1) HOW TO FIND LAST TWO DIGITS OF A NUMBER :-----------------------

am dividing this method into four parts and we will discuss each part one by one:

a. Last two digits of numbers which end in one

b. Last two digits of numbers which end in 3, 7 and 9
c. Last two digits of numbers which end in 2
d. Last two digits of numbers which end in 4, 6 and 8

Before we start, let me mention binomial theorem in brief as we will need it for our calculations.

Last two digits of numbers ending in 1

Let's start with an example.

What are the last two digits of 31 786 ?

Solution: 31 786 = (30 + 1) 786 = 786 C 0  × 1 786 + 786 C 1  × 1785 × (30) + 786 C2 × 1 784 × 30 2 + ..., Note that
all the terms after the second term will end in two or more zeroes. The first two terms are 786 C 0  × 1786 and
786
C1  × 1 785  × (30). Now, the second term will end with one zero and the tens digit of the second term will
be the product of 786 and 3 i.e. 8. Therefore, the last two digits of the second term will be 80. The last digit
of the first term is 1. So the last two digits of 31 786 are 81.

Now, here is the shortcut:

 
Here are some more examples:

Find the last two digits of 41 2789

In no time at all you can calculate the answer to be 61 (4 × 9 = 36). Therefore, 6 will be the tens digit and
one will be the units digit)

Find the last two digits of 71 56747

Last two digits will be 91 (7 × 7 gives 9 and 1 as units digit)

Now try to get the answer to this question within 10 s:

Find the last two digits of 51 456   × 61 567

The last two digits of 51 456 will be 01 and the last two digits of 61 567 will be 21. Therefore, the last two digits
of 51 456   × 61 567 will be the last two digits of 01 ×21 = 21

Last two digits of numbers ending in 3, 7 or 9

Find the last two digits of 19 266 .

19 266 = (19 2) 133 . Now, 19 2 ends in 61 (19 2 = 361) therefore, we need to find the last two digits of (61) 133 .

Once the number is ending in 1 we can straight away get the last two digits with the help of the previous
method. The last two digits are 81 (6 ×3 = 18, so the tens digit will be 8 and last digit will be 1)

Find the last two digits of 33 288 .

33 288 = (33 4) 72 . Now 33 4 ends in 21 (33 4 = 33 2 ×33 2 = 1089 × 1089 = xxxxx21) therefore, we need to find
the last two digits of 21 72 . By the previous method, the last two digits of 21 72 = 41 (tens digit = 2 × 2 = 4,
unit digit = 1)

So here's the rule for finding the last two digits of

numbers ending in 3, 7 and 9:

Now try the method with a number ending in 7:

Find the last two digits of 87 474 .

87 474 = 87 472 ×872 = (87 4) 118 ×872 = (69 × 69) 118  × 69 (The last two digits of 87 2 are 69) = 61 118 × 69
= 81 × 69 = 89

If you understood the method then try your hands on these questions:

Find the last two digits of:

1. 27 456
2. 79 83
3. 583 512
 

Last two digits of numbers ending in 2, 4, 6 or 8

There is only one even two-digit number which always ends in itself (last two digits) - 76 i.e. 76 raised to
any power gives the last two digits as 76. Therefore, our purpose is to get 76 as last two digits for even
numbers. We know that 24 2 ends in 76 and 2 10 ends in 24. Also, 24 raised to an even power always ends
with 76 and 24 raised to an odd power always ends with 24. Therefore, 24 34 will end in 76 and 24 53 will end
in 24.

Let's apply this funda:

Find the last two digits of 2 543 .

2 543 = (2 10) 54 ×23 = (24) 54 (24 raised to an even power) ×23 = 76 × 8 = 08

(NOTE: Here if you need to multiply 76 with 2 n , then you can straightaway write the last two digits of 2 n
because when 76 is multiplied with 2 n the last two digits remain the same as the last two digits of 2 n.
Therefore, the last two digits of 76 × 2 7 will be the last two digits of 2 7 = 28)

Same method we can use for any number which is of the form 2 n . Here is an example:

Find the last two digits of 64 236 .

