Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /27 of 82

Algebra Difficulty 5.2 AIME, harder Prove it Croatia

Find the least positive integer aa such that the expression
n8+n6+n4+n2+an21 \frac{n^8 + n^6 + n^4 + n^2 + a}{n^2 - 1}
for n=2014n = 2014 is an integer divisible by 33. (Mea Bombardelli)

Solution

Arranging the expression we get
n8+n6+n4+n2+an21=n8n6+2(n6n4)+3(n4n2)+4(n21)+a+4n21=n6+2n4+3n2+4+a+4n21. \begin{aligned} \frac{n^8 + n^6 + n^4 + n^2 + a}{n^2 - 1} &= \frac{n^8 - n^6 + 2(n^6 - n^4) + 3(n^4 - n^2) + 4(n^2 - 1) + a + 4}{n^2 - 1} \\ &= n^6 + 2 \cdot n^4 + 3 \cdot n^2 + 4 + \frac{a+4}{n^2-1}. \end{aligned}
Since 20141(mod3)2014 \equiv 1 \pmod{3}, every power of 20142014 is congruent to 11 modulo 33.
Therefore, 20146+220144+320142+41+2+3+41(mod3)2014^6 + 2 \cdot 2014^4 + 3 \cdot 2014^2 + 4 \equiv 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 \equiv 1 \pmod{3}.
In order for the entire expression to be divisible by 33, the number a+4201421\frac{a+4}{2014^2-1} has to be congruent to 22 modulo 33, so the least positive integer aa with the desired property is the one that satisfies a+4201421=2\frac{a+4}{2014^2-1} = 2, which gives a=2201426a = 2 \cdot 2014^2 - 6.

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 and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.