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Number theory Difficulty 6.2 National Olympiad Prove it Bulgaria

Problem:

The positive integers MM and nn are such that MM is divisible by all positive integers from 11 to nn but it is not divisible by n+1n+1, n+2n+2 and n+3n+3. Find all possible values of nn.

Solution

Solution:

We shall prove that n+1n+1, n+2n+2 and n+3n+3 are prime powers. Assume the contrary and let some of them has the form abab, where a2a \geq 2, b2b \geq 2 and (a,b)=1(a, b) = 1. Since abab does not divide MM, then aa or bb does not divide MM. Let aa does not divide MM. Then it follows that an+1a \geq n+1, i.e. aba2ab - a \leq 2. Since aba=a(b1)2ab - a = a(b-1) \geq 2 for a2a \geq 2, b2b \geq 2, it follows that a=2a = 2, b=2b = 2, which contradicts (a,b)=1(a, b) = 1.

Therefore n+1n+1, n+2n+2 and n+3n+3 are prime powers. At least one of them is even, so it has the form 2x2^{x}. Analogously, at least one of them is divisible by 33, so it has the form 3y3^{y}. By parity arguments we conclude that
2x=3y±1 2^{x} = 3^{y} \pm 1

Case 1. Let 2x=3y+12^{x} = 3^{y} + 1. Since 2x1(mod3)2^{x} \equiv 1 \pmod{3} for xx even and 2x2(mod3)2^{x} \equiv 2 \pmod{3} for xx odd, we see that x=2zx = 2z, where zz is a nonnegative integer, and (2z1)(2z+1)=3y(2^{z} - 1)(2^{z} + 1) = 3^{y}. Then 2z12^{z} - 1 and 2z+12^{z} + 1 are powers of 33, which is possible only for z=1z = 1. Therefore 3y=33^{y} = 3, 2x=42^{x} = 4, whence n=1n = 1 or n=2n = 2. These solutions are achieved for M=1M = 1 and M=2M = 2, respectively.

Case 2. Let 2x=3y12^{x} = 3^{y} - 1. We may assume that x2x \geq 2 because for x=1x = 1 we obtain one of the above answers for nn. We have 3y1(mod4)3^{y} \equiv 1 \pmod{4} for yy even and 3y3(mod4)3^{y} \equiv 3 \pmod{4} for yy odd. Therefore y=2zy = 2z and 2x=(3z1)(3z+1)2^{x} = (3^{z} - 1)(3^{z} + 1). Then 3z13^{z} - 1 and 3z+13^{z} + 1 are powers of 22 which is possible only for z=1z = 1. Therefore 3y=93^{y} = 9, 2x=82^{x} = 8, whence n=6n = 6 or n=7n = 7. The solution n=6n = 6 is achieved, for instance, if M=60M = 60. For n=7n = 7 we obtain n+3=10n+3 = 10, which is not a prime power.

Finally, the solutions are n=1n = 1, n=2n = 2 and n=6n = 6.

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