Given an integer n (n≠0), there are a finite number of sequences of consecutive integers whose terms add up to n (If n=25, then 3+4+5+6+7=25 is one such sequence with 5 terms).

a. Find an equation for the number of terms of the longest such sequence for any positive integer n.

b. Find equations for the bounds (the first and last terms) of the longest such sequence for any positive integer n.

Hint: Once you have an equation for the number of terms, and for the first term of the sequence, the last term is simply one less than their sum.

Hint 2: Ducks have absolutely nothing to do with the problem.

(In reply to Some hints by Federico Kereki)

This is all fine and such, but I can say a prime number like 5 does have more than 1 number that could be in its group. Maybe I just misread your post.

Posted by Gamer on 2003-08-04 15:36:13