Find the sum of all positive integers x so that x ! is a positive integer.
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Hmm, not bad, not bad. I would recommend some deeper explaining though.
Speaking of which, I'm still wondering: Why is 6 there? Is that a necessary limit? Why?
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edited.Though 6 need not be the necessary limit,it can be even smaller.Since 6 is not a big number,I didn't make it precise.
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That is better.
Recommend you to try Latex-ing the solution for better visual.
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@Steven Jim – Thanks for your recommendation. I will keep that in mind.
We know that x ! will be a perfect square iff it can be decomposed to primes whose powers are all even. But, by Legendre's Theorem, we will find that there will be at least one prime whose power will be odd. And hence this completes the proof
Just searched the first 1000 integers using Mathematica
Select[Range@1000, IntegerQ[Sqrt[#!]] &]
No. Better solution is there.
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Problem is every factor you use have to be used an even time, but everytime you hit a prime, you have to take x at least the next number who has that prima as a factor. Apperantly under 1000 you hit a new prime everytime. Doesnt really prove its not possible for X above 1000. That prove might be pretty hard
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About that, there’s already been a theorem that for all positive integers n , there exist a prime p so that n < p < 2 n . This is a straightforward use of that one.
Also, n > 1 .
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@Steven Jim – Probably that proof is hard ;p
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@Peter van der Linden – @Peter van der Linden It is known as Bertrand's Postulate...........
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@Aaghaz Mahajan – Just because it bears someone's name, doenst make it an easy proof. But thanks for naming it, I can take a look at it now!
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@Peter van der Linden – See Pi Han Goh's comment on this................. https://brilliant.org/discussions/thread/quick-question/?ref_id=1461326
@Peter van der Linden – Well, I'm pretty sure that it is 100% not an easy proof. Welp, at least not for a 9th grade student.
This is not basic.
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The problem is equivalent to finding when x ! is going to be a square number. Bertrand's postulate is a theorem stating that for any integer n > 3 , there always exists at least one prime number p with
n < p < 2 n − 2 . So,we have x! will have a prime with power one when 2 x > 3 that is x > 6 . Hence by bertrand's postulate, we have for x > 6 (roughly) there will be a prime which has exponent only one in n ! .So,we only need to consider small cases.
After working those small ones we get, 1 is the only solution