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Difference between revisions of "2018 AMC 10B Problems/Problem 16"
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Remember that <math>n^{3}\equiv n \pmod{6}</math>
 
Remember that <math>n^{3}\equiv n \pmod{6}</math>
  
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Therefore, that huge sum is congruent to <math>2018^{2018} \pmod{6} = \boxed{(E) 4}</math>
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Therefore, that huge sum is congruent to <math>2018^{2018} \pmod{6} = 2^{2018} \pmod{6} = \boxed{(E) 4}</math>
  
 
==Solution==
 
==Solution==

Revision as of 16:07, 16 February 2018

Let $a_1,a_2,\dots,a_{2018}$ be a strictly increasing sequence of positive integers such that \[a_1+a_2+\cdots+a_{2018}=2018^{2018}.\] What is the remainder when $a_1^3+a_2^3+\cdots+a_{2018}^3$ is divided by $6$?

$\textbf{(A)}\ 0\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 1\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 2\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 3\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 4$

Faster Solution

Solution

Remember that $n^{3}\equiv n \pmod{6}$

Therefore, that huge sum is congruent to $2018^{2018} \pmod{6} = 2^{2018} \pmod{6} = \boxed{(E) 4}$

Solution

(not very good one)

Note that $\left(a_1+a_2+\cdots+a_{2018}\right)^3=a_1^3+a_2^3+\cdots+a_{2018}^3+3a_1^2\left(a_1+a_2+\cdots+a_{2018}-a_1\right)+3a_2^2\left(a_1+a_2+\cdots+a_{2018}-a_2\right)+\cdots+3a_{2018}^2\left(a_1+a_2+\cdots+a_{2018}-a_{2018}\right)+6\prod_{i\neq j\neq k}^{2018} a_ia_ja_k$

Note that $a_1^3+a_2^3+\cdots+a_{2018}^3+3a_1^2\left(a_1+a_2+\cdots+a_{2018}-a_1\right)+3a_2^2\left(a_1+a_2+\cdots+a_{2018}-a_2\right)+\cdots+3a_{2018}^2\left(a_1+a_2+\cdots+a_{2018}-a_{2018}\right)+6\prod_{i\neq j\neq k}^{2018} a_ia_ja_k\equiv a_1^3+a_2^3+\cdots+a_{2018}^3+3a_1^2(2018-a_1)+3a_2^2(2018-a_2)+\cdots+3a_{2018}^2(2018-a_{2018}) \equiv -2(a_1^3+a_2^3+\cdots+a_{2018}^3)\pmod 6$ Therefore, $-2(a_1^3+a_2^3+\cdots+a_{2018}^3)\equiv \left(2018^{2018}\right)^3\equiv\left( 2^{2018}\right)^3\equiv 4^3\equiv 4\pmod{6}$.

Thus, $a_1^3+a_2^3+\cdots+a_{2018}^3\equiv 1\pmod 3$. However, since cubing preserves parity, and the sum of the individual terms is even, the some of the cubes is also even, and our answer is $\boxed{\text{(E) }4}$

See Also

2018 AMC 10B (Problems • Answer Key • Resources)
Preceded by
Problem 15 		Followed by
Problem 17
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25
All AMC 10 Problems and Solutions

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