Art of Problem Solving

1998 AHSME Problems/Problem 22: Difference between revisions

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\qquad\mathrm{(E)}\ 10</math>
\qquad\mathrm{(E)}\ 10</math>
== Solution ==
== Solution ==
=== Solution 1 ===
By the change-of-base formula,  
By the change-of-base formula,  
<cmath>\log_{k} 100! = \frac{\log 100!}{\log k}</cmath>   
<cmath>\log_{k} 100! = \frac{\log 100!}{\log k}</cmath>   
Line 14: Line 15:
<cmath>\frac{1}{\log_k 100!} = \frac{\log k}{\log 100!}</cmath>
<cmath>\frac{1}{\log_k 100!} = \frac{\log k}{\log 100!}</cmath>
Thus the sum is  
Thus the sum is  
<cmath>\left(\frac{1}{\log 100!}\right)(\log 1 + \log 2 + \cdots + \log 100) = \frac{1}{\log 100!} \cdot \log 100! = 1 \Rightarrow \mathrm{(C)}</cmath>  
<cmath>\left(\frac{1}{\log 100!}\right)(\log 1 + \log 2 + \cdots + \log 100) = \frac{1}{\log 100!} \cdot \log 100! = 1 \Rightarrow \mathrm{(C)}</cmath>
 
=== Solution 2 ===
Since <math>1=\log_{k} k</math>,
 
<math></math>\frac{1}{\log_{k}100!}=\frac{\log_{k}k}{\log_{k}100!}=\log_{100!} k<math>
 
We add:
 
</math>\log_{100!} 1 +\log_{100!} 1 +\log_{100!} 1 +\cdots + \log_{100!} 100=\log_{100!}100!=1 \Rightarrow \mathrm{(C)}$


== See also ==
== See also ==

Revision as of 14:35, 9 February 2008

Problem

What is the value of the expression \[\frac{1}{\log_2 100!} + \frac{1}{\log_3 100!} + \frac{1}{\log_4 100!} + \cdots + \frac{1}{\log_{100} 100!}?\]

$\mathrm{(A)}\ 0.01 \qquad\mathrm{(B)}\ 0.1  \qquad\mathrm{(C)}\ 1 \qquad\mathrm{(D)}\ 2 \qquad\mathrm{(E)}\ 10$

Solution

Solution 1

By the change-of-base formula, \[\log_{k} 100! = \frac{\log 100!}{\log k}\] Thus (you might recognize this identity directly) \[\frac{1}{\log_k 100!} = \frac{\log k}{\log 100!}\] Thus the sum is \[\left(\frac{1}{\log 100!}\right)(\log 1 + \log 2 + \cdots + \log 100) = \frac{1}{\log 100!} \cdot \log 100! = 1 \Rightarrow \mathrm{(C)}\]

Solution 2

Since $1=\log_{k} k$,

$$ (Error compiling LaTeX. Unknown error_msg)\frac{1}{\log_{k}100!}=\frac{\log_{k}k}{\log_{k}100!}=\log_{100!} k$We add:$\log_{100!} 1 +\log_{100!} 1 +\log_{100!} 1 +\cdots + \log_{100!} 100=\log_{100!}100!=1 \Rightarrow \mathrm{(C)}$

See also

1998 AHSME (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 21
Followed by
Problem 23
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