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IOQM Booster 2024
Number Theory
1. In which bases b, is N = 1111b divisible by 5?
2. Assume that you can have four weights to
measure items. What weights should you choose
if you must be able to weight all possible items
with an integer weight from one to forty pounds
(1, 2, 3, 4, …., 39, 40 lbs)?
3. Find natural solutions to xy–2011(x + y) = 0.
4. Find the least positive integer n such that no
n
matter how 10 is expressed as the product of any
two positive integers, at least one of these two
integers contains the digit 0.
5. What is the smallest positive integer with six
positive odd integer divisors and twelve positive
even integer divisors?
6. Find the sum of all positive two-digit integers that
are divisible by each of their digits.
7. Call a positive integer N a 7-10 double if the digits of
the base-7 representation of N form a base-10
number that is twice N. For example, 51 is a 7-10
double because its base-7 representation is 102.
What is the largest 7-10 double?
DPP-05
8. Let N be the largest positive integer with the
following property: reading from left to right,
each pair of consecutive digits of N forms a perfect
square. What are the leftmost three digits of N?
9. Many states use a sequence of three letters
followed by a sequence of three digits as their
standard license-plate pattern. Given that each
three letter three-digit arrangement is equally
likely, the probability that such a license plate
will contain at least one palindrome (a three-letter
arrangement or a three-digit arrangement that
reads the same left-to-right as it does right-to-left)
m
is , where m and n are relatively prime positive
n
integers. Find m + n.
10. A set S of distinct positive integers has the
following property: for every integer x in S, the
arithmetic mean of the set of values obtained by
deleting x from S is an integer. Given that 1
belongs to S and that 2002 is the largest element
of S, what is the greatest number of elements that
S can have?
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Hints and Solutions

DPP-05
1. Expanding 1111b we obtain x − 2011 = 1
N = 1 + b + b2 + b3 = (b + 1)(b2 + 1) 1. 
 y − 2011 = 2011
2

