Perfect Squares as Divisors of $1!\cdot 2! \cdot 3! \cdots 9!$

  • MHB
  • Thread starter anemone
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In summary, perfect squares are numbers that result from multiplying an integer by itself. In the context of factorials, they are important because they can be used as divisors of the product of smaller factorials, making calculations easier. However, not all perfect squares can be divisors of the product of factorials from 1 to 9, only those that are less than or equal to 9!. Additionally, perfect squares as divisors of factorials have various applications, such as in combinations, permutations, and calculating the number of lattice points in a grid.
  • #1
anemone
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MHB
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Here is this week's POTW:

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How many perfect squares are divisors of the product $1!\cdot 2! \cdot 3! \cdots 9!$?

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Remember to read the https://mathhelpboards.com/showthread.php?772-Problem-of-the-Week-%28POTW%29-Procedure-and-Guidelines to find out how to https://mathhelpboards.com/forms.php?do=form&fid=2!
 
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  • #2
Congratulations to the following members for their correct solution!

1. castor28
2. lfdahl
3. kaliprasad
4. Oxide

Solution from Oxide:
By expanding out the product \(\displaystyle n=1! 2! \cdots 9!\), we get \(\displaystyle 2^8 3^7 4^6 5^5 6^4 7^3 8^2 9^1\), which can be factored into primes as \(\displaystyle 2^{30} 3^{13} 5^5 7^3\). Since a perfect square that divides \(\displaystyle n\) must be of the form \(\displaystyle 2^a 3^b 5^c 7^d\) where \(\displaystyle a,b,c,d\) are even, we can choose \(\displaystyle a,b,c,d\) from the following sets respectively:
\(\displaystyle \{0,2,\dots, 30\}\)
\(\displaystyle \{0,2,\dots,12\}\)
\(\displaystyle \{0,2,4\}\)
\(\displaystyle \{0,2\}\)
which gives us \(\displaystyle 16 \cdot 7 \cdot 3 \cdot 2 = 672\) perfect squares that divide \(\displaystyle n\).

Alternate solution from castor28:
We factorize $n!=2^\alpha3^\beta5^\gamma7^\delta$ for $2\le n\le9$ as follows (note that each line is easily computed from the previous line):
$$
\begin{array}{c|r|r|r|r}
n!&\alpha&\beta&\gamma&\delta\\
\hline
2!&1&0&0&0\\
3!&1&1&0&0\\
4!&3&1&0&0\\
5!&3&1&1&0\\
6!&4&2&1&0\\
7!&4&2&1&1\\
8!&7&2&1&1\\
9!&7&4&1&1\\
\hline
\prod{n!}&30&13&5&3
\end{array}
$$
The square divisors of the product are of the form $2^x 3^y 5^z7^w$, with $x$, $y$, $z$, $w$ even and $(x,y,z,w)\le (30,13,5,3)$.
Since the number of even integers between $0$ and $k$ is $\left\lfloor\dfrac{k}{2}\right\rfloor+1$, the number of square divisors of the product is $16\times 7\times 3\times 2 = \bf 672$.
 

Related to Perfect Squares as Divisors of $1!\cdot 2! \cdot 3! \cdots 9!$

1. What is a perfect square?

A perfect square is a number that is the product of two equal integers. In other words, it is the result of multiplying a number by itself.

2. How do you find the perfect squares as divisors of $1!\cdot 2! \cdot 3! \cdots 9!$?

To find the perfect squares as divisors of $1!\cdot 2! \cdot 3! \cdots 9!$, you need to first calculate the value of $1!\cdot 2! \cdot 3! \cdots 9!$, which is equal to 362880. Then, you can list out all the factors of 362880 and identify which ones are perfect squares.

3. What are the perfect squares as divisors of $1!\cdot 2! \cdot 3! \cdots 9!$?

The perfect squares as divisors of $1!\cdot 2! \cdot 3! \cdots 9!$ are 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 81, 100, 121, 144, 169, 196, 225, 256, 289, 324, 361, 400, 441, 484, 529, 576, 625, 676, 729, 784, 841, 900, 961, 1024, 1089, 1156, 1225, 1296, 1369, 1444, 1521, 1600, 1681, 1764, 1849, 1936, 2025, 2116, 2209, 2304, 2401, 2500, 2601, 2704, 2809, 2916, 3025, 3136, 3249, 3364, 3481, 3600, 3721, 3844, 3969, 4096, 4225, 4356, 4489, 4624, 4761, 4900, 5041, 5184, 5329, 5476, 5625, 5776, 5929, 6084, 6241, 6400, 6561, 6724, 6889, 7056, 7225, 7396, 7569, 7744, 7921, 8100, 8281, 8464, 8649, 8836, 9025, 9216, 9409, 9604, 9801, 10000, 10201, 10404, 10609, 10816, 11025, 11236, 11449, 11664, 11881, 12100, 12321, 12544, 12769, 12996, 13225, 13456, 13689, 13924, 14161, 14400, 14641, 14884, 15129, 15376, 15625, 15876, 16129, 16384, 16641, 16900, 17161, 17424, 17689, 17956, 18225, 18496, 18769, 19044, 19321, 19600, 19881, 20164, 20449, 20736, 21025, 21316, 21609, 21904, 22201, 22500, 22801, 23104, 23409, 23716, 24025, 24336, 24649, 24964, 25281, 25600, 25921, 26244, 26569, 26896, 27225, 27556, 27889, 28224, 28561, 28900, 29241, 29584, 29929, 30276, 30625, 30976, 31329, 31684, 32041, 32400, 32761, 33124, 33489, 33856, 34225, 34596, 34969, 35344, 35721, 36100, 36481, 36864, 37249, 37636, 38025, 38416, 38809, 39204,

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