# Difference between revisions of "2016 AMC 8 Problems/Problem 7"

## Problem

Which of the following numbers is not a perfect square?

$\textbf{(A) }1^{2016}\qquad\textbf{(B) }2^{2017}\qquad\textbf{(C) }3^{2018}\qquad\textbf{(D) }4^{2019}\qquad \textbf{(E) }5^{2020}$

## Solution 1

Our answer must have an odd exponent in order for it to not be a square. Because $4$ is a perfect square, $4^{2019}$ is also a perfect square, so our answer is $\boxed{\textbf{(B) }2^{2017}}$.

## Solution 2

We know that in order for something to be a perfect square, it has to be written as $x^{2}$. So, if we divide all of the exponents by 2, we can see which ones are perfect squares, and which ones are not. $1^{2016}=(1^{1008})^{2}$, $2^{2017}=2^{\frac {2017}{2}}$, $3^{2018}=(3^{1009})^{2}$, $4^{2019}=4^{\frac {2019}{2}}$, $5^{2020}=(5^{1010})^{2}$. Since we know that 4 is a perfect square itself, we know that even though the integer number is odd, the number that it becomes will be a perfect square. This is because ${4^{2019}=4^{2018} \cdot 4}$. this is also a perfect square because the exponent $2018$ is even, and the base $4$ is also a perfect square, thus ${4^{2019}}$ is a perfect square. So, that only leaves us with one choice, $\boxed{\textbf{(B) }2^{2017}}$. -fn106068