[quote="EMPOWERgmatRichC"]Hi All,
This question is ultimately about "factoring" and why numbers divide evenly into other numbers.
I'm going to start with a simple example and work up to the details in this prompt:
You probably know that 3 divides evenly into 3! (3! = 1x2x3). We can factor out a 3 and get 3(2); mathematically, this means that 3 divides evenly into 3!
The same applies to 4! (4! = 1x2x3x4). We can factor out a 3 and get 3(1x2x4); so this means that 3 divides evenly into 4! In this same way, we know that 3 divides evenly into 5!, 6!, 7!, etc. We now know that 3 divides evenly into 10!.
Does 3 divide into 3! + 1? No, because you CAN'T factor out a 3.
Does 3 divide into 3! + 2? No, because you CAN'T factor out a 3.
Does 3 divide into 3! + 3? YES, because you CAN factor out a 3. You'd have 3(1x2 + 1).
This same rule applies to the range of values between 10! and 10! + 20
3 will divide evenly into:
10!
10! + 3
10! + 6
10! + 9
10! + 12
10! + 15
10! + 18
but don't we r getting 2 3's in (10! + 9) as 3^2(1*2*4*5*2*7.....+1) ??