Problem

Source: Brazil Cono Sur TST 2024 - T1/P1

Tags: number theory, combinatorics



A computer program that works only with integer numbers reads the numbers on the screen, identifies the selected numbers and performs one of the following actions: • If button $A$ is pressed, the user selects $5$ numbers and then each selected number is changed to its successor; • If button $B$ is pressed, the user selects $5$ numbers and then each selected number is changed to its triple. Bento has this program on his computer with the numbers $1, 3, 3^2, · · ·, 3^{19}$ on the screen, each one appearing just once. a) By simply pressing button $A$ several times, is Bento able to make the sum of the numbers on the screen be $2024^{2025}$? b) What is the minimum number of times that Bento must press button $B$ to make all the numbers on the screen turn equal, without pressing button $A$?