2003 AMC 10B Problem 18

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 18 of the 2003 AMC 10B, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2003 AMC 10B solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:divisibilitygreatest common divisor

Difficulty rating: 1480

18.

What is the largest integer that is a divisor of

(n+1)(n+3)(n+5)(n+7)(n+9)(n+1)(n+3)(n+5)(n+7)(n+9)

for all positive even integers n?n?

33

55

1111

1515

165165

Solution:

For even n,n, the factors are five consecutive odd numbers. Among any five consecutive odd numbers, at least one is divisible by 33 and exactly one by 5,5, so the product is always divisible by 15.15.

No larger fixed divisor works: n=2n=2 gives 357911,3 \cdot 5 \cdot 7 \cdot 9 \cdot 11, whose greatest common divisor with other cases such as n=10n=10 is exactly 15.15.

Thus, the correct answer is D.

Problem 18 in Other Years