The combinatorial Gem

Level pending

What is the number of positive integers from 1 to 1000 (inclusive) that can be expressed as the difference of two numbers in the set {1,2,2^2,2^3,…}?


The answer is 50.

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1 solution

Corresponding to 2 n 2^n , n n numbers can be obtained by subtracting the numbers : 1 , 2 , 2 2 , . . . , 2 n 1 1 , 2, 2^2 ,...,2^{n-1} from it.

From 2 10 2^{10} onwards each difference is greater than 1000 1000 . So, considering the cases till 2 10 2^{10} .

By using numbers ranging from 2 2 to 2 10 2^{10} we obtain : ( k = 1 10 k ) \left(\displaystyle\sum_{k=1}^{10} k \right) numbers = 55 =55 .

Out of these 55 55 numbers, 5 5 are greater than 1000 1000 : ( 2 10 1 , 2 10 2 1 , . . . , 2 10 2 4 ) (2^{10}-1 , 2^{10}-2^1, ..., 2^{10}-2^4)

Hence, the answer is : 55 5 = 50 55-5=\boxed{50}

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