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com
Guide 5B: Chapter 6, page 109
Below are the four final questions from the World Math Olympiad Qualifiers.
1. Find the smallest possible sum of two integers whose GCF is 8 and
whose LCM is 80.
1
2. On a list of nine fractions whose average is 8 , the first 8 fractions
1
average 9 . What is the ninth fraction on the list?
3. How many perfect squares are factors of 8!=8 • 7 • 6 • 5 • 4 • 3 • 2 • 1?
1 1 1 1
4. Compute: 1 • 2 − 2 • 3 − 3 • 4 − 4 • 5 .
F in a l R o und So lut i ons [Link]
Guide 5B: Chapter 6, page 109
1. For two numbers to have GCF 8, both numbers must 4. To compute this difference, we can use a common
include at least three 2’s in their prime factorizations. denominator of 2 • 3 • 4 • 5=120:
For the LCM of the pair of numbers to be 80=24 • 5, 1 1 1 1
exactly one of the two numbers must have a 5 in its prime − −
1•2 2•3 3•4 4•5
−
factorization. Similarly, exactly one of the two numbers 1 1 1 1
must have four 2’s in its prime factorization. (If both had a 5 = 2 − 6 − 12 − 20
or four 2’s, their GCF would no longer be 8).
60 20 10 6
Since we want the sum of the two numbers to be as small = 120 − 120 − 120 − 120
as possible, neither number should have any additional 24
prime factors. = 120
This gives two possibilities. One number can have the 5 1
and the four 2’s, giving the pair 24 • 5=80 and 23=8.
=5.
Or, one number has the 5 and the other has the four 2’s,
giving the pair 23 • 5=40 and 24=16. There is a nice pattern in the differences below.
To find it, compute each of the following:
40+16=56 is less than 80+8=88, so 56 is the smallest
possible sum. 1
1•2
=
1 1 9
2. Nine numbers whose average is 8 have a sum of 9 • 8 = 8 . 1 1
1 1 8 −
1•2 2•3
=
The eight fractions whose average is 9 sum to 8 • 9 = 9 .
1 1 1
9 8 81 64
So, the ninth fraction is = 8 − 9 = 72 − 72 = 72 .
17 − −
1•2 2•3 3•4
=
3. We begin with the prime factorization of 8!: 1 1 1 1
− − −
1•2 2•3 3•4 4•5
=
8!=8 • 7 • 6 • 5 • 4 • 3 • 2 • 1
1 1 1 1 1
= (23) • 7 • (2 • 3) • 5 • (22) • 3 • 2 − − − −
1•2 2•3 3•4 4•5 5•6
=
= 27 • 32 • 5 • 7.
The factors in the prime factorization of a perfect square
can be divided into two identical groups. So, there will
always be an even number of each prime factor in the
prime factorization of a perfect square. So, we cannot have
any 5’s or 7’s in the prime factorization of a perfect square
factor of (8!).
But, we can have zero, two, four, or six 2’s. We can also
have zero or two 3’s. This gives the perfect squares below.
Recall that any number raised to the 0 power is 1.
20 • 30=1 20 • 32=9
22 • 30=4 22 • 32=36
24 • 30=16 24 • 32=144
2 6 •
3 =64
0
26 • 32=596
So, 8 perfect squares are factors of 8!.