Trailing zeroes

Can it be shown that no integer nn has an n!n! with exactly 2015 trailing zeroes?

#NumberTheory

Note by Joe Paradis
5 years, 11 months ago

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Comments

Trailing zeroes of n!n! is given by zn=k=1n5kz_n = \displaystyle \sum_{k=1}^\infty {\left \lfloor \frac{n}{5^k} \right \rfloor} , where x\lfloor x \rfloor is the greatest integer function. Therefore, there is a unique set of znz_n. The values of znz_n around 20152015 are as follows:

\[\begin{array} {} n: & 8055 & 8060 & 8065 & 8070 & 8075 & 8080 & 8085 & 8090 & 8095 \\ z_n: & 2011 & 2012 & 2013 & \color{red}{2014} & \color{red}{2016} & 2017 & 2018 & 2019 & 2020 \end{array} \]

It is seen that 20152015 is not a znz_n.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 5 years, 11 months ago

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There is no need to construct the table. You should show that the lower bound of nn satisfy the equation n(15+152+153+)=2015n\left(\frac15 +\frac1{5^2}+ \frac1{5^3}+\ldots\right) = 2015. Then you don't need to construct the table anymore and you're left to show that every increment by 5 of nn increases the trailing zeros by 1, and that the trailing zeros further increases by 1 when nn is a multiple of 25. Applying the formula, z8060=2012z_{8060} = 2012 , so z8065=2012+1=2013z_{8065} = 2012 + 1 = 2013 ,z8070=2013+1=2014<2015 z_{8070} = 2013 + 1 =2014 < 2015, z8075=2014+1+1=2016>2015z_{8075} = 2014 + 1 + 1 = 2016 > 2015 .

Pi Han Goh - 5 years, 11 months ago

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Thanks, Pi Han. I was using a spreadsheet, the table comes to me easy. I was showing how znz_n changes with nn.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 5 years, 11 months ago

What is the proof of trailing zeroes?

Jåy Dïâz - 5 years, 3 months ago

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Read trailing number of zeros

Pi Han Goh - 5 years, 3 months ago
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