Question

One of the following numbers is not divisible by any prime number less than $10.$ Which is it?

$2^{606}-1$

$2^{606}+1$

$2^{607}-1$

$2^{607}+1$

$2^{607}+3^{607}$

Solution:

Use the fact that $a^n-b^n$ is divisible by $a-b.$

Choice A is $2^{606}-1=4^{303}-1,$ which is divisible by $4-1=3.$

Choice B is $2^{606}+1=4^{303}-(-1)^{303},$ which is divisible by $4-(-1)=5.$

Choice D is $2^{607}+1.$ Since $2^{606}-1$ is divisible by $3,$ multiplying by $2$ gives $2^{607}-2$ divisible by $3,$ so $2^{607}+1$ is divisible by $3.$

Choice E is $3^{607}+2^{607}=3^{607}-(-2)^{607},$ which is divisible by $3-(-2)=5.$

For choice C, $2^{607}-1$ is odd. Also $2^{607}\equiv2\pmod3,$ $2^{607}\equiv3\pmod5,$ and $2^{607}\equiv2\pmod7,$ so $2^{607}-1$ is not divisible by $3,5,$ or $7.$

Thus, our answer is C .

2022 AMC 10B Problem 17

Solution:

Problem 17 in Other Years