Number

System

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE

Copyright © 2014-2020 TestBook Edu Solutions Pvt. Ltd.: All rights reserved
 Download Testbook App

Number System
1) Natural Number:- All counting numbers are called natural numbers and it is denoted
by N. Example: {1, 2, 3, 4…………………}

2) Whole Number:- The set of all natural number together with zero are called whole
numbers and it is denoted by W. Example:- {0, 1, 2, 3, 4…………………}

3) Integer:- The set of all natural numbers, zero and negative of all natural numbers
are called integers and it is denoted by I and Z. Example:- {…………. -4,-3, -2, -1, 0,
1, 2, 3, 4 ……………..}

 Negative integer is denoted by I– = {……….-4,-3, -2, -1}

 Positive integer is denoted by I+ = {1, 2, 3, 4……………}

4) Rational Number:- A number of the form p/q where p and q are whole numbers and
q does not equal to zero. Example:- 1/2, 2/3, -5/2, 0, 2, 5

 it can be negative, positive and also zero because we can write 0 as 0/1.

 it is denoted by Q.

5) Irrational Number:- Numbers which can neither be written as a recurring decimal

nor in repeating decimal or (A number that can’t be written in the form of p/q).
Example:- 3.01001000100001……., 1.23223222322223……….,√3, π, e etc.

6) Real Number:- The set of all rational numbers and irrational numbers are called
Real Numbers. Example:- 1, 2/3, 0.6, 3.01001000100001……. ,√3, π, e etc.

7) Complex Number:- A number of the form (a + ib) is called a complex number where
a and b are any real number and i is called iota (√-1). Example:- √-2 = 2i, 2 + 3√-5 =
2 + i5, etc.

Some special numbers:-

8) Prime Number:- A number is called prime number that has only two factor (1 or
itself). Example:- 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13.. etc

 Note: the smallest prime number is 2 not 1.

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE | Number System PAGE 2

 Download Testbook App

9) Composite Number:- Those numbers are called composite numbers which has
more than two factors. Example:- 4 because the factor of 4 are 1, 2 and 4.

10) Co – Prime Number: A pair of any two integers is called a Co – Prime Number, if
their H.C.F is 1. Example:- (7, 11), (5, 11) etc.

11) Twin Prime Number:- A pair of two prime number is called twin prime number, if the
difference between these numbers is 2. Example:- (3, 5), (5, 7), (11, 13) …..etc.

 Note:- (7, 11) is not a twin prime number.

Divisibility Rules
Rules by the help of which we can check the divisibility or factors of a number
without actual division:

Rule #1:
Divisibility by 2: Numbers whose last digit is either even or zero are divisible by 2.
Example:- 4, 42, 78 etc.

Rule #2:
Divisibility by 3: If the sum of digits of a number is divisible by 3, then the number is
also divisible by 3.
Example:- 72 , 642, 96 etc.

Rule #3:
Divisibility by 4: If the last two digits of a Number is divisible by 4 or the number having
two or more zeros at the end are divisible by 4.
Example:- 428, 772, 700 etc.

Rule #4:
Divisibility by 5: If the last digit of a number is divisible by 5 or 0, then the number is
divisible by 5.
Example:- 50, 105 etc.

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE | Number System PAGE 3

 Download Testbook App

Rule #5:
Divisibility by 6: If a number is divisible by 2 and 3, then number is also divisible by 6.
Example:- 954, 732 etc.

Rule #6:
Divisibility by 8: If the last three digits of a number are divisible by 8 or the last three
digits of a number are zeros, then the number is divisible by 8.
Example:- 8432, 5000 etc.

Rule #7:
Divisibility by 9: If the sum of all the digits of a number is divisible by 9, then the
number is also divisible by 9.
Example:- 8946, 765 etc.

Rule #8:
Divisibility by 11: If the difference between the Sum of digits at even place and Sum of
digits at odd place is divisible by 11, then the whole number is divisible by 11
Example:- 54659, 968 etc.

Rule #9:
Divisibility by 12: The number which is divisible by both 3 and 4 is also divisible by 12.
Example:- 456, 588 etc.

Unit Digit
Unit’s digit is used to represent the “ones” place value of any number or product.
Example:- 123 × 256 = 31488, ‘8’ is the unit’s digit in the given product.