Assume that N is divisible by 5, then

We obtain x = 2012 and y = 4046132
(b + 1)(b2 + 1) = 5n.
 y − 2011 = 1
Substituting for b with 2. 
 x − 2011 = 2011
2
b = 5k, b = 5k + 1, b = 5k + 2, b = 5k + 3
and b = 5k + 4, We obtain y = 2012 and x = 4046132
we can see that only in the last three cases is the  x − 2011 = 2011
3. 
left side of the equation divisible by 5. For  y − 2011 = 2011
example, We have x = y = 4022
b = 5k + 2 Since our original equation does not change if we
(b + 1)(b + 1) = (5k + 3)((5k + 2)2 +1
2
exchange x and y variables, we could reduce the
= (5k + 3)(25k2 + 10k +5) number of cases from three to two. Hence, if x =
= 5n. a, y = b is a solution, then x = b, y = a, will be
Similar results can be obtained for b = 5k + 3 and another solution to the given equation.
b = 5k + 4. For example, if b = 13 then b = 5k + 3 Answer.
(2012, 4046132), (4046132, 2012), (4022, 4022).
and the number
111113 = 1 + 1  13 + 1  132 + 1  133 = 238010 = 5n.
4. If a factor of 10n has a 2 and a 5 in its prime
Answer. b = 5k + 2, b = 5k + 3, b = 5k + 4. factorization, then that factor will end in a 0.
Therefore, we have left to consider the case when
2. Let us demonstrate that it is enough to have the the two factors have the 2 s and the 5 s separated,
weights in 1, 3, 9 and 27 pounds. so we need to find the first power of 2 or 5 that
40 = 27 + 9 + 3 + 1 = 1  30 + 1  31 + 1  32 contains a 0.
+ 1  33 = 11113 For n = 1 :
n = 2 : 21 = 2, 51 = 5
39 = 27 + 9 + 3 = 0.30 + 1  31 + 132
n = 3: 22 = 4, 52 = 25
+ 1 33 = 11103
23 = 8, 53 = 125
…. and so on, until,
30 = 27 + 3 = 10103 n = 8 : 28 = 256 ∣ 58 = 390625
…. We see that 58 contains the first zero, so n = 8.
+3+1=9
…. 5. We use the fact that the number of divisors of a
For example, in order to weigh 5 lbs denoted by number n = p1e1 pe22 pekk is (e1 + 1) (e2 + 1)⋯
symbol , we can put on the left this item and (ek+1). If a number has 18 = 2 ⋅ 3 ⋅ 3 factors, then it
two weights of 1 and 3 lbs, then on the right side can have at most 3 distinct primes in its factorization.
we will put 9 pounds, etc. Dividing the greatest power of 2 from n, we have
an odd integer with six positive divisors, which
Answer. We need four weights of 1, 3, 9 and 27
indicates that it either is (6 = 2 ⋅ 3) a prime raised
pounds.
to the 5th power, or two primes, one of which is
squared. The smallest example of the former is 35
3. Let us add to both sides of the given equation = 243, while the smallest example of the latter is
20112 and then factor it as 32 ⋅ 5 = 45,
xy–2011x – 2011y + 20112 = 20112 Suppose we now divide all of the odd factors
(x – 2011)(y – 2011) = 20112 18
from n; then we require a power of 2 with =3
Because 2011 is prime, then solutions to this 6
equation will be obtained by solving the systems factors, namely 23–1 = 4. Thus, our answer is
of equations: 22 ⋅ 32 ⋅ 5 = 180.
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6. Let our number be 10a + b, a, b  0. Then we have 8. The two-digit perfect squares are 16, 25, 36, 49,
two conditions: 10a + b ≡ 10a ≡ 0(mod b) and 10a 64, 81. We try making a sequence starting with
each one:
+ b ≡ b(mod a), or a divides into b and b divides
▪ 16 – 64 – 49. This terminates since none of
into 10a. Thus b = a, 2a, or 5a (note that if b = them end in a 9, giving us 1649.
10a, then b would not be a digit). ▪ 25.
For b = a, we have n = 11a for nine possibilities, ▪ 36 – 64 – 49, 3649.
9 (10) ▪ 49.
giving us a sum of 11 = 495 . ▪ 64 – 49, 649.
2
▪ 81 – 16 – 64 – 49, 81649.
For b = 2a, we have n = 12a for four possibilities The largest is 81649, so our answer is 816.
(the higher ones give b > 9), giving us a sum of
4 ( 5) 9. Consider the three-digit arrangement, aba . There
12  = 120 .
2 are 10 choices for a and 10 choices for b (since it
For b = 5a, we have n = 15a for one possibility is possible for a = b), and so the probability of
10  10 1
(again, higher ones give b > 9), giving us a sum picking the palindrome is = .
103 10
of 15.
1
If we ignore the case b = 0 as we have been doing Similarly, there is a probability of picking
26
so far, then the sum is 495 + 120 + 15 = 630. the three-letter palindrome.
By the Principle of Inclusion-Exclusion, the total
7. We let N7 = a n a n −1 a 07 ; we are given that probability is
1 1 1 35 7
2(an an–1⋯a0)7 = (anan–1⋯a0)10 + − = =  7 + 52 = 059
26 10 260 260 52
(This is because the digits in N' s base 7
representation make a number with the same 10. Let the sum of the integers in S be N, and let the
digits in base 10 when multiplied by 2) Expanding, size of |S| be n + 1. After any element x is
we find that removed, we are given that n| N – x, so x  N
2⋅7n an + 2⋅7n–1 an–1 + ⋯ + 2a0 = 10n an + 10n–1 an–1 (mod n). Since 1  S, N  1 (mod n), and all
elements are congruent to 1 mod n. Since they are
+ ⋯ + a0
positive integers, the largest element is at least n2
or re-arranging,
+ 1, the (n + 1)th positive integer congruent to 1
a0 + 4a1 = 2a2 + 314a3 + ⋯ + (10n – 2 ⋅ 7n) an nod n.
Since the ai s are base-7 digits, it follows that ai < 7, We are also given that this largest number is
and the LHS is less than or equal to 30. Hence our 2002, so 2002  1 (mod n), and n|2001 = 3  23 
number can have at most 3 digits in base-7. 29|. Also, we have n2 + 1  2002, so n  44. The
Letting a2 = 6, we find that 6307 = 31510 is our largest factor of 2001 less than 45 is 29, so n = 29
and n + 1  30 is the largest possible. This can
largest 7-10 double.
be achieved with
S = {1, 30, 59, 88, …, 813, 2002}, for instance.

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