Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 5 / 211 of 400 #811 of 1964

Problem 811

AIME late
Number theory Difficulty 5.5 Find the answer

1 Let aa, bb, cc, a+bca+b-c, b+cab+c-a, c+abc+a-b, a+b+ca+b+c be 7 distinct prime numbers, and the sum of two of aa, bb, cc is 800. Let dd be the difference between the largest and smallest of these 7 prime numbers. Find the maximum possible value of dd. (2001 China Mathematical Olympiad Problem)

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

Official solution

1. Let's assume a0a0, so c<a+c<a+ b<a+c<b+cb<a+c<b+c, but one of a+ba+b, a+ca+c, b+cb+c is 800, so c<800c<800. Also, 799=17×47799=17 \times 47, 798798 are not prime numbers, so c797,d=2c1594c \leqslant 797, d=2c \leqslant 1594. Let c=797c=797, a+b=800a+b=800, noting that b<c=797b<c=797, the smallest prime solution for (a,b)=(13,787)(a, b)=(13,787) (since 795,793=13×61,789=3×263795,793=13 \times 61,789=3 \times 263 are not prime numbers), at this point, a+bc=3a+b-c=3, ab+c=23a-b+c=23, a+b+c=1571-a+b+c=1571, a+b+c=1597a+b+c=1597 are all prime numbers, hence the maximum possible value of dd is 1594.

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