αv=5v−1⋅[1+53+(53)2+⋯+(53)v−1]=21(5v−3v), v=1,2,…
Now for k=22019, we have: 2ak=52019−32019=2⋅(5+3)(52+32)…(52018+32018), and hence:
ak=(5+3)(52+32)…(52018+32018).
We observe that the first factor is divided by 8 and all the others are divided by 2 and are not divided by 4. In fact, we have:
52v≡1(mod4) and 32v≡1(mod4)⇒52v+32v≡2(mod4), for all v≥1.
The factors from 52+32 to (522018+322018), are totally 2018, and therefore the greatest power of 2 dividing ak is 22021.
Alternatively, we can use a special form of the Lifting the Exponent Lemma concerning the greatest power of 2 dividing a difference of powers of integers. We denote by vp(α) the greatest exponent of power of a prime number p which divide the integer α, that is: pvp(α)∣α and pvp(α)+1∤α. We have the following:
Lemma: Let α,β two odd integers and v an even positive integer. Then:
v2(αv−βv)=v2(α−β)+v2(α+β)+v2(v)−1.
By applying the lemma to the integer 2a22019=522019−322019 we find:
v2(2a22019)=v2(522019−322019)=v2(5−3)+v2(5+3)+v2(22019)−1=1+3+2019−1=2022,
and hence: v2(ak)=2021.