2022 AMC 10B Problems/Problem 17

Problem

One of the following numbers is not divisible by any prime number less than 10. Which is it? $\textbf{(A) } 2^{606}-1 \qquad\textbf{(B) } 2^{606}+1 \qquad\textbf{(C) } 2^{607}-1 \qquad\textbf{(D) } 2^{607}+1\qquad\textbf{(E) } 2^{607}+3^{607}$

Solution

For A, modulo 3, $\begin{align*} 2^{606} - 1 & \equiv (-1)^{606} - 1 \\ & \equiv 1 - 1 \\ & \equiv 0 . \end{align*}$

Thus, $2^{606} - 1$ is divisible by 3.

For B, modulo 5, $\begin{align*} 2^{606} + 1 & \equiv 2^{{\rm Rem} ( 606, \phi(5) )} + 1 \\ & \equiv 2^{{\rm Rem} ( 606, 4 )} + 1 \\ & \equiv 2^2 + 1 \\ & \equiv 0 . \end{align*}$