2024 AIME I Problem 13

Attempt Problem 13 of the 2024 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 2024 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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13.

Let pp be the least prime number for which there exists an integer nn such that n4+1n^4 + 1 is divisible by p2.p^2. Find the least positive integer mm such that m4+1m^4 + 1 is divisible by p2.p^2.

Answer: 110
Concepts:multiplicative ordermodular arithmeticprime
Difficulty rating: 3160
Solution:

If pn4+1,p \mid n^4 + 1, then n81n^8 \equiv 1 and n41(modp),n^4 \equiv -1 \pmod p, so nn has order 88 modulo pp and 8p18 \mid p - 1 (and p=2p = 2 fails since n4+12(mod4)n^4 + 1 \equiv 2 \pmod 4). The smallest prime p1(mod8)p \equiv 1 \pmod 8 is 17,17, and indeed 24=161(mod17).2^4 = 16 \equiv -1 \pmod{17}. Because the derivative 4n34n^3 is not divisible by 1717 at such an n,n, each root lifts to a root modulo 172=289,17^2 = 289, so p=17.p = 17.

The fourth roots of 1-1 modulo 1717 are ±2\pm 2 and ±8.\pm 8. To lift n=8,n = 8, set n=8+17t:n = 8 + 17t: modulo 289,289, n4+184+1+48317t=17(241+2048t), \begin{aligned} &n^4 + 1 \equiv 8^4 + 1 \\ &\quad {}+ 4 \cdot 8^3 \cdot 17t \\ &= 17(241 + 2048t), \end{aligned} so we need 241+2048t3+8t241 + 2048t \equiv 3 + 8t 0(mod17),\equiv 0 \pmod{17}, giving t6t \equiv 6 and n8+102=110(mod289).n \equiv 8 + 102 = 110 \pmod{289}.

The same computation lifts 2,2, 15,15, and 99 to 155,155, 134,134, and 179179 respectively, so the least positive mm is 110.110. Indeed 1104+1=146410001110^4 + 1 = 146410001 =289506609.= 289 \cdot 506609.

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