In competitive examination we get different types of questions of Unit digits like

 find the unit digit of (342)43
 find the unit digit of (4567)987 × (3846)84 ….. and so on.

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE | Number System PAGE 4

 Download Testbook App

Finding unit digit of an exponential number

First of all divide the power of that number by 4
I. Condition (i): if you get the remainder zero then change the power of that number
by 4
Example: we have to find the unit digit of this number (3846)84,
Step 1st: At first we have to divide 84 by 4
Step 2nd: After dividing you will get 0 as remainder
Step 3rd: change the powers of given number with 4 and then find the unit digit by
multiplying the unit digit four times
In the above condition (3846)84 = (3846)4
So, the unit digit will be the unit digit of 6 × 6 × 6 × 6. That is 6
II. Condition (ii): if you get the remainder other than zero i.e (1, 2, 3)
Step 1st: change the power of given number with the remainder that you get in the
above division
Step 2nd: and then multiply the unit digit of that number in the times equal to the
remainder.
Example:- if we have to find the unit digit of (342)43
After dividing 43 by 4, we will get 3 as remainder
So, we can write (342)43 as (342)3 to find the unit digit
Now after multiplying 2 three times we will get the unit digit of (342)43 number.
Number of zeros at the end of the number can be found by finding the number of
pairs of 2 and 5.

Divisibility and Remainder

Dividend = Divisor × Quotient + Remainder

Points to Remember
When any positive number A is divided by any other positive number B and if B > A,
then the remainder will be A itself. In other words, if the numerator is smaller than the
denominator, then numerator will be the remainder.
Example:- Remainder of 5/12 = 5, Remainder of 21/45 = 21 etc.

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE | Number System PAGE 5

 Download Testbook App

Common Mistake
The remainder should always be calculated in its actual from i.e. you cannot reduce the
fraction to its lower ratio.
Example:- The remainder of 1/2 = 1, The remainder of 2/4 = 2, The remainder of 3/6 =
3 etc. It can be observed that despite all the fraction being equal, remainders are differ-
ent in each case.

Theorem Method
The product of any two or more than two natural numbers has the same remainder
when divided by any natural number, as the product of their remainders.
Example:- Remainder of (12×13)/7 = Remainder of 156/7 = 2
Normal way of doing this is: Product —> Remainder

Theorem method: Remainder —> Product —> Remainder

So, first of all, we will find out the remainder of each individual number and then we
will multiply these individual remainders to find out final remainders.
Since, Remainder of 12/7 = 5 and Remainder of 13/7 = 6
So, Remainder of (12 × 13)/ 7 = Remainder of (5 × 6)/7 = Remainder of 30/7 = 2

ax
 If then remainder will always be 1, whether x is even or odd.
a 1

a P 1
 If then remainder will be 1,where P is a prime number.
P

( ma  1) x
 If then remainder will be (a-1),where x is an odd number.
a

( ma  1) x
 If then remainder will be 1,where x is an even number.
a

( ma  1) x
 If then remainder will be 1,whether x is even or odd.
a

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE | Number System PAGE 6

 Download Testbook App

Decimal
 The decimal representation of a rational number is either finite or infinite
recurring. Example:- 3/5 = 0.6 (finite), 7/3 = 2.333 ..... (infinite recurring)

 If decimal number 0.x and 0.xy are given, then they can be expressed in the form
of p/q. Example:- 0.x = x/10 and 0.xy = xy/100

 If decimal recurring numbers 0.x and 0.xy are given, then they can be expressed
in the form of p/q As 0.x̅ = x/9 and 0.x̅y̅ = xy/99. Example:- 0.4̅ = 4/9, 0.8̅6̅ =
86/99

 The recurring decimal numbers of type 0.xy̅ or 0.xy̅z̅ may be converted to rational
form as p/q follows: (xy – x)/90 and (xyz – x)/990. Example:- 0.56̅ = (56 – 5)/90

Number of Factors
To find the factors of any number, number of factors, sum of all factors, number of
even factors, sum of all even factors, number of odd factors and the sum of odd
factors, we can follow these rules and formulae:-
(Let the number be 480)
Rule: First of all find all the prime factor of the given number by factorization method

2 480
2 240
2 120
2 60
2 30
3 15
5

So, 480 = 25 × 3 × 5

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE | Number System PAGE 7

 Download Testbook App

Points to Remember
 Number of factors = multiplication of (powers of each prime factor + 1)

So, Number of factors = (5 + 1) × (1 + 1) × (1 + 1) = 24

 Sum of all factors = (a0 + a1 + …. + am) × (b0 + b1 + …. + bn) × (c0 + c1 + …. + cq),

where a, b and c are the factors and m, n and q are the powers of the prime factor
respectively.

