[Math] All pair of $m,n$ satisfying $lcm(m,n)=600$

algebra-precalculuscontest-mathelementary-number-theorygcd-and-lcm

Find the number of pairs of positive integers $(m,n)$, with $m \le n$, such that
the ‘least common multiple’ (LCM) of $m$ and $n$ equals $600$.

My tries:

It's very clear that $n\le600$, always.

Case when $n=600=2^3\cdot 3\cdot 5^2$, and let $m=2^{k_1}\cdot 3^{k_2}\cdot 5^{k_3}$, all possible values of $k_1=3+1=4,\ k_2=1+1=2,\ k_3=2+1=3$. So number of $m$ which satisfy above will be $4\cdot 2 \cdot 3=24$

Help me analyzing when $n<600$.

Best Answer

Forget about the condition $m\leq n$ for the moment. Since $600=2^3\cdot 3^1\cdot 5^2$ we have $$m=2^{\alpha_2}3^{\alpha_3}5^{\alpha_5},\quad n=2^{\beta_2}3^{\beta_3}5^{\beta_5}$$ with $\alpha_i$, $\beta_i\geq0$ and $$\max\{\alpha_2,\beta_2\}=3,\quad \max\{\alpha_3,\beta_3\}=1,\quad \max\{\alpha_5,\beta_5\}=2\ .$$ It follows that $$\eqalign{(\alpha_2,\beta_2)&\in\{(0,3),(1,3),(2,3),(3,3),(3,2),(3,1),(3,0)\}\>,\cr (\alpha_3,\beta_3)&\in\{(0,1),(1,1),(1,0)\}\>,\cr (\alpha_5,\beta_5)&\in\{(0,2),(1,2),(2,2),(2,1),(2,0)\}\cr}$$ are admissible, allowing for $7\cdot3\cdot5=105$ combinations. Exactly one of them has $m=n$, namely $m=n=600$, and in all other $104$ cases $m\ne n$. Since we want $m\leq n$ we have to throw out half of these cases, leaving $52+1=53$ different solutions of the problem.