Question

What is the largest integer that is a divisor of $\begin{aligned} &(n + 1)(n + 3)(n + 5) \\ &\quad {}\cdot (n + 7)(n + 9) \end{aligned}$ for all positive even integers $n?$

$3$

$5$

$11$

$15$

$165$

Answer: D

Concepts:divisibility greatest common divisor

Difficulty rating: 1530

Solution:

For even $n,$ the five factors are consecutive odd numbers. Among any five consecutive odd numbers, at least one is divisible by $3$ and exactly one by $5,$ so the product is always divisible by $15.$

No larger divisor always works: the products for $n = 10$ and $n = 20$ are $11 \cdot 13 \cdot 15 \cdot 17 \cdot 19$ and $21 \cdot 23 \cdot 25 \cdot 27 \cdot 29,$ whose greatest common divisor is $15.$

Thus, the correct answer is D.

2003 AMC 12B Problem 12

Answer: D

Difficulty rating: 1530

Solution:

Problem 12 in Other Years