64 236 = (2 6) 236 = 21416 = (2 10) 141  × 26 = 24141 (24 raised to odd power) × 64 = 24 × 64 = 36
Now those numbers which are not in the form of 2n can be broken down into the form 2n  odd number. We
can find the last two digits of both the parts separately.

Here are some examples:

Find the last two digits of 62 586 .

62 586 = (2 × 31)586 = 2586  × 3586 = (2 10 ) 58 × 26 × 31586 = 76 × 64 × 81 = 84

Find the last two digits of 54 380 .

54 380 = (2 × 33) 380 = 2 380  × 31140 = (2 10 ) 38 × (3 4) 285 = 76 × 81285 = 76 × 01 = 76.

Find the last two digits of 56 283 .

56 283 = (2 3 × 7) 283 = 2 849  × 7283 = (2 10 ) 84 × 2 9 × (7 4) 70  × 73 = 76 × 12 × (01) 70 ×43 = 16

Find the last two digits of 78 379 .

78 379 = (2 × 39)379 = 2379  × 39 379 = (2 10) 37  × 29 × (39 2) 189  × 39 = 24 × 12 × 81 × 39 = 92

Now try to find the last two digits of

1. 34 576
2. 28 287

2)REMAINDERS:---------------------

Suppose the numbers N 1 , N 2 , N 3 .. give quotients Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3 .. and remainders R 1 , R 2 , R 3 ..., respectively,

when divided by a common divisor D.

Therefore N 1 = D × Q 1 + R 1 ,

N 2 = D × Q 2 + R 2 ,

N 3 = D × Q 3 + R 3 .. and so on.

Let P be the product of N 1 , N 2 , N 3 ...

Therefore, P = N 1 N 2 N 3 .. = (D × Q 1 + R 1 )(D × Q 2 + R 2 )(D × Q 3 + R 3 )..

= D × K + R 1 R 2 R 3 ... where K is some number ---- (1)

In the above equation, only the product R 1 R 2 R 3 ... is free of D, therefore the remainder when P is divided by D is
the remainder when the product R 1 R 2 R 3 ... is divided by D.

Let S be the sum of N 1 , N 2 , N 3 ...

Therefore, S = (N 1 ) + (N 2 ) + (N 3 ) +...

= (D × Q 1 + R 1 ) + (D × Q 2 + R 2 ) + (D × Q 3 + R 3 )..

= D Ã— K + R 1 + R 2 + R 3 ... where K is some number--- (2)

Hence the remainder when S is divided by D is the remainder when R 1 + R 2 + R 3 is divided by D.

Examples:

1. What is the remainder when the product 1998 × 1999 × 2000 is divided by 7?

Answer: the remainders when 1998, 1999, and 2000 are divided by 7 are 3, 4, and 5 respectively. Hence the final
remainder is the remainder when the product 3 × 4 × 5 = 60 is divided by 7.

Answer = 4

2. What is the remainder when 2 2004

is divided by 7?

2 2004 is again a product (2 × 2 × 2... (2004 times)). Since 2 is a number less than 7 we try to convert the product
into product of numbers higher than 7. Notice that 8 = 2 × 2 × 2. Therefore we convert the product in the
following manner-

2 2004
= 8 668
= 8 × 8 × 8... (668 times).

The remainder when 8 is divided by 7 is 1.

Hence the remainder when 8 668

is divided by 7 is the remainder obtained when the product 1 × 1 × 1... is divided
by 7

Answer = 1

3. What is the remainder when 2 2006

is divided by 7?

This problem is like the previous one, except that 2006 is not an exact multiple of 3 so we cannot convert it
completely into the form 8 x . We will write it in following manner-

2 2006
= 8 668 
× 4.

Now, 8 668 gives the remainder 1 when divided by 7 as we have seen in the previous problem. And 4 gives a
remainder of 4 only when divided by 7. Hence the remainder when 2 2006 is divided by 7 is the remainder when the
product 1 × 4 is divided by 7.

Answer = 4

4. What is the remainder when 25 25

is divided by 9?

Again 25 25
= (18 + 7) 25
= (18 + 7)(18 + 7)...25 times = 18K + 7 25

Hence remainder when 25 25

is divided by 9 is the remainder when 7 25
is divided by 9.

