1978 AMC 12 Problem 27

Attempt Problem 27 of the 1978 AMC 12 below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 1978 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

27.

There is more than one integer greater than 11 which, when divided by any integer kk such that 2≤k≤11,2\le k\le11, has a remainder of 1.1. What is the difference between the two smallest such integers?
23102310
23112311
27,72027{,}720
27,72127{,}721
none of these
Answer: C
Concepts:least common multiplemodular arithmetic
Small hint:
Each desired integer is 11 more than a common multiple of every integer from 22 through 1111
Big hint:
The difference of consecutive such integers is the least common multiple of those divisors
Solution:
A qualifying integer is congruent to 11 modulo every integer from 22 through 11,11, hence modulo L=lcm⁡(2,…,11)=23⋅32⋅5⋅7⋅11=27720. \begin{aligned} L&=\operatorname{lcm}(2,\ldots,11)\\ &=2^3\cdot3^2\cdot5\cdot7\cdot11\\ &=27720. \end{aligned} The two smallest qualifying integers greater than 11 are L+1L+1 and 2L+1,2L+1, whose difference is L=27720.L=27720.
Therefore, the correct answer is C.
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