, and are distinct 2-digit positive integers. The first digit of is equal to the second digit of , the first digit of is equal to the second digit of , and the first digit of is equal to the second digit of . How many positive integers can be the greatest common divisor of , and ?
Solution
We can write , , with positive integers less than . Let be the greatest common divisor of , and . cannot divide , since otherwise it contradicts the fact that , and are distinct.
is divisible by . Since is not divisible by , is divisible by . Thus .
Also, is divisible by . Similarly, and are divisible by . So and hence is divisible by , where is the greatest common divisor of , and .
Since and (otherwise ), is one of or .
But, cannot be , because a 2-digit multiple of must be or , and we can't find , , among them with the required conditions. Similarly, cannot be .
On the other hand, since and give examples for and , there are exactly such 's.
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