2019 AMC 10A Problem 25
Problem 25 of 25HarderNumber TheoryCounting & Probability
For how many integers between and inclusive, is an integer? (Recall that )
Answer choices
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Solution
One fact that greatly helps with this problem is realizing that is always an integer.
This is because it is the number of ways to split up objects into unordered groups of size
Now, we get that
Therefore, whenever divides the original expression is an integer; this is equivalent to dividing
Suppose is composite. If with , then the distinct factors and both occur in , so is divisible by . If with , then contains the distinct factors and , whose product is a multiple of . Thus every composite works. The case also works directly.
Conversely, if is prime, the exponent of in the denominator is while its exponent in is so the expression is not an integer.
For the denominator contains while contains only so this case also fails.
There are primes at most and adding we get values for that do not work.
Therefore, the desired answer is
Thus, D is the correct answer.