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2004 AMC 10B Problem 6

Problem 6 of 25EasierNumber TheoryArithmetic

Which of the following numbers is a perfect square?

Answer choices

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Solution

For m<n,m \lt n, m!⋅n!m! \cdot n! equals (m!)2⋅(m+1)(m+2)⋯n,(m!)^2 \cdot (m+1)(m+2)\cdots n, which is a perfect square precisely when (m+1)⋯n(m+1)\cdots n is a perfect square. For the five choices this leftover factor is 99,99, 99⋅100,99 \cdot 100, 100,100, 100⋅101,100 \cdot 101, and 101.101. Only 100=102100 = 10^2 is a perfect square. Therefore 99!⋅100!=(99!⋅10)299! \cdot 100! = (99! \cdot 10)^2 is the perfect square. Thus, the correct answer is C.
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Tagged: factorial · perfect square

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