So, Sum of all factors = (20 + 21 + …. + 25) × (30 + 31) × (50 + 51) = 1512

 Number of even factors = multiplication of (powers of each prime factor + 1,

except even number)

So, Number of even factors = 5 × (1 + 1) × (1 + 1) = 20

 Sum of even factors = (a1 + ….+ am) × (b0 + b1 + ….+ bn) × (c0 + c1 + ….+ cq),
where a (even prime factor), b and c are prime factors and m, n and q are the
powers of the prime factor respectively.

So, Sum of even factors = (21 + ….+ 25) × (30 + 31) × (50 + 51) = 1488

 Number of odd factors = multiplication of (powers +1) of odd prime factors

So, Number of odd factors = (1 + 1) × (1 + 1) = 4

 Sum of odd factors = (b0 + b1 + ….+ bn) × (c0 + c1 + ….+ cq)………. Where b and
c are odd prime factors and n and q are the powers of the odd prime factors
respectively.

So, Sum of odd factors = (30 + 31) × (50 + 51) = 24

 Number of prime factors = Sum of powers of prime factors

So, Number of prime factors = 5 + 1 + 1 = 7

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE | Number System PAGE 8

 Download Testbook App

LCM and HCF

Highest Common Factor (H.C.F): When a greatest number divides perfectly two or
more numbers then that number is called the H.C.F of these numbers and it is called
highest common factor.
We can find the H.C.F of two or more number by division method and factorization
method
Formula: H.C.F of two or more numbers = product of common prime factors of lowest
power
Example: H.C.F (24, 288)
24 = 23 × 3 and 288 = 25 × 32
So, H.C.F = 23 × 3 = 24

Lowest Common Multiple (L.C.M): The least number which is divisible by two or
more given numbers, that least number is called L.C.M. of the numbers.
Formula: L.C.M. of two or more numbers = product of highest power of each prime
factors
L.C.M. (24, 288)
24 = 23 × 3 and 288 = 25 × 32
So, the L.C.M of (24, 288) = 25 × 32 = 288

Points to Remember
L.C.M of fractions = L.C.M of numerators/ H.C.F of denominators
H.C.F of fractions = H.C.F of numerators/ L.C.M of denominators

Example:- L.C.M of 5/4, 8/3, 7/2 = L.C.M of (5, 8, 7)/ H.C.F of (4, 3, 2)
So, 280/1 = 280
Example:- H.C.F of 5/4, 8/3, 7/2 = H.C.F of (5, 8, 7)/ L.C.M of (4, 3, 2)
So, 1/12

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE | Number System PAGE 9

 Download Testbook App

Testbook Trick

 When a number is divided by a, b or c leaving same remainder ‘r’ in each case

then that number must be k + r where k is L.C.M of a, b and c.

 When a number is divided by a, b or c leaving remainders p, q or r respectively

such that the difference between divisor and remainder in each case is same
i.e., (a – p) = (b – q) = (c – r) = t (say), then that (least) number must be in the
form of (k – t), where k is LCM of a, b and c

 The largest number which when divide the numbers a, b and c the remainders
are same then that largest number is given by H.C.F. of (a – b), (b – c) and (c –
a).

 The largest number which when divide the numbers a, b and c give remainders
as p, q, r respectively is given by H.C.F. of (a – p), (b – q) and (c – r).

 Greatest n digit number which when divided by three numbers p, q, r leaves no

remainder will be Required Number = (n – digit greatest number) – R, R is the
remainder obtained on dividing greatest n digit number by L.C.M of p, q, r.

 The n digit largest number which when divided by p, q, r leaves remainder ‘a’
will be required number = [n – digit largest number – R] + a where, R is the
remainder obtained when n – digit largest number is divided by the L.C.M of p,
q, r.

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE | Number System PAGE 10