Find the number of all positive integers 4≤n≤2022 that are not primes such that for any positive integer k in the interval [1,n−1] the following holds: the number of ways to choose k persons from a group of n people is divisible by n.
Solution
The condition of the problem requires (kn) to be divisible by n for all 1≤k≤n−1. Assume there exists a prime divisor p of n such that p≤n−1 and set k=p. Since p!(pn)=n(n−1)(n−2)⋯(n−p+1) and (pn) is divisible by n, we have that p is a divisor of (n−1)(n−2)⋯(n−p+1). This assertion is not true since p is a factor of n and thus it is not a divisor of any of n−ℓ, 1≤ℓ≤p−1. From now on we assume that all prime factors of n are greater than n−1. Assume n has at least three prime factors (counting pα as α). Direct verification shows that n=8 is a solution and for n=12 we have factor 2<12−1. For n≥16 we obtain n>(n−1)3≥(43n)3=6427n3/2, i.e. n<(2764)2<9, a contradiction. It remains to consider n=pq for primes p and q such that n−1<p≤q. If q≥p+3 then n≥p(p+3)>(n−1)(n+2)=n+n−2>n, a contradiction. If q=p+1 we have p=2,q=3, i.e. n=6 which is a solution. If q=p and 1≤k≤p−1 then the left hand side of k!(kp2)=(p2−k+1)(p2−k+2)⋯(p2−1)p2 is divisible by p2 and k! is not divisible by p. Therefore p2 is a factor of (kp2). If q=p+2 and 1≤k≤p−1 then the left hand side of k!(kp2+2p)=(p2+2p−k+1)(p2+2p−k+2)⋯(p2+2p−1)(p2+2p) is divisible by both p and p+2. Since k! is not divisible by both p and q=p+2 we infer that (kp2+2p) is divisible by p and p+2, i.e. it is divisible by p(p+2). Since 2022<2025=452 all primes 2≤p<45 imply the solution n=p2. The primes for which p+2 is also a prime imply also the solution n=p(p+2). Direct verification shows that there exist 14 primes in this interval: {2,3,5,7,11,13,17,19,23,29,31,37,41,43}, and for 6 of them ({3,5,11,17,29,41}) p+2 is also a prime. Finally, the desired number is (adding 6 and 8): 14+6+2=22.
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