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Math Flash Cards: How To Test Whether A Number Is Prime or Composite

The document provides information and examples on various math topics for the GMAT, including: - Methods for determining if a number is prime or composite, such as checking if prime numbers up to the square root can divide the number. - Calculating the LCM and HCF of fractions by taking the LCM/HCF of the numerators and HCF/LCM of the denominators. - Patterns for finding the unit digit of powers of numbers based on the original number's unit digit. - Divisibility tests to quickly check if a number is divisible by other numbers like 2, 3, 5, etc. based on patterns in the digits. - Approaches for

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116 views7 pages

Math Flash Cards: How To Test Whether A Number Is Prime or Composite

The document provides information and examples on various math topics for the GMAT, including: - Methods for determining if a number is prime or composite, such as checking if prime numbers up to the square root can divide the number. - Calculating the LCM and HCF of fractions by taking the LCM/HCF of the numerators and HCF/LCM of the denominators. - Patterns for finding the unit digit of powers of numbers based on the original number's unit digit. - Divisibility tests to quickly check if a number is divisible by other numbers like 2, 3, 5, etc. based on patterns in the digits. - Approaches for

Uploaded by

Joseph ˚͜˚
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Math Flash Cards

1. Number Properties
2. Inequalities
3. Averages
4. Ratios
5. Sequences & Progressions
6. Set Theory
7. Co-ordinate Geometry
8. Geometry
The points are taken from multiple sources. But the key resource in my preparation is High
School Math book. This book has really helped me in understanding the concepts in depth and
apply those concepts in GMAT. I attribute my improvement in quants to this book.
I will start the thread with a very important topic in GMAT - "NUMBER PROPERTIES".

How to test whether a number is prime or composite:


Before we start off, what is a prime number and a composite number? (For people who are not
sure)
Quote:
A Prime Number is a positive integer that is divisible by ONLY 2 numbers (1 and itself). Whereas,
A composite number is a positive integer which has divisor(s) other than the 2 numbers (1 and
itself).
Ok, coming back to the point. I will name the number as n for simplicity. Following are the steps to
test whether a number is a prime or composite,
1. Identify the perfect square (P.S) closest to the n.
2. Compute the square root of P.S
3. List all prime numbers upto the computed square root
4. Check if all listed prime numbers divide n equally. If not, then n is a prime. Even if atleast one
of the listed prime numbers divide n, then n is a composite.
Example:
Take n as 113. To test whether 113 is a prime,
1. 100 is the closest perfect square to 113 (Remember that you take a closest perfect square that
is smaller than n itself!)
2. Square root of 100 ==> 10
3. Prime numbers upto the square root (10) ==> 2,3,5,7.
4. Check whether 2,3,5,7 divides 113. None of the numbers divide 113. So, 113 is a prime.

Most of you are comfortable with calculating LCM and HCF of 2 integers/numbers. But are you
comfortable for doing the same with fractions? If you are not sure how to do for fractions, here is

how you do.

How to calculate LCM and HCF of fractions:


Quote:
L.C.M of 2 fractions = L.C.M of NUMERATORS / H.C.F of DENOMINATORS
H.C.F of 2 fractions = H.C.F of NUMERATORS / L.C.M of DENOMINATORS
Try out an example if required.
Quote:
Product of any 2 numbers = Product of LCM and HCF of those 2 numbers
Product of any 2 fractions = Product of LCM and HCF of those 2 fractions

How to find unit digit of powers of numbers:


Pattern 1:
Unit's place that has digits - 2/3/7/8
Then, unit's digit repeats every 4th value. Divide the power (or index) by 4.
After dividing,
If remainder is 1, unit digit of number raised to the power 1.
If remainder is 2, unit digit of number raised to the power 2.
If remainder is 3, unit digit of number raised to the power 3.
If remainder is 0, unit digit of number raised to the power 4.
Pattern 2:
Unit's place that has digits - 0/1/5/6
Then, all powers of the number have same digit as unit's place.
For e.g., 6^1 = 6, 6^2 = 36, 6^3 = 216, 6^4 = 1296

Pattern 3:
Unit's place that has digit - 4
Then,
If power is odd --> unit's digit will be '4'
If power is even --> unit's digit will be '6'
Similarly,
Unit's place that has digit - 9
Then,
If power is odd --> unit's digit will be '9
If power is even --> unit's digit will be '1'

Example:

Let's take a long number - 122 ^ 94. Find unit's digit.


Unit's place is 2. So, it repeats every 4th term of the power.
So, divide the power by 4. 94 % 4 ==> 2 (remainder).
Raise the unit digit of the base number to the power (2 - remainder). 2^2 = 4.
Thus, 4 is the unit's digit of 122^94.

