There has to be some trick to this!

1 3 + 1 1 + 1 + 2 3 + 1 2 + 1 + 3 3 + 1 3 + 1 + + 200 5 3 + 1 2005 + 1 \displaystyle \dfrac{1^{3}+1}{1+1} + \dfrac{2^{3}+1}{2+1} + \dfrac{3^{3}+1}{3+1} + \cdots + \dfrac{2005^{3}+1}{2005+1}

Determine the second smallest prime factor of the expression above.


The answer is 11.

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2 solutions

Jaydee Lucero
Aug 6, 2014

The generalization of this problem in summation notation is k = 1 n k 3 + 1 k + 1 \sum_{k=1}^{n} \frac{k^3+1}{k+1} which is equal to k = 1 n ( k 2 k + 1 ) = k = 1 n k 2 k = 1 n k + k = 1 n 1 = n ( n + 1 ) ( 2 n + 1 ) 6 n ( n + 1 ) 2 + n = n ( ( 2 n 2 + 3 n + 1 ) ( 3 n + 3 ) + 6 6 ) = n ( n 2 + 2 3 ) \sum_{k=1}^{n} (k^2-k+1)=\sum_{k=1}^{n}k^2-\sum_{k=1}^{n}k+\sum_{k=1}^{n}1=\frac{n(n+1)(2n+1)}{6}-\frac{n(n+1)}{2}+n=n\left( \frac{(2n^2+3n+1)-(3n+3)+6}{6} \right)=n\left( \frac{n^2+2}{3} \right) with the use of appropriate summation formulas and simplifying. The sum in the problem is obtained by taking n = 2005 n=2005 , giving the value 2005 ( 200 5 2 + 2 3 ) 2005 \left( \frac{2005^2+2}{3} \right) This number is odd, so it is not divisible by 2. It is not divisible by 3, since 2005 ( 200 5 2 + 2 2 ) 1 ( 1 2 + 2 3 ) = 1 ( m o d 3 ) 2005 \left( \frac{2005^2+2}{2} \right) \equiv 1 \left( \frac{1^2+2}{3} \right)=1 \pmod 3 Obviously, it is divisible by 5, because 5 2005 5 \mid 2005 (and 5 is the lowest prime factor of the sum).

It is not divisible by 7, since 2005 ( 200 5 2 + 2 3 ) 3 ( 3 2 + 2 3 ) = 11 4 ( m o d 7 ) 2005 \left( \frac{2005^2+2}{3} \right) \equiv 3 \left( \frac{3^2+2}{3} \right) = 11 \equiv 4 \pmod 7 It is divisible by 11, since 2005 ( 200 5 2 + 2 3 ) 3 ( 3 2 + 2 3 ) = 11 0 ( m o d 11 ) 2005 \left( \frac{2005^2+2}{3} \right) \equiv 3 \left( \frac{3^2+2}{3} \right)=11 \equiv 0 \pmod {11} Since 5 is the lowest prime factor of the sum, then 11 \boxed{11} is the second smallest one.

What if I asked for its third smallest prime factor? Your solution is close to mine! :D

Sean Ty - 6 years, 10 months ago

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it is 43!!! found using calculator ! ;)

Kartik Sharma - 6 years, 10 months ago

Can this be done without the use of modular arithmetic?

Mardokay Mosazghi - 6 years, 10 months ago

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Actually, yes. Try to figure it out!

Sean Ty - 6 years, 10 months ago

Ur wrong my Boy, it is 5 bcuz it Should be divisible by 3

Meera Somani - 4 years, 3 months ago

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However, the problem asks for the second smallest prime factor. 5 5 is the smallest prime factor, and 11 11 is the second smallest. :)

Jaydee Lucero - 3 years, 11 months ago

2686718045 = 5 × \times 11 × \times 43 × \times 401 × \times 2833

Answer: 11 \boxed{11}

Lu Chee Ket - 5 years, 4 months ago

A code could also be used to solve this (I'll just post this since there's already a solution posted for doing it manually) :)

imgur imgur

This gives 11 \boxed{11} .

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