2010 AIME I Problem 14

Attempt Problem 14 of the 2010 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 2010 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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14.

For each positive integer n,n, let f(n)=k=1100log10(kn).f(n) = \sum_{k=1}^{100} \lfloor \log_{10}(kn) \rfloor. Find the largest value of nn for which f(n)300.f(n) \le 300.

Note: x\lfloor x \rfloor is the greatest integer less than or equal to x.x.

Answer: 109
Concepts:floor and ceiling functionslogarithmdigits
Difficulty rating: 3060
Solution:

Each term log10(kn)\lfloor \log_{10}(kn) \rfloor is nondecreasing in n,n, so ff is nondecreasing and we just locate where it passes 300.300. For n=100:n = 100: the products knkn run from 100100 to 104,10^4, giving log10=2\lfloor \log_{10} \rfloor = 2 for k9,k \le 9, 33 for 10k99,10 \le k \le 99, and 44 for k=100,k = 100, so f(100)=92+903f(100) = 9 \cdot 2 + 90 \cdot 3 +4=292.+ 4 = 292.

For n=109:n = 109: since 9109=981<10009 \cdot 109 = 981 \lt 1000 and 91109=9919<104,91 \cdot 109 = 9919 \lt 10^4, the terms are 22 for k9,k \le 9, 33 for 10k91,10 \le k \le 91, and 44 for 92k100:92 \le k \le 100: f(109)=92+823+94=300. \begin{aligned} f(109) &= 9 \cdot 2 + 82 \cdot 3 \\ &\quad {}+ 9 \cdot 4 = 300. \end{aligned} For n=110:n = 110: now 91110=10010104,91 \cdot 110 = 10010 \ge 10^4, so ten terms equal 44 and f(110)=18+813f(110) = 18 + 81 \cdot 3 +104=301>300.+ 10 \cdot 4 = 301 \gt 300.

By monotonicity, the largest valid nn is 109.109.

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