Now 7 25
= 7 3 
× 7 3 
× 7 3
.. (8 times) × 7 = 343 × 343 × 343... (8 times) × 7.

The remainder when 343 is divided by 9 is 1 and the remainder when 7 is divided by 9 is 7.

Hence the remainder when 7 25 is divided by 9 is the remainder we obtain when the product 1 × 1 × 1... (8 times)
× 7 is divided by 9. The remainder is 7 in this case. Hence the remainder when 25 25 is divided by 9 is 7.
Some Special Cases:

2.1A When both the dividend and the divisor have a factor in common.

Let N be a number and Q and R be the quotient and the remainder when N is divided by the divisor D.

Hence, N = Q × D + R.

Let N = k × A and D = k × B where k is the HCF of N and D and k > 1.

Hence kA = Q × kB + R.

Let Q 1 and R 1 be the quotient and the remainder when A is divided by B.

Hence A = B × Q 1 + R 1 .

Putting the value of A in the previous equation and comparing we get-

k(B × Q 1 + R 1 ) = Q × kB + R --> R = kR 1 .

Hence to find the remainder when both the dividend and the divisor have a factor in common,

o Take out the common factor (i.e. divide the numbers by the common factor)
o Divide the resulting dividend (A) by resulting divisor (B) and find the remainder (R 1 ).
o The real remainder R is this remainder R1 multiplied by the common factor (k).

Examples

5. What the remainder when 2 96

is divided by 96?

The common factor between 2 96

and 96 is 32 = 2 5
.

Removing 32 from the dividend and the divisor we get the numbers 2 91
and 3 respectively.

The remainder when 2 91

is divided by 3 is 2.

Hence the real remainder will be 2 multiplied by common factor 32.

Answer = 64

2.1B THE CONCEPT OF NEGATIVE REMAINDER

15 = 16 × 0 + 15 or

15 = 16 × 1 - 1.

The remainder when 15 is divided by 16 is 15 the first case and -1 in the second case.

Hence, the remainder when 15 is divided by 16 is 15 or -1.

--> When a number N < D gives a remainder R (= N) when divided by D, it gives a negative remainder of R - D.

For example, when a number gives a remainder of -2 with 23, it means that the number gives a remainder of 23 -
2 = 21 with 23.

EXAMPLE
 6. Find the remainder when 7 52
is divided by 2402.

Answer: 7 52
= (7 4
) 13
= (2401) 13
= (2402 - 1) 13
= 2402K + (-1) 13
= 2402K - 1.

Hence, the remainder when 7 52

is divided by 2402 is equal to -1 or 2402 - 1 = 2401.

Answer: 2401.

2 .1C When dividend is of the form a n

+ b n
or a n
-b n
:

EXAMPLES

7. What is the remainder when 3 444

+4 333
is divided by 5?

Answer:

The dividend is in the form a x

+ b y
. We need to change it into the form a n
+ b n
.

3 444
+ 4 333
= (3 4
) 111
+ (4 3
) 111
.

Now (3 4
) 111
+ (4 3
) 111
will be divisible by 3 4
+ 4 3
= 81 + 64 = 145.

Since the number is divisible by 145 it will certainly be divisible by 5.

Hence, the remainder is 0.

8. What is the remainder when (5555) 2222

+ (2222) 5555
is divided by 7?

Answer:

The remainders when 5555 and 2222 are divided by 7 are 4 and 3 respectively.

Hence, the problem reduces to finding the remainder when (4) 2222
+ (3) 5555
is divided by 7.

Now (4) 2222

+ (3) 5555
= (4 2
) 1111
+ (3 5
) 1111
= (16) 1111
+ (243) 1111
.

Now (16) 1111

+ (243) 1111
is divisible by 16 + 243 or it is divisible by 259, which is a multiple of 7.

Hence the remainder when (5555) 2222

+ (2222) 5555
is divided by 7 is zero.

9. 20 2004
+ 16 2004
-3 2004
- 1 is divisible by:

(a) 317 (b) 323 (c) 253 (d) 91

Solution: 20 2004
+ 16 2004
- 3 2004
- 1 = (20 2004
- 3 2004
) + (16 2004
- 1 2004
).

