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2024 AMC 10A Problem 18

Problem 18 of 25IntermediateNumber TheoryCounting & Probability

There are exactly KK positive integers bb with 5b20245 \le b \le 2024 such that the base-bb integer 2024b2024_b is divisible by 1616 (where 1616 is in base ten). What is the sum of the digits of K?K?

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Solution

In base b,b, 2024b=2b3+2b+42024_b = 2b^3 + 2b + 4 =2(b3+b+2),= 2(b^3 + b + 2), so 2024b2024_b is divisible by 1616 exactly when b3+b+2b^3 + b + 2 is divisible by 8.8. Test the residues modulo 8:8: this holds precisely for b3,6,7(mod8).b \equiv 3, 6, 7 \pmod 8. Counting the bb with 5b20245 \le b \le 2024 in those three classes gives K=758,K = 758, whose digit sum is 7+5+8=20.7 + 5 + 8 = 20. Therefore, the answer is D.

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Concepts: number base · modular arithmetic · counting integers in a range

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