practice problems pending
Q1. Can product of eight consecutive integers be the perfect 4-th power of an integer? S1. n(n+1)(n+2)...(n+7) rearrange: n(n+7)(n+1)(n+6)(n+2)(n+5)(n+3)(n+4) Let a = n^2 + 7n + 6 Then product becomes: P = (a-6).a.(a+4).(a+6) = a^4 + 4a^3 -36a^2 - 144a (a+1)^4 = a^4 + 4a^3 + 6a^2 + 4a + 1 This is clearly more than the above product. Why? Since a is positive. (a+1)^4 > P Can we show a^4 < P? P = a^4 + 4a(a^2 - 9a - 36), a^2 - 9a - 36 = (a-12)(a+3) > 0 since a >= 14 for n = 1 => a^4 < P < (a+1)^4 H.P. that it can't be 4th power.