Let the total number of votes before Paul voted be n, and the number of votes for A before Paul voted be k. The percentage of votes for A before Paul voted is n100k, which is a positive integer. After Paul votes for A, the number of votes for A becomes k+1, and the total number of votes becomes n+1. The new percentage is n+1100(k+1). We are told that this new percentage is exactly one more than the previous percentage:
n+1100(k+1)=n100k+1
Let p=n100k, so k=100pn.
Substitute k into the equation:
n+1100(100pn+1)=p+1
Multiply both sides by n+1:
100(100pn+1)=(p+1)(n+1)
pn+100=pn+p+n+1
100=p+n+1
p+n=99
Recall that k=100pn must be an integer, and p and n are positive integers with p+n=99.
Let n=99−p.
Then:
k=100p(99−p)
We need k to be an integer, so p(99−p) is divisible by 100.
Let us try all p from 1 to 98 (since p and n are positive integers):
We seek p such that p(99−p) is divisible by 100.
Let us try p=19:
19(99−19)=19×80=1520, and 1520/100=15.2 (not integer).
Try p=80:
80(99−80)=80×19=1520, 1520/100=15.2 (not integer).
Try p=20:
20×79=1580, 1580/100=15.8 (not integer).
Try p=25:
25×74=1850, 1850/100=18.5 (not integer).
Try p=50:
50×49=2450, 2450/100=24.5 (not integer).
Try p=4:
4×95=380, 380/100=3.8 (not integer).
Try p=75:
75×24=1800, 1800/100=18 (integer!).
So p=75, n=24, k=18.
Check: Before Paul voted, n=24, k=18, so percentage is 24100×18=75.
After Paul votes for A, k=19, n=25, percentage is 25100×19=76.
So the percentage increases by exactly 1.
Therefore, Paul's vote was the nineteenth vote for option A.