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Number theory Difficulty 4.6 AIME Prove it Hong Kong

Let nn be a positive integer. If the two numbers (n+1)(2n+15)(n+1)(2n+15) and n(n+5)n(n+5) have exactly the same prime factors, find the greatest possible value of nn.

Solution

Let pp be any prime factor of n+1n+1. Then pp is a prime factor of (n+1)(2n+15)(n+1)(2n+15) and hence of n(n+5)n(n + 5) as well. Since n(n+5)=(n+1)(n+4)4n(n + 5) = (n + 1)(n + 4) - 4, we conclude that pp divides 44, and so pp can only be 22. In the same way, we find that the only possible prime divisors of n+5n+5 are 22 and 55.

Let n+1=2an + 1 = 2^a and n+5=2b5cn + 5 = 2^b 5^c. Then we have 2a+4=2b5c2^a + 4 = 2^b 5^c. Note that if a5a \ge 5, the left-hand side is a multiple of 44 but not a multiple of 88. Hence we must have b=2b = 2 and the equation becomes 2a2+1=5c2^{a-2} + 1 = 5^c. As a5a \ge 5, this gives 5c1(mod8)5^c \equiv 1 \pmod{8}, forcing cc to be even. However, if cc is even, then 2a2=5c1(1)c1=0(mod3)2^{a-2} = 5^c - 1 \equiv (-1)^c - 1 = 0 \pmod{3}, which is impossible.

This means that aa can only be 0,1,2,30, 1, 2, 3 or 44. To find the greatest possible value of nn, it suffices to show that a=4a = 4 is possible. Indeed, if a=4a = 4, then n=15n = 15, and we have (n+1)(2n+15)=16×45=24×32×5(n+1)(2n+15) = 16 \times 45 = 2^4 \times 3^2 \times 5 and n(n+5)=15×20=22×3×52n(n+5) = 15 \times 20 = 2^2 \times 3 \times 5^2. Therefore, the answer is 1515.

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