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Problem 2332

National Olympiad second round; IMO P1/P4
Number theory Difficulty 8.0 Prove it Preselection Tests for the Full-time Training · Saudi Arabia

Let a1,a2,…,a9a_{1}, a_{2}, \ldots, a_{9} be integers. Prove that if 1919 divides a19+a29+⋯+a99a_{1}^{9} + a_{2}^{9} + \cdots + a_{9}^{9} then 1919 divides the product a1a2⋯a9a_{1} a_{2} \cdots a_{9}.

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, then read the official solution and mark yourself. Be honest about it: the record is only any use to you if it is.

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Official solution

Assume that 1919 does not divide the product a1a2⋯a9a_{1} a_{2} \cdots a_{9}. This means that a1,a2,…,a9a_{1}, a_{2}, \ldots, a_{9} are relatively prime with 1919. Using Fermat,
a118≡a218≡⋯≡a918≡1(mod19). a_{1}^{18} \equiv a_{2}^{18} \equiv \cdots \equiv a_{9}^{18} \equiv 1 \pmod{19}.
But ai18≡1(mod19)a_{i}^{18} \equiv 1 \pmod{19} is equivalent to (ai9−1)(ai9+1)≡0(mod19)(a_{i}^{9} - 1)(a_{i}^{9} + 1) \equiv 0 \pmod{19}. Since 1919 is a prime number, this implies that ai9≡±1(mod19)a_{i}^{9} \equiv \pm 1 \pmod{19}, for i=1,…,9i = 1, \ldots, 9, and therefore a19+a29+⋯+a99≡±k(mod19)a_{1}^{9} + a_{2}^{9} + \cdots + a_{9}^{9} \equiv \pm k \pmod{19} for some odd number kk between 11 and 99. This is a contradiction. Thus 1919 divides the product a1a2⋯a9a_{1} a_{2} \cdots a_{9}.

Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty, ordering) added by this project.