2016 AMC 12B Problem 16
Problem 16 of 25IntermediateAlgebraNumber Theory
In how many ways can be written as the sum of an increasing sequence of two or more consecutive positive integers?
Answer choices
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Solution
A sum of consecutive integers equals the count times the median. For an odd number of terms, the median is an integer divisor of giving runs of (median ), (median ), (median ), and (median ) terms. For an even number of terms the median is a half-integer. The positive possibilities have lengths with respective medians Longer divisor-based runs would force a nonpositive first term. This gives ways.
Thus, the correct answer is E.