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2014 AMC 10A Problem 25

Problem 25 of 25HarderAlgebraCounting & Probability

The number 58675^{867} is between 220132^{2013} and 22014.2^{2014}. How many pairs of integers (m,n)(m,n) are there such that 1m20121\leq m\leq 2012 and 5n<2m<2m+2<5n+1?5^n < 2^m < 2^{m+2} < 5^{n+1}?

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Solution

Since 22<5<232^2<5<2^3, each interval (5n,5n+1)(5^n,5^{n+1}) contains either two or three powers of 22. The desired inequality holds exactly for intervals containing three such powers. For 0n<8670\le n<867, let dd be the number of intervals with two powers of 22, and let tt be the number with three powers of 22. Then d+t=867d+t=867. Because 22013<5867<220142^{2013}<5^{867}<2^{2014}, these intervals contain 20132013 powers of 22 altogether, so 2d+3t=20132d+3t=2013. Solving the system gives t=279t=279. Thus, B is the correct answer.

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Concepts: exponent · counting integers in a range · system of equations

Problem text and solution from the LIVE past-contest archive. See also the AoPS wiki page for community solutions.