Now 20 2004
- 3 2004
is divisible by 17 (Theorem 3) and 16 2004
- 1 2004
is divisible by 17 (Theorem 2).

Hence the complete expression is divisible by 17.

20 2004
+ 16 2004
- 3 2004
- 1 = (20 2004
- 1 2004
) + (16 2004
- 3 2004
).
Now 20 2004
- 1 2004
is divisible by 19 (Theorem 3) and 16 2004
- 3 2004
is divisible by 19 (Theorem 2).

Hence the complete expression is also divisible by 19.

Hence the complete expression is divisible by 17 × 19 = 323.

2.1D When f(x) = a + bx + cx 2

+ dx 3
+... is divided by x - a

EXAMPLES

10. What is the remainder when x 3

+ 2x 2
+ 5x + 3 is divided by x + 1?

Answer: The remainder when the expression is divided by (x - (-1)) will be f(-1).

Remainder = (-1) 3
+ 2(-1) 2
+ 5(-1) + 3 = -1

11. If 2x 3
-3x 2
+ 4x + c is divisible by x - 1, find the value of c.

Since the expression is divisible by x - 1, the remainder f(1) should be equal to zero.

Or 2 - 3 + 4 + c = 0, or c = -3.

2 .1E Fermat's Theorem

EXAMPLE

12. What is the remainder when n 7

- n is divided by 42?

Answer: Since 7 is prime, n 7

- n is divisible by 7.

n 7
- n = n(n 6
- 1) = n (n + 1)(n - 1)(n 4
+ n 2
+ 1)

Now (n - 1)(n)(n + 1) is divisible by 3! = 6

Hence n 7
- n is divisible by 6 x 7 = 42.

Hence the remainder is 0.

2.1F Wilson's Theorem

EXAMPLE

13. Find the remainder when 16! Is divided by 17.

16! = (16! + 1) -1 = (16! + 1) + 16 - 17

Every term except 16 is divisible by 17 in the above expression. Hence the remainder = the remainder obtained
when 16 is divided by 17 = 16

Answer = 16

2.1G TO FIND THE NUMBER OF NUMBERS, THAT ARE LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO A CERTAIN NATURAL
NUMBER N, AND THAT ARE DIVISIBLE BY A CERTAIN INTEGER

To find the number of numbers, less than or equal to n, and that are divisible by a certain integer p, we divide n by
p. The quotient of the division gives us the number of numbers divisible by p and less than or equal to n.

EXAMPLE

14. How many numbers less than 400 are divisible by 12?

Answer: Dividing 400 by 12, we get the quotient as 33. Hence the number of numbers that are below 400 and
divisible by 12 is 33.

15. How many numbers between 1 and 400, both included, are not divisible either by 3 or 5?

Answer: We first find the numbers that are divisible by 3 or 5. Dividing 400 by 3 and 5, we get the quotients as
133 and 80 respectively. Among these numbers divisible by 3 and 5, there are also numbers which are divisible
both by 3 and 5 i.e. divisible by 3 x 5 = 15. We have counted these numbers twice. Dividing 400 by 15, we get the
quotient as 26.

Hence the number divisible by 3 or 5 = 133 + 80 - 26 = 187

Hence, the numbers not divisible by 3 or 5 are = 400 - 187 = 213.

16. How many numbers between 1 and 1200, both included, are not divisible by any of the numbers 2, 3
and 5?

Answer: as in the previous example, we first find the number of numbers divisible by 2, 3, or 5. from set theory we
have

n(AUBUC) = n(A) + n(B) + n(C) - n(A intersectn B) - n(B intersectn C) - n(A intersectn C) + n(A intersectn B
intersectn C)

n(2U3U5) = n(2) + n(3) + n(5) - n(6) - n(15) - n(10) + n(30)

--> n(2U3U5) = 600 + 400 + 240 - 200 - 80 - 120 + 40 = 880

Hence number of numbers not divisible by any of the numbers 2, 3, and 5

= 1200 - 880 = 320.

