Not a Calculus problem!

Algebra Level 2

If r = 1 n ( 2 r 1 ) = 135135 \displaystyle\prod_{r=1}^{n} (2r-1) = 135135 , find the value of n n .


The answer is 7.

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.

6 solutions

Curtis Clement
Apr 6, 2015

This isn't the most elegant solution but it creates a nice looking formula... r = 1 n ( 2 r 1 ) = r = 1 2 n r r = 1 n 2 r = ( 2 n ) ! 2 n ( n ! ) = n ! 2 n ( 2 n n ) \displaystyle\prod_{r=1}^{n} (2r-1) = \frac{\displaystyle\prod_{r=1}^{2n} r}{\displaystyle\prod_{r=1}^{n} 2r } = \frac{(2n)!}{2^n (n!)} = \frac{n!}{2^n} {\ 2n \choose \ n } Now we can go further by showing that: A s n , ( 2 n n ) 4 n n π \ As \ n \rightarrow\infty \ , {\ 2n \choose n } \rightarrow\frac{4^n}{\sqrt{n \pi }} lim n r = 1 n ( 2 r 1 ) = + n ! ( n 1 ) ! 4 n π \Rightarrow\lim_{n \rightarrow\infty} \displaystyle\prod_{r=1}^{n} (2r-1) = + \sqrt{\frac{n!(n-1)! 4^n}{\pi} } (Plugging in n=7 gives 135135 in the first formula and 137567.7... in the second)

It can also be shown that: n ! < ( 2 n ) ! 2 n ( n ! ) < ( 2 n ) ! n > 1 n! < \frac{(2n)!}{2^n (n!)} < (2n)! \ n > 1 The right-hand side is trivial so I'll use induction for the LHS: For n = 2: LHS = 2 and middle = 3 so the inequality is true thus far. Now assume n = k is true, such that for n = k+1: ( ( k + 1 ) ! = k ! ( k + 1 ) < ( 2 ( k + 1 ) ) ! ( k + 1 ) ! 2 k + 1 ((k+1)! = k!(k+1) < \frac{(2(k+1))!}{(k+1)! 2^{k+1}} = ( 2 k + 1 ) ( 2 k ) ! k ! 2 k 2 k + 1 > k + 1 Q . E . D . = (2k+1) \frac{(2k)!}{k! 2^k} \Rightarrow\ 2k+1 > k+1 \ Q.E.D. n ! < r = 1 n ( 2 r 1 ) < ( 2 n ) ! ( n > 1 ) \therefore\ n! < \displaystyle\prod_{r=1}^{n} (2r-1) < (2n)! \ \ \ \ \forall (n > 1)

Curtis Clement - 6 years, 2 months ago

Log in to reply

Thanks! I expected this solution!

Nihar Mahajan - 6 years, 2 months ago
Caleb Townsend
Apr 6, 2015

Azhaghu Roopesh M posted this idea in the comments.

Note that this is the very definition of the odd double factorials. That is r = 1 n ( 2 r 1 ) = ( 2 n 1 ) ! ! \prod_{r=1}^n (2r-1) = (2n-1)!! We are given that the product is 135135. 135135. Note that 135135 = 13 ! ! 135135 = 13!! Then ( 2 n 1 ) ! ! = 13 ! ! 2 n 1 = 13 n = 7 (2n-1)!! = 13!! \\ 2n - 1 = 13 \\ \boxed{n = 7}

How can we "note" that thing?

Kartik Sharma - 6 years, 2 months ago
Gautam Sharma
Apr 6, 2015

Just Prime factorize it and bundle them to form Odd positive integers.

135135 = 1 × 3 × 5 × 7 × 9 × 11 × 13 135135=1 \times 3 \times 5 \times 7 \times 9 \times 11 \times 13

Max odd integer=13

Hence 2 n 1 = 13 2n-1=13 (at max n = r n=r )

n = 7 \therefore n=7

Can you post a solution without prime factorization? I knew this method . since this is my first calculus-related problem, there might be some elegant way to solve it.

