Divisibility - parity problem

Algebra Level 3

s ( n ) = n 3 6 n 2 2 + n 3 s(n)=\frac {n^3}6-\frac {n^2}2 +\frac n3

For s ( n ) s(n) as defined above, how many positive integers n n less than 2009 2009 are there such that s ( n ) s(n) is divisible by 4 4 ?


The answer is 1255.

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1 solution

Antonije Mirkovic
Dec 17, 2020

s ( n ) = 1 6 n 3 1 2 n 2 + 1 3 n = 1 6 ( n 2 ) ( n 1 ) n = 1 6 t ( n ) s(n)=\frac{1}{6}n^3-\frac{1}{2}n^2+\frac{1}{3}n=\frac{1}{6}(n-2)(n-1)n=\frac{1}{6}t(n)

s ( n ) s(n) is divisible by 4 if and only if t ( n ) t(n) is divisible by 8. This is the case for all even numbers n n , because then one of the numbers n 2 n-2 and n n is divisible by 4. (Every other number even number is divisible by 4, and the other divisible by 2). There exists 1004 even numbers in the relevant area. If n is an odd number, n 1 n-1 must be divisible by 8. This is the case for 2008 8 = 251 \frac{2008}{8}=251 of the odd numbers in the relevant area. Thus, in total there exists 1004 + 251 = 1255 1004+251=1255 numbers n n such that 0 < n 2008 0<n\leq2008 and s ( n ) s(n) is divisible by 4.

In short, n ( n 1 ) ( n 2 ) 0 ( m o d 8 ) n 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 ( m o d 8 ) n(n-1)(n-2)\equiv0\pmod8 \implies n\equiv0,1,2,4,6\pmod8 are all solutions. Each case has 251 251 solutions, so there 5 251 = 1255 5\cdot 251=1255 solutions.

Sathvik Acharya - 5 months, 3 weeks ago

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exactly, nice :)

Antonije Mirkovic - 5 months, 3 weeks ago

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