It is Even, Not quite Odd

Number Theory Level pending

Which is the largest positive even integer which 'cannot' be expressed as the sum of two odd composite numbers?

Eg :

10 = 9 + 1 = 7 + 3 = 5 + 5 10=9+1=7+3=5+5 . In each case, there is at least one number in the sum which is not an odd composite number.

On the other hand, 24 = 23 + 1 = 11 + 13 = 15 + 9 24=23+1=11+13=15+9 . In this case, there is a combination of two odd composite numbers.


The answer is 38.

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1 solution

38 = 37 + 1 = 35 + 3 = 33 + 5 38=37+1 = 35+3 = 33+5 = 31 + 7 = 29 + 9 = 27 + 11 = 31+7 = 29+9 = 27+11 = 25 + 13 = 23 + 15 = 21 + 17 = 19 + 19 =25+13 = 23+15 = 21+17 =19+19 .

There is no combination where both the odd numbers are composite.

For numbers greater than 38, we have

40 = 25 + 15 40 = 25 + 15 , 42 = 27 + 15 42 = 27 + 15 , 44 = 35 + 9 44 = 35 + 9 , 46 = 25 + 21 46 = 25 + 21 , 48 = 33 + 15 48 = 33 + 15 , 50 = 35 + 15 50 = 35 + 15 , 52 = 27 + 25 52 = 27 + 25 , 54 = 27 + 27 54 = 27 + 27 , 58 = 33 + 25 58 = 33 + 25 , 60 = 45 + 15 60 = 45 + 15 , 62 = 35 + 27 62 = 35 + 27 , 64 = 39 + 25 64 = 39 + 25 , 66 = 33 + 33 66 = 33 + 33 , 68 = 35 + 33 68 = 35 + 33 .

Each of the numbers on the RHS of the equations are either a multiple of 3 or of 5 or both.

Any even number greater than 68 can be written as

n = 30 k + n 1 n = 30k+n_1 , where n 1 { 40 , 42 , , 68 } n_1 \in \{40,42,\cdots,68\} and if n 1 = c 1 + c 2 n_1 = c_1+c_2 , then n = 30 k + c 1 + c 2 n=30k+c_1+c_2 . Now, c 1 c_1 is composite and is divisible by 3 or 5. This would mean that 30 k + c 1 30k+c_1 is also composite since 30 k 30k would be divisible by 3 and 5.

Hence, any even number greater than 38 can be expressed as a sum of two odd composite numbers.

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