For every integer $ a>1$ an infinite list of integers is constructed $ L(a)$, as follows: $ a$ is the first number in the list $ L(a)$. Given a number $ b$ in $ L(a)$, the next number in the list is $ b+c$, where $ c$ is the largest integer that divides $ b$ and is smaller than $ b$. Find all the integers $ a>1$ such that $ 2002$ is in the list $ L(a)$.
Problem
Source: Central American Olympiad 2002, problem 3
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30.12.2009 10:18
02.07.2012 05:52
Let $a_i$ be the number on the $i-th$ position on $L(a)$, so $a=a_0$. Do $a_{t}=2012$ and $a_{t-1}=bp$ with $b$ the largest proper divisor of $a_{t-1}$ and $p$ prime so is obvious $b>p$. From this we have; $2002=b(p+1)$, the divisors of $2002$ are $1,2,7,11,13,14,22,26,77,91,143,154,182,286,1001,2002$ the posible pairs of integers $(b,p+1)$ that satisfy $b>p$ are $(77,26), (91,22), (143,14), (154,13), (182,11), (286,7), (1001,2), (2002,1)$ and the only one that satisfy that $p$ is prime is $(143,14)$, so this leaves us with $bp=1859$ whose largest proper divisor is $169$ which is a contradiction, what means that there canĀ“t be any number before $2002$ on $L(a)$, so $a=a_{0}=2002$