Loving 2 and its powers

For each n n natural number less than k k , there exist four positive integers ( a , b , c , d ) (a, b, c, d) , such that 2 a 2 b 2 c 2 d = n \dfrac{2^a-2^b}{2^c-2^d}=n

Find the maximum value of k k .


The answer is 11.

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1 solution

0 = 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 , 1 = 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 1 , 2 = 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 , 3 = 2 3 2 1 2 2 2 1 0=\dfrac{2^2-2^2}{2^2-2^1}, 1=\dfrac{2^2-2^1}{2^2-2^1}, 2=\dfrac{2^3-2^2}{2^2-2^1}, 3=\dfrac{2^3-2^1}{2^2-2^1}

4 = 2 4 2 3 2 2 2 1 , 5 = 2 5 2 1 2 3 2 1 , 6 = 2 4 2 2 2 2 2 1 , 7 = 2 4 2 1 2 2 2 1 4=\dfrac{2^4-2^3}{2^2-2^1}, 5=\dfrac{2^5-2^1}{2^3-2^1}, 6=\dfrac{2^4-2^2}{2^2-2^1}, 7=\dfrac{2^4-2^1}{2^2-2^1}

8 = 2 5 2 4 2 2 2 1 , 9 = 2 7 2 1 2 4 2 1 , 10 = 2 6 2 2 2 3 2 1 8=\dfrac{2^5-2^4}{2^2-2^1}, 9=\dfrac{2^7-2^1}{2^4-2^1}, 10=\dfrac{2^6-2^2}{2^3-2^1}

Suppose 11 11 is still possible.

11 = 2 a 2 b 2 c 2 d 11 ( 2 c 2 d ) = 2 a 2 b 11=\dfrac{2^a-2^b}{2^c-2^d}\iff11(2^c-2^d)=2^a-2^b

Suppose a > b , c > d a>b, c>d . Then

11 2 d ( 2 c d 1 ) = 2 b ( 2 a b 1 ) 11*2^d(2^{c-d}-1)=2^b(2^{a-b}-1)

From the equation above we get: 2 d 2 b 2^d\mid2^b and 2 b 2 d 2^b\mid2^d , so b = d b=d . Furthermore

11 ( 2 x 1 ) = 2 y 1 11(2^x-1)=2^y-1

where x , y x, y are positive integers. Since x , y 2 , 4 2 x x, y\geq2, 4\mid2^x and 4 2 y 4\mid2^y . From that

11 ( 2 x 1 ) 1 m o d 4 11(2^x-1)\equiv1\space\mod4

2 y 1 3 m o d 4 2^y-1\equiv3\space\mod4

This is a contradiction.

So the answer is 11 \boxed{11} .

I am not getting. Can u explain in simpler words?

Shravani Sardeshpande - 3 years, 11 months ago

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What part of the solution aren't you getting?

Áron Bán-Szabó - 3 years, 11 months ago

But the answer should be 12 as the question says for each n "LESS THAN" k.

Siddharth Kumar - 3 years, 11 months ago

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No! 11 is impossible, but from 0 to 10 each number is possible, so the answer is 11.

Áron Bán-Szabó - 3 years, 11 months ago

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