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What is the smallest positive integer that has exactly 18 positive fac

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Bunuel
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What is the smallest positive integer that has exactly 18 positive fac [#permalink] New post   14 Apr 2020, 04:35
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What is the smallest positive integer that has exactly 18 positive factors?


A. 180
B. 216
C. 240
D. 256
E. None of the above


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A
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What is the smallest positive integer that has exactly 18 positive fac [#permalink] New post   14 Apr 2020, 04:56
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Bunuel wrote:
What is the smallest positive integer that has exactly 18 positive factors?


A. 180
B. 216
C. 240
D. 256
E. None of the above


Are You Up For the Challenge: 700 Level Questions


If \(N = a^p*b^q*c^r...\)
where a, b, c... are distinct primes
Number of factors of \(N = (p+1)*(q+1)*(r+1)*...\)


STRATEGY:
-For smallest number the Prime number i.e. a, b, c etc must be as small as possible and
- Exponents of Primes should be broken into parts which makes the number smallest
- Bigger prime number must have smaller power to keep number as small as possible


18 = 9*2 = (8+1)*(1+1)

i.e. Number may be \(2^8*3^1 = 768\)

OR

18 = 6*3 = (5+1)*(2+1)

i.e. Number may be \(2^5*3^2 = 288\)

OR

18 = 2*3*3 = (1+1)*(2+1)*(2+1)

i.e. Number may be \(2^2*3^2*5 = 180\)

i.e. smallest such number must be 180

Answer: Option A
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Re: What is the smallest positive integer that has exactly 18 positive fac [#permalink] New post   14 Apr 2020, 12:48
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Bunuel wrote:
What is the smallest positive integer that has exactly 18 positive factors?


A. 180
B. 216
C. 240
D. 256
E. None of the above


Are You Up For the Challenge: 700 Level Questions


I would suggest you go with the option.
1) 180= 2^2 * 3^2 * 5
formula to find total number o factors:
If x^a *y^b, total number of factors are (a+1)*(b+1)

In the ques, total number of factors are (2+1)(2+1)(1+1) = 18.

No need to check other options. Though if you want you may.

Answer is A.

Feel free to add kudos if you like the explanation.
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Re: What is the smallest positive integer that has exactly 18 positive fac [#permalink] New post   17 Apr 2020, 11:30
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Bunuel wrote:
What is the smallest positive integer that has exactly 18 positive factors?


A. 180
B. 216
C. 240
D. 256
E. None of the above


Are You Up For the Challenge: 700 Level Questions


Let’s work the procedure backwards for finding the number of positive factors of a particular integer.

Let n be the smallest positive integer that has exactly 18 positive factors. Since 18 = 2 x 3 x 3 = (1 + 1)(2 + 1)(2 + 1), we want n = a^1 x b^2 x c^2, where a, b, and c are distinct prime numbers. Since we want n as small as possible, we want a, b, and c to be the three smallest prime numbers, i.e., 2, 3, and 5. However, to make n the smallest, we want the largest prime number to have the smallest exponent and the smallest prime number to have the largest exponent. Therefore, n = 5^1 x 3^2 x 2^2 = 5 x 9 x 4 = 180.

Answer: A
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Re: What is the smallest positive integer that has exactly 18 positive fac [#permalink] New post   14 Apr 2020, 20:49
Prime factorization of 18 =2×3×3
Therefore smallest number= 2^2×3^2×5=180
Option A is the answer

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Re: What is the smallest positive integer that has exactly 18 positive fac [#permalink] New post   01 Jun 2023, 15:09
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Re: What is the smallest positive integer that has exactly 18 positive fac [#permalink]
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