2019 AMC 12B Problem 4

Below is the professionally curated solution for Problem 4 of the 2019 AMC 12B, from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2019 AMC 12B solutions, or check the answer key.

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Concepts:factorialquadratic

Difficulty rating: 1200

4.

A positive integer nn satisfies the equation (n+1)!+(n+2)!=440n!.(n+1)!+(n+2)!=440\cdot n!. What is the sum of the digits of n?n?

22

55

1010

1212

1515

Solution:

Factor the left side: (n+1)!+(n+2)!=(n+1)![1+(n+2)]=(n+1)!(n+3). (n+1)!+(n+2)!=(n+1)!\,[1+(n+2)]=(n+1)!\,(n+3).

Dividing both sides by n!n! and using (n+1)!=(n+1)n!(n+1)!=(n+1)\,n! gives (n+1)(n+3)=440. (n+1)(n+3)=440.

So n2+4n437=0,n^2+4n-437=0, which factors as (n19)(n+23)=0,(n-19)(n+23)=0, giving n=19.n=19. Its digit sum is 1+9=10.1+9=10.

Thus, C is the correct answer.

Problem 4 in Other Years