practice problems
Q1. Find the number of integer solutions for | |x| - 2020| < 5 S1. |x| - 2020 = y => -5 < y < 5 => -5 < |x| - 2020 < 5 Part 1: -5 < |x| - 2020 => 2015 < |x| => x < -2015 or x > 2015 AND Part 2: |x| - 2020 < 5 => |x| < 2025 => -2025 < x < 2025 Combine both to get x = -2024... -2016 and x = 2016 to 2024 Answer: 18 Q2. Find the sum of positive integers (n) for which |2^n + 5^n - 65| is a perfect square. S2. for n = 1, y = 58 for n = 2, y = 36 = one solution found, n = 2 for n >= 3 y > 0 so we can remove absolute sign. 2^n + 5^n - 65 = k^2 Take mod 3 (-1)^n + (-1)^n = -1 + k^2 mod 3 If n is odd: -1 = 2 = k^2 mod 3 But k^2 mod 3 can be only 0,1. => n has to be even Let n = 2m and m>=2 y = 4^m + 25^m - 65 m = 2 => y = 16 + 625 - 65 = 576 = 24^2 => n = 4 is a solution. m = 3 => 4^3 + 25^3 - 65 = k^2 = 25^3 - 1 = 125^2 - 1 so not a square since you won't get 124^2 from here. For m>=4 => 4^m - 6...