3)

Highest
Commom
Factor
(HCF)
and
Least
Common
Multiple
(LCM)

by Total
Gadha  -
Thursday,
25
December
2008,
01:14 AM

What is highest common factor (HCF) and least common multiple (LCM)? How do you calculate
  HCF and LCM of two or more numbers? Are you looking for problems on HCF and LCM? This
chapter will answer all these questions. 

HIGHEST COMMON FACTOR (HCF) 

The largest number that divides two or more given numbers is called the highest common factor
(HCF) of those numbers. There are two methods to find HCF of the given numbers: 

Prime Factorization Method - When a number is written as the product of prime numbers, the
factorization is called the prime factorization of that number. For example, 72 = 2   2  2  3  3 =
23   32

To find the HCF of given numbers by this method, we perform the prime factorization of all the
numbers and then check for the common prime factors. For every prime factor common to all
the numbers, we choose the least index of that prime factor among the given number. The HCF is
product of all such prime factors with their respective least indices. 

EXAMPLE 

Find the HCF of 72, 288, and 1080

Answer:
72 = 2 3   32 ,
288 = 2 5   32 ,
1080 = 2 3   3 3   5

The prime factors common to all the numbers are 2 and 3. The lowest indices of 2 and 3 in the
given numbers are 3 and 2 respectively.
Hence, HCF = 2 3   32  = 72. 

Find the HCF of 36x 3 y 2  and 24x 4 y.

Answer:
36x 3 y 2  = 2 2  3 2  x 3  y 2
24x 4 y = 2 3  3 x 4  y.

The least index of 2, 3, x and y in the numbers are 2, 1, 3 and 1 respectively.

Hence the HCF = 2 2  3 x 2  y = 12x2 y. 

Division method - To find HCF of two numbers by division method, we divide the higher number by
the lower number. Then we divide the lower number by the first remainder, the first remainder by
the second remainder... and so on, till the remainder is 0. The last divisor is the required HCF.  

EXAMPLE 

Find the HCF of 288 and 1080 by the division method.

Answer:

                                    

Hence,  the last divisor 72 is the HCF of 288 and 1080. 

CONCEPT OF CO-PRIME NUMBERS: Two numbers are co-prime to each other if they have no
common factor except 1. For example, 15 and 32, 16 and 5, 8 and 27 are the pairs of co-prime
numbers. If the HCF of two numbers N 1  and N2  be H, then, the numbers left after dividing N 1  and
N2  by H are co-prime to each other. 

Therefore, if the HCF of two numbers be A, the numbers can be written as Ax and Ay, where x
and y will be co-prime to each other. 

SOLVED PROBLEMS ON HCF

Three company of soldiers containing 120, 192, and 144 soldiers are to be broken down into
smaller groups such that each group contains soldiers from one company only and all the groups
have equal number of soldiers. What is the least number of total groups formed?  

Answer: The least number of groups will be formed when each group has number of soldiers
equal to the HCF. The HCF of 120, 192 and 144 is 24. Therefore, the numbers of groups formed
for the three companies will be 5, 8, and 6, respectively. Therefore, the least number of total
groups formed = 5 + 8 + 6 = 19. 

The numbers 2604, 1020 and 4812 when divided by a number N give the same remainder of 12.
Find the highest such number N. 

Answer: Since all the numbers give a remainder of 12 when divided by N, hence (2604 - 12),
(1020 - 12) and (4812 - 12) are all divisible by N. Hence, N is the HCF of 2592, 1008 and 4800.
Now 2592 = 2 5   3 4 , 1008 = 2 4   32   7 and 4800 = 2 6   3  5 2 . Hence, the number N = HCF = 2 4   3
= 48.

The numbers 400, 536 and 645, when divided by a number N, give the remainders of 22, 23 and
24 respectively. Find the greatest such number N. 

Answer: N will be the HCF of (400 - 22), (536 - 23) and (645 - 24). Hence, N will be the HCF of
378, 513 and 621.  N = 27.

The HCF of two numbers is 12 and their sum is 288. How many pairs of such numbers are
possible? 

Answer: If the HCF if 12, the numbers can be written as 12x and 12y, where x and y are co-prime
to each other. Therefore, 12x + 12y = 288  x + y = 24. 