Divisibility Tests:
To check whether a number (say n) is divisible
By 2: unit's place of n must be 0 (OR) unit's place of n must be divisible by 2.
By 3: Sum of the digits of n must be divisible by 3.
By 4: Last 2 digits (Unit's place and ten's place) of n are 0's (OR) Last 2 digits of n must be
divisible by 4.
By 5: Unit's digit must be a 5 (OR) a 0.
By 6: n must be divisible by both 2 and 3 (Follow the method used for 2 and 3).
By 8: Last 3 digits (units, tens and hundredth place) of n are 0's (OR) Last 3 digits of n is divisible
by 8.
By 9: Sum of the digits of n must be divisible by 9.
By 11: (Sum of the digits of n in odd places) - (Sum of the digits of n in even places) ==> Either 0
(OR) divisible by 11.
By 12: n must be divisible by both 3 and 4 (Follow the method used for 3 and 4).
By 25: Last 2 digits (units and tens place) of n are 0's (OR) Last 2 digits of n must be divisible by
25.
By 75: n must be divisible by both 3 and 25 (Follow the method used for 3 and 25).
By 125: Last 3 digits of n are 0's (OR) are divisible by 125.

How to find number of factors for a POSITIVE INTEGER:


There are 2 approaches to find number of factors of an integer.
Approach #1: (Factor Pairs Method)
i. Let's take a non-perfect square number such as 32. Keep picking a number (start from 1) that
divides 32 until you reach a number that is smaller than the quotient.

Small Large
1 32
2 16
48
Stop! If you take 8, you get 4 as quotient which is smaller than the number (8).
Therefore, there are 3*2 = 6 factor pairs or number of factors of 32.
ii. Let's take a perfect square number such as 36. Keep picking a number (start from 1) that
divides 36 until you reach a number that is smaller than the quotient.
Small Large
1 36
2 18
3 12
49
66
Totally, there are 5*2 = 10 factor pairs or number of factors of 36. But, (6,6) gets repeated twice.
So, deduct 1 from factor pairs i.e. 10-1 = 9 factor pairs or number of factors of 36.

Approach #2: (RECOMMENDED)


If N is expresses in terms of its prime factors as a^p * b^q * c^r, where p,q,r are positive integers,
then N will have (p+1) * (q+1) * (r+1) positive factors.
Example:
i. 32 = 2^5.
No. of factors = (5+1) = 6.
ii. 1452 = 2^2 * 3 * 11^2
No. of factors = (2+1) * (1+1) * (2+1) = 18.
If N is a perfect square, then the number of factors of N will ALWAYS be an ODD number.
If N is a NON-perfect square, then the number of factors of N will ALWAYS be an EVEN number.
How to find Sum of all factors of a POSITIVE integer:
If N is expressed in terms of its prime factors as a^p * b^q * c^r, where p,q,r are positive integers,
then the sum of all factors of N is
[ (a^(p+1) - 1) / a-1 ] * [ (b^(q+1) - 1) / b-1 ] * [ (c^(r+1) - 1) / c-1 ]

Any number whose prime factorization contains even powers of primes, then the number must be
a perfect square.
Any number whose prime factorization contains powers of primes with multiples of 3, then the
number must be a perfect cube.

REMAINDERS:

(I)
When 2 numbers are divided by same divisor and the remainders obtained are thesame,
THEN
DIFFERENCE b/w 2 numbers is also divisible by that divisor.

(II)
When 2 positive numbers 'a' and 'b' are divided by the same divisor 'd' and remainders obtained
are 'r1' and 'r2' respectively,
THEN
the remainders obtained when a+b is divided by d will be r1+r2
Quote:
NOTE: If r1+r2 >= d, compute (r1+r2) - d as the remainder.
(III)
When 2 positive numbers 'a' and 'b' are divided by the same divisor 'd' and the remainders
obtained are 'r1' and 'r2' respectively,
THEN
the remainders obtained when a*b is divided by d will be r1*r2
Quote:
NOTE: If r1*r2 >= d, compute (r1*r2) / d as the remainder.
TAKEAWAY:
A remainder can NEVER be greater than or equal to the divisor.
How to find REMAINDER for LARGE POWERS of numbers:
There are 2 ways to do so:
1. Pattern Method:
Example:

What is the remainder when 2^56 / 7 ?


Solution:
Remainder when 2^1 is divided by 7 is 2
Remainder when 2^2 is divided by 7 is 4
Remainder when 2^3 is divided by 7 is 1
Remainder when 2^4 is divided by 7 is 2 --> Repeats again.
The remainder repeats after 3 steps i.e. in the 4th step.
Now, Divide the power (or index) by 3 (no of steps after which remainder repeats) and compute a
new remainder.
56 % 3 --> 2 (remainder)
Now, raise the base (2) to the power 2 (new remainder). 2^2 % 7 --> 4.
Thus, 4 is the remainder when 2^56 / 7.
2. Remainder Theorem Method: (NOT RECOMMENDED unless clear)
Example:
What is the remainder when 2^51 / 7 ?
Solution:
2^51 can be changed to (2^3)^17.
7 can be changed to (8-1) OR (2^3 - 1)
Substitute 'x' in place of 2^3,
x^17 / (x-1)
Remainder is f(1). Substitute 1 in 'x',
Remainder is 1.
Thus, 1 is the remainder when 2^51 / 7.
Simple Facts:
a^n - b^n:
1. ALWAYS divisible by a-b
2. If n is even, it is divisible by a+b

3. If n is odd, it is NOT divisible by a+b

a^n + b^n:
1. NEVER divisible by a-b
2. If n is odd, it is divisible by a+b
3. If n is even, it is NOT divisible by a+b

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