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jmc

number theory intermediate

Problem

How many positive integers will make the expression have an integral value?
Solution
We can simplify as , or . So, in order for this expression to have an integral value, 24 must be divisible by . In other words, must be a factor of 24. Therefore, to find the number of positive integers that will make the expression have an integral value, we just need to find the number of factors of 24. We know that if , where are prime numbers, then the number of factors of is equal to . We have that the prime factorization of 24 is , so using the formula above, 24 has factors.
Final answer
8