I might have increased the number of the right hand side . In that case, such a solution may be useful which is in terms of 'n'. May be Calculus master @Caleb Townsend may post it. :) Thanks!

Nihar Mahajan - 6 years, 2 months ago

Log in to reply

Nihar Mahajan

Here's a calc solution :P

The given product is actually the Double Factorial Function .

As simple as that !

A Former Brilliant Member - 6 years, 2 months ago

Log in to reply

Exactly!I wanted this ! When you will come back ,till then I would try to learn some Calculus , so that we can have more fun. Thanks!

Nihar Mahajan - 6 years, 2 months ago

Log in to reply

@Nihar Mahajan 1-2 years .

A Former Brilliant Member - 6 years, 2 months ago

@Nihar Mahajan I can't post anything better than what has already been said. I used the solution involving the double factorial of odd integers, as I remembered the number 135135. 135135. There are ways to establish formulas for products and sums, but the simplest form in this case is P = ( 2 n 1 ) ! ! P = (2n-1)!! I will post this solution with credit to Azhaghu.

Caleb Townsend - 6 years, 2 months ago

As 135135 = 100 ˙ + 35 10 ( m o d 25 ) 135135=\dot { 100 } +35\equiv 10\left( mod\quad 25 \right) and 135135 1 + 3 5 + 1 3 + 5 ( m o d 11 ) 0 ( m o d 11 ) 135135\equiv -1+3-5+1-3+5\left( mod\quad 11 \right) \equiv 0\left( mod\quad 11 \right) , it implies that 11 2 n 1 > 15 6 n > 8 n = 6 o r 7 11\ge 2n-1>15\Rightarrow 6\ge n>8\Rightarrow n=6\quad or\quad 7 . We can try three times, but r = 1 6 ( 2 r 1 ) = 10395 \prod _{ r=1 }^{ 6 }{ \left( 2r-1 \right) } =10395 and r = 1 7 ( 2 r 1 ) = 135135 \prod _{ r=1 }^{ 7 }{ \left( 2r-1 \right) } =135135

Wissam Akil
Dec 1, 2015

i think there are plenty of good solutions but i'm going to write the easiest : r = 1 n ( 2 r 1 ) = ( ( 1 2 ) 1 ) ( ( 2 2 ) 1 ) ( ( 3 2 ) 1 ) ( ( 4 2 ) 1 ) . . . . . . . . = 1 3 5 7 . . . . . . . \prod_{r=1}^{n}(2r-1)=((1*2)-1)((2*2)-1)((3*2)-1)((4*2)-1)........=1*3*5*7*....... and this pattern continues , i.e , multiplying out odd numbers to get 135135 Now , by multiplying the first few odd integers we got from the expansion ,and dividing 135135 by the answer we get 1 3 5 7 = 105 , 135135 105 = 1287 1*3*5*7=105 , \frac{135135}{105}=1287 we next divide 1287 by the next odd integer , which is 9 1287 9 = 143 \frac{1287}{9}=143 , we then divide this answer by the next odd integer , which is 11 143 11 = 13 \frac{143}{11}=13 and the number we get is the next odd integer in the progression , so that implies that the number 135135 could be written like 135135 = 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 135135=1*3*5*7*9*11*13 which would imply that 2 r 1 = 13 2r-1=13 2 r = 13 + 1 = 14 2r=13+1=14 that is r = 14 2 = 7 r=\frac{14}{2}=7 which means that n = 7 n=7 or in other words , that value of r=7 would give 13 .

Tanishq Varshney
Apr 6, 2015

135135 = 1 × 3 × 5 × 7 × 9 × 11 × 13 135135=1\times 3\times 5\times 7\times 9\times 11\times 13

2 r 1 = 13 2r-1=13

r = 7 r=7

I knew that it was easy to guess. Well it would have been better if you had posted an elegant solution!

Nihar Mahajan - 6 years, 2 months ago

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...