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AMC 12 Mock Exam 5 Problem 16

Problem 16 of 25

For how many positive integers n≤2026n\le2026 is the greatest common divisor of n2+1n^2+1 and (n+1)2+1(n+1)^2+1 greater than 11?

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Solution

Let d=gcd⁡(n2+1, n2+2n+2)d=\gcd(n^2+1,\,n^2+2n+2). Then dd divides the difference 2n+12n+1. It also divides 4(n2+1)−(2n+1)(2n−1)=54(n^2+1)-(2n+1)(2n-1)=5, so d∈{1,5}d\in\{1,5\}.

If 5∣2n+15\mid 2n+1, then n≡2(mod5)n\equiv2\pmod5, and n2+1≡5≡0n^2+1\equiv5\equiv0 and (n+1)2+1≡10≡0(mod5)(n+1)^2+1\equiv10\equiv0\pmod5. So d=5d=5. Conversely, d=5d=5 forces 5∣2n+15\mid2n+1. Hence d>1d>1 exactly when n≡2(mod5)n\equiv2\pmod5.

The values n=2,7,12,…,2022n=2,7,12,\dots,2022 number 2022−25+1=405\frac{2022-2}{5}+1=\boxed{405}.

Tagged: gcd of polynomial values via the Euclidean algorithm