Question

Suppose $a,$ $b,$ and $c$ are positive integers such that $\frac{a}{14} + \frac{b}{15} = \frac{c}{210}.$ Which of the following statements are necessarily true?

I. If $\gcd(a, 14) = 1$ or $\gcd(b, 15) = 1$ or both, then $\gcd(c, 210) = 1.$

II. If $\gcd(c, 210) = 1,$ then $\gcd(a, 14) = 1$ or $\gcd(b, 15) = 1$ or both.

III. $\gcd(c, 210) = 1$ if and only if $\gcd(a, 14) = \gcd(b, 15) = 1.$

I, II, and III

I only

I and II only

III only

II and III only

Solution:

Clear denominators to get $c = 15a + 14b.$ Reduce modulo the primes of $210 = 2 \cdot 3 \cdot 5 \cdot 7:$ $c \equiv a \pmod 2,$ $c \equiv 2b \pmod 3,$ $c \equiv 4b \pmod 5,$ and $c \equiv a \pmod 7.$ So $\gcd(c, 210) = 1$ iff $2 \nmid a,$ $7 \nmid a,$ $3 \nmid b,$ $5 \nmid b,$ which is exactly $\gcd(a, 14) = 1$ and $\gcd(b, 15) = 1.$ That settles III, and it makes II true since the "and" implies the "or." Statement I fails, though: take $a = 1, b = 3.$ Then $\gcd(a, 14) = 1,$ yet $c = 57$ is divisible by $3.$ So only II and III hold. Therefore, the answer is E.

2023 AMC 10B Problem 18

Solution:

Problem 18 in Other Years