2000 AIME I Problem 1

Attempt Problem 1 of the 2000 AIME I below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2000 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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1.

Find the least positive integer nn such that no matter how 10n10^n is expressed as the product of any two positive integers, at least one of these two integers contains the digit 0.0.

Answer: 8
Concepts:prime factorizationdigits
Difficulty rating: 2110
Solution:

Every factorization is 10n=(2x5y)(2nx5ny).10^n = (2^x 5^y)(2^{n-x} 5^{n-y}). If a factor is divisible by both 22 and 5,5, it is a multiple of 1010 and ends in the digit 0.0. So the only possible zero-free factorization is 10n=2n5n,10^n = 2^n \cdot 5^n, and we need the least nn for which 2n2^n or 5n5^n contains a digit 0.0.

The powers 21,,282^1, \ldots, 2^8 are 2,4,8,16,32,64,128,2562, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256 — no zeros. The powers 51,,575^1, \ldots, 5^7 are 5,25,125,625,5, 25, 125, 625, 3125,15625,781253125, 15625, 78125 — no zeros — but 58=3906255^8 = 390625 contains a 0.0.

Hence every factorization of 10810^8 contains a digit 0,0, while 107=2757=1287812510^7 = 2^7 \cdot 5^7 = 128 \cdot 78125 does not, so the answer is 8.8.

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