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XXIV OBM

Brazil number theory

Problem

Show that there is a set of distinct positive integers such that the sum of one or more elements of the set is never a square, cube, or higher power.
Solution
Let be a prime and . The sum of any quantity of numbers from is at most . Choose any and we are done, because every sum of numbers from is a multiple of but not of , and cannot be a perfect power.

Techniques

Prime numbersTechniques: modulo, size analysis, order analysis, inequalities