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2021 Fall AMC 12A Problem 8

Problem 8 of 25EasierNumber Theory

Let MM be the least common multiple of all the integers 1010 through 30,30, inclusive. Let NN be the least common multiple of M,M, 32,32, 33,33, 34,34, 35,35, 36,36, 37,37, 38,38, 39,39, and 40.40. What is the value of NM?\dfrac{N}{M}?

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Solution

M=lcm(10,,30)M = \operatorname{lcm}(10, \ldots, 30) contains 242^4 (from 1616), 333^3 (from 2727), 525^2 (from 2525), 7,7, and every prime up to 29.29. Among 32,,40,32, \ldots, 40, the only new contributions are 32=25,32 = 2^5, which raises the power of 22 from 242^4 to 25,2^5, and the new prime 37.37. Everything else factors into primes and powers already in M.M. Therefore NM=237=74.\dfrac{N}{M} = 2 \cdot 37 = 74. Thus, the correct answer is D.

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Concepts: least common multiple · prime factorization

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