A number theory problem by أحمد الحلاق

Let x , y x,y and z z be positive integers satisfying 28 x + 30 y + 31 z = 365 28x+30y + 31z = 365 . What is the value of x + y + z x+y+z ?


The answer is 12.

This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and, finally, (c) loading the non-javascript version of this page . We're sorry about the hassle.

2 solutions

Jesse Nieminen
Sep 19, 2016

Let x + y + z = k x+y+z=k , now 28 k + 2 y + 3 z = 365 28k + 2y + 3z = 365 .
If k 11 k \leq 11 , 2 y + 3 z 57 y > 11 z > 11 2y + 3z \geq 57 \implies y > 11 \vee z > 11 which is impossible since k = x + y + z 11 k=x+y+z\leq11 .
If k 13 k \geq 13 , 2 y + 3 z 1 y < 1 z < 1 2y + 3z \leq 1 \implies y < 1 \vee z < 1 which is impossible since x , y , z > 0 x,y,z > 0 .

Hence, 12 \boxed{12} is the only possibility left and we indeed have:
28 28 days in February (except on leap years),
30 30 days in April, June, September and November,
31 31 days in January, March, May, Juli, August, October and December,
12 12 months in a year and
365 365 days in a year (except on leap years).

Alekhya China
Sep 17, 2016

4 (31+30+28)=89 4=356. now 365-356=9. hence if we replace 4 28's with 4 30's the value increses by 8. hence now the expression looks like this 28 0+30 8+31 4=355. again we replace 1 30 with 1 31 .now the equation holds. i.e.28 0+30 7+31 5=356. hence x+y+z=0+7+5=12.

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...