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2019 AMC 12B Problem 4

Problem 4 of 25EasierAlgebraCounting & Probability

A positive integer nn satisfies the equation (n+1)!+(n+2)!=440n!.(n+1)!+(n+2)!=440\cdot n!. What is the sum of the digits of n?n?

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Solution

Factor the left side: (n+1)!+(n+2)!=(n+1)![1+(n+2)]=(n+1)!(n+3). \begin{gathered} (n+1)!+(n+2)! \\ =(n+1)!\,[1+(n+2)] \\ =(n+1)!\,(n+3). \end{gathered} Dividing both sides by n!n! and using (n+1)!=(n+1)n!(n+1)!=(n+1)\,n! gives (n+1)(n+3)=440. (n+1)(n+3)=440. So n2+4n437=0,n^2+4n-437=0, which factors as (n19)(n+23)=0,(n-19)(n+23)=0, giving n=19.n=19. Its digit sum is 1+9=10.1+9=10. Thus, C is the correct answer.

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Concepts: factorial · quadratic

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