Determine the number of ways "2009" can be expressed as a sum of consecutive positive integers.
Below, you'll find the solution I derived from scratch.
Observe: Consider the sum of integers between 1 and 10, with removing the first term in each set.
(1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5) + (6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10)
(2 + 3 + 4 + 5) + 6 + (7 + 8 + 9 + 10) (3 + 4 + 5 + 6) + (7 + 8 + 9 + 10) (4 + 5 + 6) + 7 + (8 + 9 + 10) (5 + 6 + 7) + (8 + 9 + 10) (6 + 7) + 8 + (9 + 10) (7 + 8) + (9 + 10) (8) + 9 + (10) 9 + 10 |
= 55
= 54 = 52 = 49 = 45 = 40 = 34 = 27 = 19 |
= 11 x 5
= 12 x 4 + 6 = 13 x 4 = 14 x 3 + 7
= 15 x 3
= 16 x 2 + 8 = 17 x 2 = 18 x 1 + 9 = 19 x 1 |
[10 terms]
[9 terms]
[8 terms]
[7 terms]
[6 terms]
[5 terms]
[4 terms]
[3 terms]
[2 terms]
|
Generalize: Based on the observations above, we can generalize some relationships by substituting some variables:
- F = first term
- L = last term
- N = number of terms
- A = average of terms
- S = sum of all terms
- A = (F + L) / 2 (somewhat obvious, but important)
- L = F + N - 1 (arguably just as obvious, as long as you remember the 1)
- S (N even) = (F + L) x (N / 2) (sum with even number of terms)
- S (N odd) = (F + L) x [(N - 1) / 2) + A (sum with odd number of terms)
S (N even) = (F + L) x (N / 2) = (2F + N - 1)(N / 2) (easy enough)
S (N odd) | = (F + L) x [(N - 1) / 2) + A = (2F + N - 1) x [(N - 1) / 2] + (2F + N - 1) / 2 = (2F + N - 1)(N / 2) - (2F + N - 1) / 2 + (2F + N - 1) / 2 = (2F + N - 1)(N / 2) |
Deduce: Based on our findings, we can make the following deductions:
- The sum S is always the value (2F + N - 1)(N / 2) and can be determined from just the value of the first term and the total number of terms.
- We know S = 2009, so by multiplying both sides by 2: 4018 = N(2F + N - 1).
- These unknown values N and (2F + N - 1) both divide the number of 4018.
- If we let X = 2F + N - 1, we can express 4018 = N(2F + N - 1) = NX.
- We can solve for F in terms of X and N by shifting around: F = (X + 1 - N) / 2.
- Therefore, if we know the values of N and X, we can determine the value of F (the first term).
4018 = 2 x 2009 = 2 x 7 x 287 = 2 x 7 x 7 x 41. Thus:
4018 = 1 x 4018, 2 x 2009, 7 x 574, 14 x 287, 41 x 98, 49 x 82.
These pairs are our values of N and X. And as deduced above, we can determine F based on X.
Evaluate: We must consider all cases of N and X that yield an acceptable (i.e. nonnegative) value for F.
- N = 1, X = 4018: F = (4018 + 1 - 1) / 2 = 4018 / 1 = 4018 = F
- N = 2, X = 2009: F = (2009 + 1 - 2) / 2 = 2008 / 2 = 1004 = F
- N = 7, 574: F = (574 + 1 - 7) / 2 = 568 / 2 = 284 = F
- N = 14, X = 287: F = (287 + 1 - 14) / 2 = 274 / 2 = 137 = F
- N = 41, X = 98: F = (98 + 1 - 41) / 2 = 58 / 2 = 29 = F
- N = 49, X = 82: F = (92 + 1 - 49) / 2 = 34 / 2 = 17 = F
- N = 82, X = 49: F = (49 + 1 - 82) / 2 = -32 / 2 = -16 < 0 (not valid, neither are the rest)
- 2009 = 2009 (1 term)
- 2009 = 1004 + 1005 (2 terms)
- 2009 = 284 + 285 + ... + 289 + 290 (7 terms)
- 2009 = 137 + 138 + ... + 149 + 150 (14 terms)
- 2009 = 29 + 30 + ... + 68 + 69 (41 terms)
- 2009 = 17 + 18 + ... + 64 + 65 (49 terms)
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