2020 AIME I Problem 10

Attempt Problem 10 of the 2020 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 2020 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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10.

Let mm and nn be positive integers satisfying the conditions

gcd(m+n,210)=1,\gcd(m + n, 210) = 1,

mmm^m is a multiple of nn,n^n, and

mm is not a multiple of n.n.

Find the least possible value of m+n.m + n.

Answer: 407
Concepts:prime factorizationdivisibilitybounding to limit cases
Difficulty rating: 2990
Small Hint:

Every prime dividing nn must divide m,m, hence divides m+nm + n — so all prime factors of nn are at least 11.11.

Big Hint:

Try n=112n = 11^2 and m=11tm = 11t with tt not divisible by 11;11; then nnn^n dividing mmm^m needs m242.m \ge 242. Scan upward for gcd(m+n,210)=1,\gcd(m + n, 210) = 1, then use the resulting upper bound to rule out larger deficient exponents and larger n.n.

Solution:

If a prime pp divides n,n, then pp divides nn,n^n, which in turn divides mm,m^m, so pp divides mm and hence pp divides m+n.m + n. Since gcd(m+n,210)=1,\gcd(m + n, 210) = 1, no prime factor of nn is 2,2, 3,3, 5,5, or 7:7: every prime factor of nn is at least 11.11. Because mm is not a multiple of n,n, some prime pp has b=vp(m)<a=vp(n),b = v_p(m) \lt a = v_p(n), where vpv_p denotes the exponent of p.p. Since nnn^n divides mm,m^m, comparing exponents of pp gives bman,bm \ge an, so mabn.m \ge \frac{a}{b}n. In particular a2,a \ge 2, so p2p^2 divides nn and n112=121.n \ge 11^2 = 121.

Take n=121n = 121 with p=11,p = 11, a=2,a = 2, b=1:b = 1: then mm is a multiple of 1111 but not of 121,121, and m2121=242.m \ge 2 \cdot 121 = 242. The candidates m=253,264,275m = 253, 264, 275 give m+n=374=21117,m + n = 374 = 2 \cdot 11 \cdot 17, 385=5711,385 = 5 \cdot 7 \cdot 11, 396=223211,396 = 2^2 \cdot 3^2 \cdot 11, all sharing a factor with 210,210, while m=242=2112m = 242 = 2 \cdot 11^2 is a multiple of 121.121. But m=286=21113m = 286 = 2 \cdot 11 \cdot 13 works: v11(mm)=286v_{11}(m^m) = 286 242=v11(nn),\ge 242 = v_{11}(n^n), so nnn^n divides mm,m^m, and m+n=407=1137m + n = 407 = 11 \cdot 37 is coprime to 210.210.

It remains to prove that nothing smaller works. Suppose m+n<407.m + n \lt 407. Then n<407.n \lt 407. For the deficient prime above, a3a \ge 3 would imply n113>407,n \ge 11^3 \gt 407, so a=2a = 2 and b=1.b = 1. Thus m2n,m \ge 2n, and m+n<407m + n \lt 407 implies n135.n \le 135. The only integer in this range divisible by the square of a prime at least 1111, with no prime factors below 11,11, is n=121.n = 121. The preceding check exhausts every possible mm for this nn below 286,286, so the least possible value is 407.407.

Problem 9#9
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