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IRL_ABooklet

Ireland number theory

Problem

For a positive integer, is the product of the positive integers from 1 to . Determine, with proof, all positive integers for which is a power of 3.
Solution
The only solutions are and . We can calculate directly that is not a power of 3. For , we have as 3 and 6 are two of the factors defining . But also 9 is a factor of all powers of 3 beyond , so we would have the contradiction that 9 divides both and .
Final answer
n = 3 and n = 4

Techniques

Factorization techniques