How to Find Unit Digit?

Peres a quesLlon for you!

Find the unit digit in the product of 567 x 693 x 391 x 453 x 188

While finding the unit digit a typical mind will first multiply all the numbers and will take the
unit digit out of the final number.

Now, as we need to find out the unit digit, our focus must be on the unit digit only. In the
same question, we just need to multiply the unit digits (leaving tens digit every time we get a
double dlglL number) and well geL Lhe answer.

LeLs see.


Now for the last few years unit digit questions are being asked in large powers of a number.

Ex. Find the unit digit in 13
137


The answer is 3.

Before I explain this, kindly have a look at the patter how the powers of different digits
behave.
Steps to be taken:

Multiplying the unit digits 567 x 693 x 391 x 453 x 188
We get, 7 x 3 = 21 (leaving the tens digit 2)
1 x 1 = 1
1 x 3 = 3
3 x 8 = 24

The answer will be 4.



Now, for 4 and 9 we have a similar patter that is as follows:


Now, different powers of 2 and 8 carry the same pattern. LeLs see whaL LhaL ls.



For n power of 0, we always get 0 as the unit digit. And same is the case with 1, 5 and 6.

It means,

0
n
= 0, 1
n
= 1, 5
n
= 5, 6
n
= 6

For 0 as power of any number N we always get the unit digit as 1. It means,

N
0
= 1

For every odd power of 4 and 9 the unit digit is 4 and 9 respectively and for every even
power of 4 and 9 the unit digit is 6 and 1 respectively.
It means,

4
1
= 4
4
2
= 16

Similarly, for the power of 9

9
1
= 9
9
2
= 81

Unit digit in 2
1
= 2 & Unit digit in 8
1
= 8
Unit digit in 2
2
= 4 & Unit digit in 8
2
= 64 = 4
Unit digit in 2
3
= 8 & Unit digit in 8
3
= 512 = 2
Unit digit in 2
4
= 16 = 6 & Unit digit in 8
4
= 4096 = 6
Unit digit in 2
5
= 32 = 2 & Unit digit in 8
5
= 32768 = 8
Unit digit in 2
6
= 64 = 4 & Unit digit in 8
6
= 262144 = 4
Unit digit in 2
7
= 128 = 8 & Unit digit in 8
7
= 2097152 = 2
Unit digit in 2
8
= 256 = 6 & Unit digit in 8
8
= 16777216 = 6
.

From the above table we can see that Lhe cycle" equals 4.
When the exponent is a multiple of 4, the unit digit is 6 in both the cases of base 2 or 8.

For example 2
4
has unit digit 6, 2
8
has unit digit 6.
Similarly, 8
4
has unit digit 6, 8
8
has unit digit 6.


























Ex: What is the unit digit in 1352
1354
?

Solution:

As the unit digit in the base value is 2. We can re-write the number as 2
1354

To find the unit digit with base 2 we first need to convert the power in the multiples of 4
and for that we just need to divide the last two digits by 4.

(Divisibility Test of 4: To check the divisibility of a number by 4, the last two digits of the
number must be either 00 or a multiple of 4.)

In the given power the last two digits are 54. When we divide 54 by 4 we get the
remainder power as 2.

So our question shrinks to 2
2
that is very easy to find which is 4. The answer is 4.

Ex: What is unit digit in 178
719
?

Solution:

As the unit digit in the base value is 8. We can re-write the number as 8
719

To find the unit digit with base 8 we first need to convert the power in the multiples of 4
as we did in the case of base 2.

In the given power the last two digits are 19. When we divide 19 by 4 we get the
remainder power as 3.

The question hence shrinks to 8
3
the unit digit in which is 2. The answer, therefore, is 2.


Now we are left with the last two digit which are 3 and 7. These two digits too share a patter
which is similar in itself.

LeLs have a look.


















Unit digit in 3
1
= 3 & Unit digit in 7
1
= 7
Unit digit in 3
2
= 9 & Unit digit in 7
2
= 49 = 9
Unit digit in 3
3
= 27 = 7 & Unit digit in 7
3
= 343 = 3
Unit digit in 3
4
= 81 = 1 & Unit digit in 7
4
= 2401 = 1
Unit digit in 3
5
= 243 = 3 & Unit digit in 7
5
= 16807 = 7
Unit digit in 3
6
= 729 = 9 & Unit digit in 7
6
= 117649 = 9
Unit digit in 3
7
= 2187 = 7 & Unit digit in 7
7
= 823543 = 3
Unit digit in 3
8
= 6561 = 1 & Unit digit in 7
8
= 5764801 = 1
.
.
From the above table we can see that Lhe cycle" equals 4.
When the exponent is a multiple of 4, the unit digit in both the cases is 1.
For rest of the powers we can use the remainder power method.

For example 3
4
has unit digit 1, 3
8
has unit digit 1.
Similarly, 7
4
has unit digit 1, 7
8
has unit digit 1.

For rest of the powers we can find the unit digit with the remainder powers after
converting the maximum of powers into the multiples of 4.
Ex. Find the unit digit in 3193
321

Solution:

LeLs flrsL shorLen Lhe quesLlon by re-writing it as 3
321
Now, dividing the last two digits of the power that is 21 by 4 we get the remainder 1.
(The powers which get converted into multiples of 4 will give unit digit 1. So, we neglect
that.)

The question hence shrinks itself to 3
1
that is 3. The answer, therefore, is 3.


Some Mixed Example:




Ex. 1. Find the unit digit in 3
178
x 9
613
x 7
783

Solution:

1aklng one base dlglL aL a Llme, leLs flrsL flnd ouL Lhe unlL dlglL ln 3
178

Using the method explained above, we get the remainder power 2 when we divide the
last two digits of the power by 4.

So, the unit digit in 3
178
= Unit digit in 3
78
= Unit digit in 3
2
= 9

Unit digit in 9
613
= 9
An odd power
= 9

Unit digit in 7
783
= Unit digit in 7
83
= Unit digit in 7
3
= Unit digit in 343 = 3

Now, we are left with three unit digits that go like:

9 x 9 x 3 = 3 (as we are concerned only with the unit digit)

The final unit digit is 3.
Ex. 2. Find the unit digit in 133
1677
77
714

Solution:

LeLs flrsL flnd Lhe unlL dlglL lndlvldually.

Unit digit in 133
1677
= Unit digit in 3
1677
= Unit digit in 3
77
= Unit digit in 3
1
= 3

Unit digit in 77
714
= Unit digit in 7
714
= Unit digit in 7
14
= Unit digit in 7
2
= 9

The final equatlon we geL ls, 3 9

(Now, what you generally do when you subtract a bigger digit from a smaller one? You
Lake a carry dlglL from Lhe Lens dlglL. Pere, Loo well do Lhe same as when we are Lrylng
Lo flnd Lhe unlL dlglL, lL doesnL mean LhaL Lhe Lens or hundreds dlglL doesnL exlL.)

The final unit digit hence will be = 4

The answer is 4.