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Algebra Difficulty 4.9 AIME Find the answer

Compute the sum of all positive integers a26a \leq 26 for which there exist integers bb and cc such that a+23b+15c2a+23 b+15 c-2 and 2a+5b+14c82 a+5 b+14 c-8 are both multiples of 26.

A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.

Solution

Assume bb and cc exist. Considering the two values modulo 13, we find {a+10b+2c2(mod13)2a+5b+c8(mod13)\begin{cases}a+10 b+2 c \equiv 2 & (\bmod 13) \\ 2 a+5 b+c \equiv 8 & (\bmod 13)\end{cases} Subtracting twice the second equation from the first, we get 3a14(mod13)-3 a \equiv-14(\bmod 13). So, we have a9a \equiv 9 (mod13)(\bmod 13). Therefore we must either have a=9a=9 or a=22a=22. Moreover, both a=9a=9 and a=22a=22 yield solutions with b=0b=0 and c=3,16c=3,16, depending on the value of a. Thus the answer is 9+22=319+22=31.

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