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Tomekk
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#1
Easy problem

Hello,

find all positive integers n such that

\frac{2010}{n^{2}-1} is also a positive integer.

PostPosted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:02 am  Back to top 
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ernie
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#2
We have to let n^2 - 1 be a factor of 2010. So n^2 has to be a factor of 2011. The only two factors of 2011 are \{1,2011\}. However, n^2 \neq 1, because then \frac{2010}{0} would be undefined. Thus, there are no answers.
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:56 am  Back to top 
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mavropnevma
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#3
Quote:
We have to let n^2 - 1 be a factor of 2010. So n^2 has to be a factor of 2011.


We can all do without such a piece of advice!

Since n^2-1 is a factor of 2010= 2\cdot 3\cdot 5\cdot 67, one will just try all (finitely not that many) cases.
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 7:49 am  Back to top 
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ernie
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#4
Oh wow, that was a fail.
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 1:19 pm  Back to top 
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dragon96
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#5
ernie wrote:
So n^2 has to be a factor of 2011.


That's like saying because \frac{4}{2} is an integer, then \frac53 has to be one too.
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:15 pm  Back to top 
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grn_trtle
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#6
ernie wrote:
n^2 has to be a factor of 2011.


Very Happy I think you realize this now, but that's not correct.

Solution

(n+1)(n-1)|2\cdot 3\cdot5\cdot 67

Adding one to all of these will give the potential answers 3,4,6,68.
Subtracting one gives 1,2,4,66

Only \boxed{2} works, I think.

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PostPosted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:14 am  Back to top 
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Tomekk
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#7
Try n=4 also Smile .

PostPosted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:05 pm  Back to top 
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cryax
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#8
2010=2*3*5*67. in order to 2010/(n^2-1) is a positive integer, n^2-1 must be estimated number of 2010 with n is a integer so that n=4,2(n^2-1=15=3*5;n^2-1=3) is the right answer.

PostPosted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:06 am  Back to top 
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cenx
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#9
I think 2010/(n^2-1) can be factored as 1005/(n-1) - 1005/(n+1) and the problem turns to sequentive odd factor hunt, at least we have less to worry about ^^

PostPosted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 10:46 am  Back to top 
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mathkid95
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#10
The thing is, if you factor out the bottom to (n + 1)(n - 1) you get n cannot be 1.
Because 0 is neither negative nor positive, it cannot be counted. The statement,
Quote:
find all positive integers such that
restricts all the negative numbers.

Now that we have our limits, we know that n has to be a number that, after going through the n^{2} - 1, is a factor of 2010 because of the statement,
Quote:
is also a positive integer.


Just list out the factors of 2010 and get n using the n^{2} - 1

Please correct me if I made a mistake in any way.
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 5:58 am  Back to top 
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Tomekk
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#11
I am not sure if I understood what you said, but even if you dont factor n^2 -1 you still get that n cannot be 1.

In this problem, n chasing isnt hard at all, since you dont have much options anyway. Solutions are n=4 and n=2.

PostPosted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:17 am  Back to top 
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