The pair of numbers that are co-prime to each other and sum up to 24 are (1, 23), (5, 19), (7,
17) and (11, 13). Hence, only four pairs of such numbers are possible. The numbers are (12,
276), (60, 228), (84, 204) and (132, 156). 
The HCF of two numbers is 12 and their product is 31104. How many such numbers are possible?  

Answer: Let the numbers be 12x and 12y, where x and y are co-prime to each other. Therefore,
12x  12y = 31104  xy = 216. Now we need to find co-prime pairs whose product is 216. 

216 = 2 3   33 . Therefore, the co-prime pairs will be (1, 216) and (8, 27). Therefore, only two such
numbers are possible. 

LEAST COMMON MULTIPLE (LCM) 

The least common multiple (LCM) of two or more numbers is the lowest number which is divisible
by all the given numbers. 

To calculate the LCM of two or more numbers, we use the following two methods: 

Prime Factorization Method : After performing the prime factorization of the numbers, i.e.
breaking the numbers into product of prime numbers, we find the highest index, among the given
numbers, of all the prime numbers. The LCM is the product of all these prime numbers with their
respective highest indices. 

EXAMPLE 

Find the LCM of 72, 288 and 1080. 

Answer: 72 = 2 3   3 2 , 288 = 2 5   3 2 , 1080 = 2 3   33   5

The prime numbers present are 2, 3 and 5. The highest indices (powers) of 2, 3 and 5 are 5, 3
and 1, respectively. 

Hence the LCM = 2 5   3 3   5 = 4320. 

Find the LCM of 36x 3 y 2  and 24x 4 y. 

Answer: 36x 3 y 2  = 2 2  3 2  x 3  y 2  24x 4 y = 2 3  3 x 4  y.

The highest indices of 2, 3, x and y are 3, 2, 4 and 2 respectively.
Hence, the LCM = 2 3  32  x 4  y 2  = 72x 4 y 2 .
 

Division Method : To find the LCM of 72, 196 and 240, we use the division method in the following
way: 

                                                

L.C.M. of the given numbers = product of divisors and the remaining numbers
= 2  2  2  3  3  10  49 = 72  10  49 = 35280. 
PROPERTIES OF HCF AND LCM 

           The HCF of two or more numbers is smaller than or equal to the smallest of those
numbers.
           The LCM of two or more numbers is greater than or equal to the largest of those numbers
           If numbers N 1 , N2 , N3 , N4  etc. give remainders R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , respectively, when divided by
the same number P, then P is the HCF of (N 1  - R 1 ), (N 2  - R 2 ), (N 3  - R 3 ), (N 4  - R 4 ) etc.
           If the HCF of numbers N 1 , N2 , N3  ... is H, then N 1 , N2 , N3 ... can be written as multiples of H
(Hx, Hy, Hz.. ). Since the HCF divides all the numbers, every number will be a multiple of the
HCF.
           If the HCF of two numbers N 1  and N2  is H, then, the numbers (N 1  + N2 ) and (N 1  - N2 ) are
also divisible by H. Let N 1  = Hx and N 2  = Hy, since the numbers will be multiples of H. Then, N 1  +
N2  = Hx + Hy = H(x + y), and N 1  - N2  = Hx - Hy = H(x - y). Hence both the sum and differences
of the two numbers are divisible by the HCF.
           If numbers N 1 , N2 , N3 , N4  etc. give an equal remainder when divided by the same number
P, then P is a factor of (N 1  - N 2 ), (N 2  - N 3 ), (N 3  - N 4 )...
           If L is the LCM of N 1 , N2 , N3 , N4 .. all the multiples of L are divisible by these numbers.
           If a number P always leaves a remainder R when divided by the numbers N 1 , N2 , N3 ,
N4  etc., then P = LCM (or a multiple of LCM) of N 1 , N2 , N3 , N4 ..  + R. 

SOLVED PROBLEMS ON LCM 

Find the highest four-digit number that is divisible by each of the numbers 24, 36, 45 and 60.
Answer: 24 = 2 3   3, 36 = 2 2   32 , 45 = 3 2   5 and 60 = 2 3   32   5.
Hence, the LCM of 24, 36, 45 and 60 = 2 3   3 2   5 = 360.
The highest four-digit number is 9999. 9999 when divided by 360 gives the remainder 279.
Hence, the number (9999 – 279 = 3720) will be divisible by 360.

