v7(8m−1)+v7(m)=1+(n−1)=n. This implies 7m∣8m−1=(2m−1)(22m+2m+1). As 3∤m, we have 7∤2m−1. Therefore, we must have 7m∣22m+2m+1.(2) Combining (1) and (2), we see that 7m∣3m+5m−1 as desired.
Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track
puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.
Source: MathNet,
licensed CC-BY-4.0.
Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.