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What is the largest even integer that cannot be written as the sum of two odd composite numbers? Source: AIME 1984, problem 14.
Note \(24 = 3\cdot 3 + 3\cdot 5\), and so if \(2k\) has a representation as the sum of even multiples of 3 and 5, say \(2k = e_3\cdot 3 + e_5\cdot 5\), we get a representation of \(2k+24\) as a sum of odd composites via \(2k+24 = (3+e_3)\cdot 3 + (5+e_5)\cdot 5\). But by the Frobenius coin problem every number \(k > 3\cdot 5 -3-5 = 7\) has such a representation, hence every number \(2k > 14\) has a representation as the sum of even multiples of 3 and 5. Thus every number \(n > 24+14=38\) has a representation as the sum of odd composites. Checking, we see that \(\boxed{38}\) has no representation as a sum of odd composites.
Note \(24 = 3\cdot 3 + 3\cdot 5\), and so if \(2k\) has a representation as the sum of even multiples of 3 and 5, say \(2k = e_3\cdot 3 + e_5\cdot 5\), we get a representation of \(2k+24\) as a sum of odd composites via \(2k+24 = (3+e_3)\cdot 3 + (5+e_5)\cdot 5\). But by the Frobenius coin problem every number \(k > 3\cdot 5 -3-5 = 7\) has such a representation, hence every number \(2k > 14\) has a representation as the sum of even multiples of 3 and 5. Thus every number \(n > 24+14=38\) has a representation as the sum of odd composites. Checking, we see that \(\boxed{38}\) has no representation as a sum of odd composites.
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