2025 AIME I Problem 1

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 1 of the 2025 AIME I, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2025 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:number basedivisibilitybounding to limit cases

Difficulty rating: 1890

1.

Find the sum of all integer bases b>9b \gt 9 for which 17b17_b is a divisor of 97b.97_b.

Solution:

In base bb the two numbers are 17b=b+717_b = b + 7 and 97b=9b+7.97_b = 9b + 7. We need b+79b+7,b + 7 \mid 9b + 7, and since b+7b + 7 certainly divides 9(b+7)=9b+63,9(b + 7) = 9b + 63, this is equivalent to b+7(9b+63)(9b+7)=56.b + 7 \mid (9b + 63) - (9b + 7) = 56.

For b>9b \gt 9 we have b+7>16,b + 7 \gt 16, so b+7b + 7 must be 2828 or 56,56, giving b=21b = 21 or b=49.b = 49. The sum is 21+49=70.21 + 49 = 70.

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