CAT 2023 Slot 2QA Question 6

Prime and Composite NumbersEasy

The number of positive integers less than 50, having exactly two distinct factors other than 1 and itself, is

Answer & solution

Answer: 15

Solution

Easy

"Exactly two distinct factors other than 11 and itself" means exactly 44 total factors. A number has exactly 44 factors only when it is pqp\cdot q (two distinct primes) or p3p^3 (cube of a prime). Count both families below 5050.

Number of factors of paqbp^a q^b\cdots is (a+1)(b+1)(a+1)(b+1)\cdots. We need this to equal 44, so the exponent pattern is either 1×11\times1p1q1p^1q^1, or 33p3p^3.

1

Case A — product of two distinct primes pq<50p\cdot q\lt 50:

p=2: q{3,5,7,11,13,17,19,23}  8p=3: q{5,7,11,13}  4p=5: q{7}  1\begin{aligned} &p=2:\ q\in\{3,5,7,11,13,17,19,23\}\ \to\ 8\\ &p=3:\ q\in\{5,7,11,13\}\ \to\ 4\\ &p=5:\ q\in\{7\}\ \to\ 1 \end{aligned}

(Stop at 57=355\cdot 7=35; 511=55>505\cdot 11=55\gt 50.) Total =8+4+1=13=8+4+1=13.

2

Case B — prime cubes p3<50p^3\lt 50:

23=8,33=2753=125>50 (reject)\begin{aligned} &2^3=8,\quad 3^3=27\\ &5^3=125\gt 50\ \text{(reject)} \end{aligned}

Total =2=2.

3

Add the cases:

13+2=1513+2=15
15 such numbers\mathbf{15}\ \text{such numbers}
CAT 2023 Slot 2 QA Q6: The number of positive integers less than 50, having exactly two distinct factors other than 1 and itself, is — Solution | TheCATExam