Deep Thought for 2015

What is the 201 5 th 2015^\text{th} smallest positive integer n n for which gcd ( n , 63 000 ) = 42 \text{gcd}(n,63\:000) = 42 ?


The answer is 317226.

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1 solution

First divide out the common factor: gcd ( n , 63000 ) = 42 if and only if gcd ( n 42 , 1500 ) = 1. \text{gcd}(n,63000) = 42\ \text{if and only if}\ \text{gcd}\left(\frac n{42},1500\right) = 1. So let n = 42 m n = 42m , with m m the 2015th positive integer that is coprime to 1500.

Second, we must find values of m m that have no factors in common with 1500 = 2 2 3 5 3 1500 = 2^2\cdot 3\cdot 5^3 . This means that m m is not a multiple of 2, 3, or 5; in other words, gcd ( m , 30 ) = 1 \text{gcd}(m,30) = 1 .

Third, since gcd ( m + 30 k , 30 ) = gcd ( m , 30 ) \text{gcd}(m + 30k,30) = \text{gcd}(m, 30) , the gcd values repeat themselves with period 30. Therefore we only need to find the values 0 m < 30 0 \leq m < 30 for which gcd ( m , 30 ) = 1 \text{gcd}(m, 30) = 1 . These are easily found: 1 , 7 , 11 , 13 , 17 , 19 , 23 , 29. 1, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29. (There are only eight, since ϕ ( 30 ) = ( 2 1 ) ( 3 1 ) ( 5 1 ) = 8 \phi(30) = (2-1)(3-1)(5-1) = 8 . We also save work by noticing that the sequence is its own mirror image around 30/2 = 15.)

Thus for every 30 values of m m there are 8 that satisfy the condition gcd ( m , 30 ) = 1 \text{gcd}(m, 30) = 1 . We need the 2015th value of m m ; this means that we skip 2015 8 = 251 \left\lfloor\frac {2015}{8}\right\rfloor = 251 groups of 30, then take the 7th acceptable number after that (see the list above):

m = 251 30 + 23 = 7553. m = 251\cdot 30 + 23 = 7553.

Finally, n = 42 m = 317 226 . n = 42\ m = \boxed{317\:226}.

why does the gcd values repeat themselves with period 13?

Mr Yovan - 5 years, 6 months ago

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That should be 30.

Arjen Vreugdenhil - 5 years, 6 months ago

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