2026 AIME I Problem 13

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 13 of the 2026 AIME I, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2026 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:binomial theoremmodular arithmeticpolynomial

Difficulty rating: 3370

13.

For each nonnegative integer rr less than 502502 define Sr=m0(10,000502m+r),S_r = \sum_{m \ge 0} \binom{10{,}000}{502m + r}, where (10,000n)\binom{10{,}000}{n} is defined to be 00 when n>10,000.n \gt 10{,}000. That is, SrS_r is the sum of all the binomial coefficients of the form (10,000k)\binom{10{,}000}{k} for which 0k10,0000 \le k \le 10{,}000 and krk - r is a multiple of 502.502.

Find the number of integers in the list S0,S_0, S1,S_1, S2,S_2, ,\ldots, S501S_{501} that are multiples of the prime number 503.503.

Solution:

Work in the ring F503[x]/(x5021).\mathbb{F}_{503}[x]/(x^{502} - 1). Reducing (1+x)10000=k(10000k)xk(1 + x)^{10000} = \sum_k \binom{10000}{k} x^k replaces each exponent kk by kmod502,k \bmod 502, so (1+x)10000r=0501Srxr(mod503, x5021).(1+x)^{10000} \equiv \sum_{r=0}^{501} S_r \, x^r \pmod{503,\ x^{502} - 1}.

Since 503503 is prime, (1+x)5031+x503(mod503),(1+x)^{503} \equiv 1 + x^{503} \pmod{503}, and x503=xx502x,x^{503} = x \cdot x^{502} \equiv x, so (1+x)5031+x(1+x)^{503} \equiv 1 + x in this ring. Writing 10000=19503+443,10000 = 19 \cdot 503 + 443, (1+x)10000=((1+x)503)19(1+x)443(1+x)19(1+x)443=(1+x)462.(1+x)^{10000} = \left((1+x)^{503}\right)^{19} (1+x)^{443} \equiv (1+x)^{19} (1+x)^{443} = (1+x)^{462}. As 462<502,462 \lt 502, no exponents fold, so Sr(462r)(mod503)S_r \equiv \binom{462}{r} \pmod{503} for 0r501,0 \le r \le 501, where (462r)=0\binom{462}{r} = 0 for r>462.r \gt 462.

For 0r4620 \le r \le 462 the binomial coefficient (462r)\binom{462}{r} is not divisible by 503:503: both 462462 and rr are single digits in base 503,503, so Lucas' theorem gives a nonzero value (indeed (462r)=462!r!(462r)!\binom{462}{r} = \frac{462!}{r!\,(462-r)!} involves no factor of 503503). Hence Sr0(mod503)S_r \equiv 0 \pmod{503} exactly for r=463,464,,501,r = 463, 464, \ldots, 501, which is 501463+1=39501 - 463 + 1 = 39 values.

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