Hence the highest four-digit number divisible by 24, 36, 45 and 60 = 3720. 

Find the highest number less than 1800 that is divisible by each of the numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and
7. 

Answer: The LCM of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 is 420. Hence 420, and every multiple of 420, is divisible
by each of these numbers. Hence, the number 420, 840, 1260, and 1680 are all divisible by each
of these numbers. We can see that 1680 is the highest number less than 1800 which is multiple
of 420.
Hence, the highest number divisible by each one of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, and less than 1800 is
1680. 

Find the lowest number which gives a remainder of 5 when divided by any of the numbers 6, 7,
and 8.

Answer: The LCM of 6, 7 and 8 is 168. Hence, 168 is divisible by 6, 7 and 8. Therefore, 168 + 5
= 173 will give a remainder of 5 when divided by these numbers. 

What is the smallest number which when divided by 9, 18, 24 leaves a remainder of 5, 14 and 20
respectively? 

Answer: The common difference between the divisor and the remainder is 4 (9  5 = 4, 18  14 =
 4, 24  20 = 4). Now the LCM of 9, 18, and 24 is 72. 

Now 72  4 = 72  9 + 5 = 72  18 + 14 = 72  24 + 20. Therefore, if we subtract 4 from 72, the
resulting number will give remainders of 5, 14, and 20 with 9, 18, and 24. 

Hence, the number = 72  4 = 68.

A number when divided by 3, 4, 5, and 6 always leaves a remainder of 2, but leaves no

remainder when divided by 7. What is the lowest such number possible? 

Answer: the LCM of 3, 4, 5 and 6 is 60. Therefore, the number is of the form 60k + 2, i.e. 62,
122, 182, 242 etc. We can see that 182 is divisible by 7. Therefore, the lowest such number
possible = 182.

I shall have to end here and leave the rest of it for my CBT Club  students. I
shall cover some problems based on this in the CBT Club  this week.

4) It is funny how one problem gives rise to another. Of course this happens because of the irritating habit that
mathematicians have of asking, “if it was something else and not something like this, what would be the solution?†
And then you start all over again.

Here is a good problem I was discussing with a colleague-

In how many ways can you write the number 210 as a product of three integers?

210 = 2 Ã— 3 Ã— 5 Ã— 7. Since the problem asks for integers, we will first calculate for positive numbers and then assign
signs to these numbers.

Your first instinct is to write down 2, 3, 5 and 7 in a row and place two partitions between them. The partitions will give
you three groups of numbers. Something like this:

But you should quickly realize that in this way no matter where you place your partitions, the number 2 and 7, 3 and 7, 2
and 5 will never be together. The partition method won’t work.

In fact, the situation is similar to placing 4 similar balls in three similar boxes. How would you do that? The hard way of
course:

So we have to place 4 prime numbers in 3 places. If a place remains empty after distribution that means we will assume
number 1 over there. Let’s find the number of ways of distributing these prime numbers. Since the box are all same
only the different grouping of number matters.

As we are talking about integers, the numbers of possible cases are:

· All positive

· One positive and two negative (we will have to find different ways of assigning positive and negative signs also in this
case)
There! 55 is the answer.

But do you stop at that? No, you ask another question:

So how do we do it?

The hard way again.

· Case I (positive, positive, positive)

· Case II (positive, negative, negative) e.g. (2, - 1, - 210)

The number of cases will be equal to the number of cases when all of them are positive. All we have to do is to write the
integer triplets (x, y, z) of case I and then assign negative signs to y and z.

Therefore, total number of cases = 81.

· Case III (negative, positive, positive) e.g. ( - 2, 1, 210)

· Case IV (negative, negative, negative)

The number of ways in this case will again be equal to the number of ways in case III as we can assign negative sign to y
and z to all the cases of case III. Therefore, the number of ways = 54

Therefore, the total number of ways = 81 + 81 + 54 + 54 = 270.

There. We have found answer to one more question. But what if it was…? The road is endless..