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2019 AMC 10A Problem 2

Problem 2 of 25EasierNumber TheoryCounting & Probability

What is the hundreds digit of (20!15!)?(20!-15!)?

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Solution

Both 20!20! and 15!15! contain at least three factors of 55 and three factors of 22, so both are divisible by 2353=1000.2^3\cdot5^3=1000. Their difference is therefore also divisible by 1000.1000. Being a multiple of 10001000 makes the last three digits 0,0, which shows that the hundreds digit is also 0.0. Thus, A is the correct answer.

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Concepts: factorial · trailing zeros · divisibility

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