Find the number which is sum of the factorial of each of its digits.

What is the number ABC when

ABC = A! + B! + C!

where A,B and C are integers greater than 0


The answer is 145.

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.

1 solution

Richard Desper
Nov 13, 2019

Given that A A , B B , and C C are all positive, we can start drawing conclusions about the three numbers.

1) the maximum of { A , B , C } \{A,B,C\} is at most 5 5 . Clearly the maximum can not be 7 7 or more, as 7 ! = 5040 7! = 5040 , which is too big for our sum. Also, since 6 ! = 720 6! = 720 , if 6 6 is one of the three numbers, A A is at least 7 7 , which again is not possible.

2) the maximum of { A , B , C } \{A,B,C\} is at least 5 5 . Since 4 ! = 24 4! = 24 , if the maximum of { A , B , C } \{A,B,C\} is less than 4 4 , then A B C = A ! + B ! + C ! 72 ABC = A! + B! + C! \leq 72 , a contradiction.

3) It is not possible that A { 4 , 5 } , A \in \{4,5\}, since A ! + B ! + C ! 3 × 5 ! = 360 A! + B! + C! \leq 3 \times 5! = 360 .

4) A = 3 A = 3 is not possible, as that would imply A ! + B ! + C ! 3 ! + 2 5 ! = 246 < 300 A! + B! + C! \leq 3! + 2*5! = 246 < 300 , a contradiction.

5) Suppose A = 2 A = 2 . Consider the possibility { B , C } = { 4 , 5 } \{B,C\} = \{4,5\} . But 2! + 4! + 5! = 146, which would contradict A = 2 A=2 . Thus it must be the case that B = C = 5 B= C = 5 . But 2 ! + 5 ! + 5 ! = 242 2! + 5! + 5! = 242 , which does not satisfy the condition.

6) Thus A = 1 A = 1 and either B = 5 B = 5 or C = 5 C = 5 . At this point we can simply run through the five possible sums:

  • 1 ! + 1 ! + 5 ! = 122 1! + 1! + 5! = 122
  • 1 ! + 2 ! + 5 ! = 123 1! + 2! + 5! = 123
  • 1 ! + 3 ! + 5 ! = 127 1! + 3! + 5! = 127
  • 1 ! + 4 ! + 5 ! = 145 1! + 4! + 5! = 145
  • 1 ! + 5 ! + 5 ! = 241 1! + 5! + 5! = 241

It is clear that the only solution is ABC = 145.

Thank you for posting the solution to this problem

Srinivasa Gopal - 1 year, 7 months ago

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...