The sum of four different positive integers is 100. The largest of these four integers is n. What is the smallest possible value of n?
A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.
Solution
Suppose that the integers a<b<c<n have a+b+c+n=100. Since a<b<c<n, then a+b+c+n<n+n+n+n=4n. Thus, 100<4n and so n>25. Since n is an integer, then n is at least 26. Could n be 26? In this case, we would have a+b+c=100−26=74. If n=26, then a+b+c is at most 23+24+25=72, which means that we cannot have a+b+c=74. Therefore, n cannot be 26. Could n be 27? In this case, we would have a+b+c=100−27=73. Here, we could have a+b+c=23+24+26=73, and so n=27 is possible, which means that the smallest possible value of n is 27.
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