Number Theory Concept Through Problems
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B V KarthikeyaNumber Theory Concept Through Problems
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B V Karthikeya1
ASSIGNMENT
1. Prove that if an integer n is relatively prime to 10, the 101st power of n ends with the same three
digits as does n. (for example, 1233101 ends with the digits 233, and 37101 ends with the digits 037)
2. Prove that 1110 – 1 is divisible by 100
3. Find the last three digits of the integer 79999.
4. Given any 2n – 1 positive integers, prove that there are n of them whose sum is divisible by n for (1)
n = 3; (2) n = 9.
5. Prove that in the 2009 number 1, 11, …. , ⏟
111. . .111 there is one that is divisible by 2009.
2009
2
Solutions
1. Prove that if an integer n is relatively prime to 10, the 101st power of n ends with the same three
digits as does n. (for example, 1233101 ends with the digits 233, and 37101 ends with the digits 037)
Sol: Last three digit of n101 and n are same therefore (n101 – n) divisible by 1000.
n(n100 – 1) implies n100 – 1 divisible by 1000.
n can be 10k +1, 10k +3, 10k + 7, 10k+9.
Last three digits of (10k + r)100 =
Last three digits of 100C0 (10k)101 r0 + 100C1 (10k)100 r1 +………….+ 100C98 (10k)2 r98 + 100C99 (10k)1
r99 + 100C100 (10k)0 r100
Last three digits of r100
1100 gives 001
3100 gives (81)25 = (80 + 1)25 which gives 001
7100
gives (2401)25 = (2400 + 1)25 which gives 001
9100 gives (81)50 = (80 + 1)50 which gives 001
Therefore n100 – 1 divisible by 1000.
2. Prove that 1110 – 1 is divisible by 100
Sol: It is readily verified that
1110 – 110 = (11 – 1)(119 + 118 + 117 + …..+ 112 + 11 + 1) .
The second factor of the right number is divisible by 10, since it is the sum of ten integers each
ending with the digit 1. As both factors on the right are divisible by 10. their product is divisible by
100. Therefore, 1110 – 1 is divisible by 100.
3. Find the last three digits of the integer 79999.
Sol. We note that 74 = 2401. Therefore, we obtain
n
74n = (2401)n = (1 + 2400)n = 1 + n. 2400 + . 24002 + ….
2
In the above expression from the third term onwards, all terms end with at least four zero digits and
therefore do not influence the three final digits of the number 74n, where n N.
In order to determine the last three digits of the integer 74n, it is enough to determine the last three
digits of the integer 1 + n . 2400.
However,
1 + n . 2400 = 24 n. 100 + 1.
Consider the integer m to be the last digit of 24 n.
Then
24m/ 100 + 1 = (… m) 100 + 1 = … m01,
which means that the integers m, 0, 1 are the last three digits of the integer
24n. 100 + 1.
For n = 2499 one has 24n = 59976 which ends up with 6. Thus, the number
74n = 79996
3
Ends up with 601.
However, 73 = 343 and therefore
79999 = 79996 . 73 = (… 601) (343)
= …143,
where (…143) is easily derived if one multiples the numbers (… 601) and (… 343).
Therefore, the last three digits of the integer 79999 are the numbers 1, 4, 3.
4. Given any 2n – 1 positive integers, prove that there are n of them whose sum is divisible by n for (1)
n = 3; (2) n = 9.
Sol. (1) When n = 3 then 2n – 1 = 5. Partition the five numbers according to the remainders
modulo 3 into three classes: C0, C1 and C2.
(i) If one of the three classes contains no number, i.e. five numbers are in two classes, by the
pigeonhole principle, there must be one class containing at least 3 numbers, then any three
numbers coming from a same class must have a sum divisible by 3;
(ii) If each class contains at least one number, then no class contains three or more numbers. But
from each class take a number, the three numbers must have a sum divisible by 3.
(2) For n = 9, then 2n – 1 = 17 numbers are given. The result of (1) implies that, from each five
of them three numbers can be selected out such that their sum is divisible by 3, so 5 groups
(n1, n2, n3), (n4, n5, n6), …, (n13, n14, n15) can be obtained sequentially from the 17 numbers,
such that their sums s1, s2, … , s5 are all divisible by 3. Let si = 3mi, i = 1, 2, ….., 5 (where mi
are all positive integers). Then, still from the result of (1), three numbers, say m 1, m2, m3 can
be selected from the five m1 + m2 + m3 = 3k for some positive integer k. Thus,
n1 + n2 + … + n9 = s1 + s2 + s3 = 3(m1 + m2 + m3) = 9k, which is divisible by 9.
5. Prove that in the 2009 number 1, 11, …. , ⏟
111. . .111 there is one that is divisible by 2009.
2009
Sol. Suppose that each of the given numbers is not divisible by 2009. Then 0 is not a value of the
remainders of the given numbers when divided by 2009. i.e. the 2009 remainders can take at most
2008 distinct values. Therefore, by the pigeonhole principle, there must be at least two of them, say
111. . .111 where 1 p < q 2009, such that they have a same remainder, and hence
111. . .111and ⏟
⏟
𝑝𝑑𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑞𝑑𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑠
their difference.
111. . .111 × ⏟
⏟ 1000. . .000
𝑞−𝑝𝑑𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑝𝑑𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑠
is divisible by 2009. Then (10p, 2009) = 1 implies 2009 | ⏟
111. . .111 , 𝑎 contradiction. Thus, the
𝑞−𝑝𝑑𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑠
conclusion is proven.
