This discussion board is a place to discuss our Daily Challenges and the math and science
related to those challenges. Explanations are more than just a solution — they should
explain the steps and thinking strategies that you used to obtain the solution. Comments
should further the discussion of math and science.
When posting on Brilliant:
Use the emojis to react to an explanation, whether you're congratulating a job well done , or just really confused .
Ask specific questions about the challenge or the steps in somebody's explanation. Well-posed questions can add a lot to the discussion, but posting "I don't understand!" doesn't help anyone.
Try to contribute something new to the discussion, whether it is an extension, generalization or other idea related to the challenge.
Stay on topic — we're all here to learn more about math and science, not to hear about your favorite get-rich-quick scheme or current world events.
Markdown
Appears as
*italics* or _italics_
italics
**bold** or __bold__
bold
- bulleted - list
bulleted
list
1. numbered 2. list
numbered
list
Note: you must add a full line of space before and after lists for them to show up correctly
Without loss of generality let us assume r>s.
Let r=s+k. where k>0
As 2^r and 2^s have same number of digits k<4.
[ Since k>=4 will imply multiplying 2^s by a number >10 and thus ending up with a greater number of digits.]
now as they have same digits their sum of digits is same SO they are congruent modulo 9.
So 2^s+k - 2^s = 2^s( 2^k -1) ==0 (mod 9).
Since (9,2^s)=1(i.e they are co-prime)
this implies 2^k -1==0(mod 9).
k<4 implies 2^k -1 can take values 1 , 3 or 7 all of which leads to a contradiction downright.
So k=0 giving r=s.
Apparantly this method fails when k=6n as 2^6n==1 (mod 9) which does not provide a contradiction. But this case can surely arise when THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ZEROES AS DIGITS IN 2^r.
@Aneesh Kundu
–
Noooo! We get k<4 only when we know that the number of digits in 2^r and 2^s are same. But if suppose there is a zero in 2^r. When we permute the digits the zero can bemade to come in front thus reducing the number of digits in 2^s. And then we cant say k<4.
@Aneesh Kundu
–
Of course!Permutation means rearrangement. k>=4 means we have to multiply 2^s by 16 or more which is >10.An that will lead us to more number of digits in 2^r
if r < or = s
2^s - 2^r = 2^r(2^n - 1) where r+n=s
9 divides 2^n-1 (2^r is a permutation of the digits of 2^s)
This is only possible when 2^n=1
Therefore, n=0 which implies that r=s
@Aneesh Kundu Hello!!! Here is my approach..................... We can consider each power of two in its Binary representation, and notice that if we rearrange the numbers, either the digits will all not be used up or we will reach the same number.......hence proven!!
That is the precise problem.Nothing is mentioned about the leading zeroes. I think if we consider the leading zeroes the standard of the question goes well above RMO. But i was stuck at this very juncture and failed to provide the above mod 9 solution.
Thee official key says the number of digits are same.I was trying to solve the more general case.I couldnt get it.But i noticed a strange thing
2^{34}=134217728 and
2^{30}=1073741824
and they have almost same digits that is they differ just 1 digit (2 and 4)
I don`t think this may help
But is it true?
Thanks
@Gopalkrishna Nayak Pangal
–
Actually i should have felt that the general case is too difficult! the sad part is i felt it after submitting the answer script. Actually this means nothing now but still it was too much of spoilt milk not to cry over!! Jokes apart your observation is really interesting but i heard recently that someone have proved it,( though i haven't seen it myself)
Suppose s ≤ r. If s < r then 2s < 2
r
. Since the number of digits in 2s
and 2r are the same, we have 2r < 10 × 2
s < 2
s+4. Thus we have 2s < 2
r < 2
s+4
which gives r = s + 1 or s + 2 or s + 3. Since 2r
is obtained from 2s by permuting
its digits, 2r − 2
s
is divisible by 9. If r = s + 1, we see that 2r − 2
s = 2s and it is
clearly not divisible by 9. Similarly, 2s+2 − 2
s = 3 × 2
s and 2s+3 − 2
s = 7 × 2
s and
none of these is divisible by 9. We conclude that s < r is not possible. Hence r = s
Easy Math Editor
This discussion board is a place to discuss our Daily Challenges and the math and science related to those challenges. Explanations are more than just a solution — they should explain the steps and thinking strategies that you used to obtain the solution. Comments should further the discussion of math and science.
