Math Problem Statement

How many positive integers not exceeding are multiples of 3 or 4 but not 5?

Solution

Let's solve the problem step by step.

Step 1: Define the problem

We need to find how many positive integers nn not exceeding a certain value (the upper bound wasn't provided, so let's assume it is NN) are multiples of 3 or 4 but not 5.

Step 2: Calculate multiples of 3, 4, and 5

  • Multiples of 3: The number of multiples of 3 up to NN is given by N3\left\lfloor \frac{N}{3} \right\rfloor.
  • Multiples of 4: The number of multiples of 4 up to NN is given by N4\left\lfloor \frac{N}{4} \right\rfloor.
  • Multiples of 5: The number of multiples of 5 up to NN is given by N5\left\lfloor \frac{N}{5} \right\rfloor.

Step 3: Use the inclusion-exclusion principle

To count multiples of 3 or 4, we use: Multiples of 3 or 4=N3+N4N12\text{Multiples of 3 or 4} = \left\lfloor \frac{N}{3} \right\rfloor + \left\lfloor \frac{N}{4} \right\rfloor - \left\lfloor \frac{N}{12} \right\rfloor where N12\left\lfloor \frac{N}{12} \right\rfloor subtracts the overlap, i.e., the multiples of both 3 and 4.

Step 4: Subtract multiples of 5

Next, we subtract the multiples of 5 from this count. However, we must also consider the numbers that are multiples of 3 or 4 and 5 (i.e., the multiples of 15 and 20, respectively): Multiples of 3 or 4 but not 5=(N3+N4N12)(N15+N20N60)\text{Multiples of 3 or 4 but not 5} = \left(\left\lfloor \frac{N}{3} \right\rfloor + \left\lfloor \frac{N}{4} \right\rfloor - \left\lfloor \frac{N}{12} \right\rfloor\right) - \left(\left\lfloor \frac{N}{15} \right\rfloor + \left\lfloor \frac{N}{20} \right\rfloor - \left\lfloor \frac{N}{60} \right\rfloor\right) Here, N60\left\lfloor \frac{N}{60} \right\rfloor accounts for the overlap between 15 and 20.

Final formula:

Thus, the formula becomes: Count=N3+N4N12(N15+N20N60)\text{Count} = \left\lfloor \frac{N}{3} \right\rfloor + \left\lfloor \frac{N}{4} \right\rfloor - \left\lfloor \frac{N}{12} \right\rfloor - \left(\left\lfloor \frac{N}{15} \right\rfloor + \left\lfloor \frac{N}{20} \right\rfloor - \left\lfloor \frac{N}{60} \right\rfloor\right)

If you provide a specific value for NN, I can calculate the exact number. Would you like to proceed with a specific number, or do you have any other questions?


Here are 5 questions related to this topic:

  1. What is the Inclusion-Exclusion Principle and how does it apply to this problem?
  2. How would the solution change if we included multiples of 5?
  3. Can this approach be extended to multiples of other numbers, such as 7 or 8?
  4. What if we needed to find numbers that are multiples of 3, 4, and 5?
  5. How would the approach change if we only wanted to count even multiples?

Tip: When dealing with multiples and counting, always consider overlaps between sets to avoid double-counting, as demonstrated by the Inclusion-Exclusion Principle.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Number Theory
Multiples
Inclusion-Exclusion Principle

Formulas

Multiples calculation: \( \left\lfloor \frac{N}{k} \right\rfloor \)
Inclusion-Exclusion Principle

Theorems

Inclusion-Exclusion Principle

Suitable Grade Level

High School