Solution:
Let a=(2n+1)5−2n−1.
First, expand (2n+1)5 using the binomial theorem:
(2n+1)5=k=0∑5(k5)(2n)k(1)5−k=1+5⋅2n+10⋅(2n)2+10⋅(2n)3+5⋅(2n)4+(2n)5
Calculate each term:
1
5⋅2n=10n
10⋅(2n)2=10⋅4n2=40n2
10⋅(2n)3=10⋅8n3=80n3
5⋅(2n)4=5⋅16n4=80n4
(2n)5=32n5
So,
(2n+1)5=1+10n+40n2+80n3+80n4+32n5
Therefore,
a=(2n+1)5−2n−1=[1+10n+40n2+80n3+80n4+32n5]−2n−1
1−1=0, 10n−2n=8n
So,
a=8n+40n2+80n3+80n4+32n5
Factor 8n:
a=8n(1+5n+10n2+10n3+4n4)
Now, 240=24⋅3⋅5.
We will show that a is divisible by 16, 3, and 5 for all positive integers n.
**Divisibility by 16:**
Since a=8n(1+5n+10n2+10n3+4n4), 8n is always divisible by 8. We need to check divisibility by 2 more (to get 16).
Consider n even: n=2k, then 8n is divisible by 16.
If n is odd: n=2k+1, 8n is still divisible by 8, but is it divisible by 16?
But 1+5n+10n2+10n3+4n4 is always even for integer n (since n odd, n2 odd, n3 odd, n4 odd, so sum is odd + odd + even + even + even = odd, but times 8n which is even, so the product is divisible by 16 for all n).
Alternatively, check a modulo 16:
(2n+1)5≡(2n+1)5(mod16)
But 2n+1 is odd, so 2n+1≡1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15(mod16).
Compute (2n+1)5 modulo 16 for all odd residues:
But x5≡x(mod16) for odd x (since x4≡1(mod16) for odd x), so (2n+1)5≡2n+1(mod16).
Therefore,
a=(2n+1)5−2n−1≡(2n+1)−2n−1=0(mod16)
So a is divisible by 16.
**Divisibility by 3:**
Compute a(mod3):
2n+1 modulo 3 can be 1, 2, or 0.
Case 1: 2n+1≡0(mod3), i.e., 2n≡−1(mod3), n≡1(mod3).
Then a=05−2n−1≡0−2n−1(mod3)
But n≡1, so a≡0−2⋅1−1=−2−1=−3≡0(mod3)
Case 2: 2n+1≡1(mod3), 2n≡0(mod3), n≡0(mod3)
Then a=15−2n−1=1−2n−1=−2n
But n≡0, so a≡0(mod3)
Case 3: 2n+1≡2(mod3), 2n≡1(mod3), n≡2(mod3)
Then a=25−2n−1=32−2n−1=31−2n
But n≡2, so 2n≡4≡1(mod3)
So a≡31−1=30≡0(mod3)
Therefore, a is divisible by 3 for all n.
**Divisibility by 5:**
Compute a(mod5):
2n+1 modulo 5 can be 1,2,3,4,0.
Case 1: 2n+1≡0(mod5), 2n≡−1(mod5), n≡2(mod5)
Then a=05−2n−1=0−2n−1
But n≡2, so 2n≡4, a≡0−4−1=−5≡0(mod5)
Case 2: 2n+1≡1(mod5), 2n≡0, n≡0
a=15−2n−1=1−0−1=0
Case 3: 2n+1≡2, 2n≡1, n≡3
a=25−2n−1=32−2n−1=31−2n
n≡3, 2n≡6≡1, a≡31−1=30≡0(mod5)
Case 4: 2n+1≡3, 2n≡2, n≡1
a=35−2n−1=243−2n−1=242−2n
n≡1, 2n≡2, a≡242−2=240≡0(mod5)
Case 5: 2n+1≡4, 2n≡3, n≡4
a=45−2n−1=1024−2n−1=1023−2n
n≡4, 2n≡8≡3, a≡1023−3=1020≡0(mod5)
Therefore, a is divisible by 5 for all n.
Conclusion:
a is divisible by 16, 3, and 5, so a is divisible by lcm(16,3,5)=240 for all positive integers n.