If s and t are integers greater than 1 and each is a factor of the
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17 Nov 2021, 19:48
Considering \(s\) and \(t\) are integers greater than 1 and factors of \(n\),
\(2 \le s,t \le n\)
\(n^{st}\) can be written as \((n^s)^t = n^s*n^s*n^s*......\)t times
I - \(s^t = s*s*s*s*......\)t times
Since there are \(t\) terms of both \(n^s\) and \(s\), there is one to one correspondence \((n^s \rightarrow s)\)
If \(f\) is a factor of \(p\), then \(f\) will also be a factor of \(p^q\) where \(q\) is any integer greater than 0.
Since both \(n^{st}\) and \(s^t\) have \(t\) terms each and based on above property, \(s\) will be a factor of \(n^s\), overall \(s^t\) will be a factor of \(n^{st}\)
II - \((st)^2\)
Since minimum value of both \(s\) and \(t\) is 2, the minimum value of \(n^{st}\) will be \(n^{2*2} = n^4 = n*n*n*n\)
Now \((st)^2 = s*s*t*t\), we can clearly see that there is one to one correspondence here.
\([n \rightarrow s] | [n \rightarrow s] | [n \rightarrow t] | [n \rightarrow t]\).
Therefore, \((st)^2\) is a factor of \(n^{st}\)
III - \((s+t)\)
Take the min value of \(s\) and \(t\), then \(s+t = 2+2 = 4\) and \(n^{st}\) will be \(n^{2*2} = n^4\)
Now all we have to do is check if 4 is a factor of \(n^4\).
If we take \(n = 5\), then \(4\) will be not be a factor. But if we take \(n = 4\) then \(4\) will be a factor.
Hence, \(s+t\) is not a factor in all cases.
Hence, only I and II are factors of \(n^{st}\)
Hence, Answer is E