olymmath

Putnam 2017 B2

  • Session B

Suppose that a positive integer NN can be expressed as the sum of kk consecutive positive integers N=a+(a+1)+(a+2)+⋯+(a+k−1)N = a + (a+1) +(a+2) + \cdots + (a+k-1) for k=2017k=2017 but for no other values of k>1k>1. Considering all positive integers NN with this property, what is the smallest positive integer aa that occurs in any of these expressions?

Curated text Kedlaya Putnam archive. Quoted with source.

Solutions

Human solution Solution 1 by Kiran Kedlaya and Lenny Ng

The terms of the source let olymmath link to this solution but not copy it. Read the solution (Kedlaya Putnam archive).

Locator putnam/2017/b2 · Tag 9C6Q1XHMPW · Edit this page on GitHub · Keys: j next, k previous