All about flooble | fun stuff | Get a free chatterbox | Free JavaScript | Avatars    
perplexus dot info

Home > Numbers
Continued Division and Parentheses Crossed Positive Integer Determination Poser (Posted on 2023-08-16) Difficulty: 3 of 5
Consider this expression:
1/2/3/4/5/6
Using one or more pairs of open and closed parentheses, that is: (), determine the total number of resulting distinct positive integers.

See The Solution Submitted by K Sengupta    
Rating: 5.0000 (1 votes)

Comments: ( Back to comment list | You must be logged in to post comments.)
Solution Solution | Comment 1 of 2
The 1 is going to be in the numerator of the simplified fraction in all cases.
The 2 is going to be in the denominator of the simplified fraction in all cases.

For the other numbers consider the following: the fraction is A/B assembled from the first n-1 numbers.  Then we are to add in the division for n.  There are two ways to do this; either (A/B)/n or A/(B/n).  In the first case n gets pulled into the denominator forming A/(B*n) or in the second case n gets pulled into the numerator forming (A*n)/B.  So n can be either in the numerator denominator.

Then each of 3, 4, 5, and 6 could occur in the numerator or denominator of the simplified fraction.

5 must be in the numerator for the fraction to simplify to an integer.
There can be at most two factors of 2 in the denominator.  But because 2 is already in the denominator, then 4 must be in the numerator.
Then at most one of 3 and 6 can occur in the denominator.

This leaves us with three integer values: (1*3*4*5*6)/2=180, (1*3*4*5)/(2*6)=5, and (1*4*5*6)/(2*3)=20.

For completeness, the original divisions of the integer values are 1/((((2/3)/4)/5)/6)=180, (1/((((2/3)/4)/5))/6=5, and (1/2)/(((3/4)/5)/6)=20.

  Posted by Brian Smith on 2023-08-16 14:01:09
Please log in:
Login:
Password:
Remember me:
Sign up! | Forgot password


Search:
Search body:
Forums (0)
Newest Problems
Random Problem
FAQ | About This Site
Site Statistics
New Comments (6)
Unsolved Problems
Top Rated Problems
This month's top
Most Commented On

Chatterbox:
Copyright © 2002 - 2024 by Animus Pactum Consulting. All rights reserved. Privacy Information