2017 AIME I Problem 13

Attempt Problem 13 of the 2017 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 2017 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

13.

For every m2,m \ge 2, let Q(m)Q(m) be the least positive integer with the following property: For every nQ(m),n \ge Q(m), there is always a perfect cube k3k^3 in the range n<k3mn.n \lt k^3 \le m \cdot n. Find the remainder when m=22017Q(m)\sum_{m=2}^{2017} Q(m) is divided by 1000.1000.

Answer: 59
Concepts:perfect powerbounding to limit casescasework
Difficulty rating: 3160
Solution:

If k3n<(k+1)3,k^3 \le n \lt (k+1)^3, then the interval (n,mn](n, mn] contains the cube (k+1)3(k+1)^3 as long as (k+1)3mk3,(k+1)^3 \le m k^3, i.e. (1+1k)3m.\left(1 + \frac{1}{k}\right)^3 \le m. Since (1+1k)38\left(1 + \frac{1}{k}\right)^3 \le 8 for all k1,k \ge 1, every m8m \ge 8 has Q(m)=1.Q(m) = 1.

For 4m7:4 \le m \le 7: n=1n = 1 fails since (1,m](1, m] contains no cube, but for n2n \ge 2 the interval works: 84n8 \le 4n covers 2n7,2 \le n \le 7, and (1+1k)3278<4\left(1 + \frac{1}{k}\right)^3 \le \frac{27}{8} \lt 4 covers k2.k \ge 2. So Q(4)=Q(5)Q(4) = Q(5) =Q(6)=Q(7)=2.= Q(6) = Q(7) = 2. For m=3:m = 3: n=8n = 8 fails (no cube in (8,24](8, 24]), while 273n27 \le 3n covers 9n269 \le n \le 26 and (43)3<3\left(\frac{4}{3}\right)^3 \lt 3 covers k3,k \ge 3, so Q(3)=9.Q(3) = 9. For m=2:m = 2: n=31n = 31 fails (no cube in (31,62](31, 62]), while 642n64 \le 2n covers 32n6332 \le n \le 63 and (54)3<2\left(\frac{5}{4}\right)^3 \lt 2 covers k4,k \ge 4, so Q(2)=32.Q(2) = 32.

Therefore m=22017Q(m)=32+9+42+20101=2059, \begin{aligned} &\sum_{m=2}^{2017} Q(m) \\ &\quad = 32 + 9 + 4 \cdot 2 + 2010 \cdot 1 \\ &\quad = 2059, \end{aligned} and the remainder is 59.59.

← Problem 12#12
Full Exam

Problem 13 in Other Years