2005 AMC 12B Problem 21

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 21 of the 2005 AMC 12B, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2005 AMC 12B solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:factor countingprime factorization

Difficulty rating: 1990

21.

A positive integer nn has 6060 divisors and 7n7n has 8080 divisors. What is the greatest integer kk such that 7k7^k divides n?n?

00

11

22

33

44

Solution:

Write n=7kQn = 7^k Q where 7Q,7 \nmid Q, and let dd be the number of divisors of Q.Q. Then nn has (k+1)d=60(k + 1)d = 60 divisors and 7n=7k+1Q7n = 7^{k+1}Q has (k+2)d=80(k + 2)d = 80 divisors.

Dividing, k+2k+1=8060=43,\dfrac{k + 2}{k + 1} = \dfrac{80}{60} = \dfrac43, so 3(k+2)=4(k+1),3(k + 2) = 4(k + 1), giving k=2.k = 2.

Thus, the correct answer is C.

Problem 21 in Other Years