When posting on Brilliant:
*italics*
or_italics_
**bold**
or__bold__
paragraph 1
paragraph 2
[example link](https://brilliant.org)
> This is a quote
\(
...\)
or\[
...\]
to ensure proper formatting.2 \times 3
2^{34}
a_{i-1}
\frac{2}{3}
\sqrt{2}
\sum_{i=1}^3
\sin \theta
\boxed{123}
Comments
This one went straight like a tangent over my head.
I have also not solved this. But if we assume the number of digits of 2^r and 2^s are same here is a simple solution,
Log in to reply
Without loss of generality let us assume r>s. Let r=s+k. where k>0 As 2^r and 2^s have same number of digits k<4. [ Since k>=4 will imply multiplying 2^s by a number >10 and thus ending up with a greater number of digits.] now as they have same digits their sum of digits is same SO they are congruent modulo 9. So 2^s+k - 2^s = 2^s( 2^k -1) ==0 (mod 9). Since (9,2^s)=1(i.e they are co-prime) this implies 2^k -1==0(mod 9). k<4 implies 2^k -1 can take values 1 , 3 or 7 all of which leads to a contradiction downright. So k=0 giving r=s.
Log in to reply
Can you explain why you chose to use modulo 9 rather than modulo 3? Using modulo 3 allows k = 2 to work.
Log in to reply
Log in to reply
Apparantly this method fails when k=6n as 2^6n==1 (mod 9) which does not provide a contradiction. But this case can surely arise when THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ZEROES AS DIGITS IN 2^r.
Log in to reply
Log in to reply
k=6n and k<4, then 32>n this leaves us with no positive integer values for n.
ifLog in to reply
Why k≤4
Aren't we just rearranging the digits?
Log in to reply
Log in to reply
Actually I misread r=s+k as r+s=k, thats why I was wondering that k<4 could be a really useful result.
if r < or = s 2^s - 2^r = 2^r(2^n - 1) where r+n=s 9 divides 2^n-1 (2^r is a permutation of the digits of 2^s) This is only possible when 2^n=1 Therefore, n=0 which implies that r=s
@Aneesh Kundu Hello!!! Here is my approach..................... We can consider each power of two in its Binary representation, and notice that if we rearrange the numbers, either the digits will all not be used up or we will reach the same number.......hence proven!!
What exactly is the question? Are leading 0's allowed or not?
Log in to reply
I don't get it
That is the precise problem.Nothing is mentioned about the leading zeroes. I think if we consider the leading zeroes the standard of the question goes well above RMO. But i was stuck at this very juncture and failed to provide the above mod 9 solution.
Log in to reply
Thee official key says the number of digits are same.I was trying to solve the more general case.I couldnt get it.But i noticed a strange thing 2^{34}=134217728 and 2^{30}=1073741824 and they have almost same digits that is they differ just 1 digit (2 and 4) I don`t think this may help But is it true? Thanks
Log in to reply
Since its not mentioned in the question whether both the power have the same no digits or not, we need to construct a general case.
Its strange that they still haven't uploaded the official solutions till now.
Suppose s ≤ r. If s < r then 2s < 2 r . Since the number of digits in 2s and 2r are the same, we have 2r < 10 × 2 s < 2 s+4. Thus we have 2s < 2 r < 2 s+4 which gives r = s + 1 or s + 2 or s + 3. Since 2r is obtained from 2s by permuting its digits, 2r − 2 s is divisible by 9. If r = s + 1, we see that 2r − 2 s = 2s and it is clearly not divisible by 9. Similarly, 2s+2 − 2 s = 3 × 2 s and 2s+3 − 2 s = 7 × 2 s and none of these is divisible by 9. We conclude that s < r is not possible. Hence r = s
what marks would you get to show that r-s<4 in this question < i could only proceed till here>
i did not enjoy this problem at all! :(