Prime numbers list sum ratio integer

XAT 2026 · Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation · Medium · Number Systems

Let a1<a2<⋯<ana_1 < a_2 < \dots < a_n be the list of all prime numbers less than 25. Define Xi=biaiX_i = \frac{b_i}{a_i}, where bib_i is the sum of all aka_k where kk ranges from 11 to nn, k≠ik \neq i. Let BB be the set of all integer-valued XiX_i. What is the smallest element of BB?

  1. A.

    1

  2. B.

    19

  3. C.

    11

  4. D.

    17

  5. E.

    23

Answer

B

Explanation

Primes less than 25: 2,3,5,7,11,13,17,19,232, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23. Sum S=2+3+5+7+11+13+17+19+23=100S = 2 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 11 + 13 + 17 + 19 + 23 = 100. bi=S−ai=100−aib_i = S - a_i = 100 - a_i. Xi=100−aiai=100ai−1X_i = \frac{100 - a_i}{a_i} = \frac{100}{a_i} - 1. For XiX_i to be an integer, aia_i must divide 100100. The prime factors of 100100 present in the list are 22 and 55.

  • For a1=2a_1 = 2: X1=1002−1=49X_1 = \frac{100}{2} - 1 = 49.
  • For a3=5a_3 = 5: X3=1005−1=19X_3 = \frac{100}{5} - 1 = 19.

Set B={49,19}B = \{49, 19\}. The smallest element is 1919.

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