Let be coprime positive integers such that for each integer from to the numbers and are not coprime.
Find the minimal possible value of .
Solution
Answer: . Suppose and satisfy the problem conditions. For each integer from to denote by the minimal prime divisor of . Since the of numbers divides their difference, among successive integers at most can be a multiple of . For this number is , for it is , for and it is and for the others it equals .
If all are odd then the equality implies that there is at least five distinct primes. Then . Consider the case when some . Since and are coprime, cannot be even so . Among five primes at most can be equal to , and for each prime at most one can be equal to . Now the equality implies that .
On the other hand, if and then , , , and , whence is possible.
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