Find all the numbers

Which positive integers satisfy the following three conditions?

  • The number consists of at least two digits.
  • The last digit is not zero.
  • Inserting a zero between the last two digits yields a number divisible by the original number.

Give your answer as the sum of all numbers that satisfy these conditions.


The answer is 78.

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2 solutions

Richard Desper
Jan 8, 2020

Let t t satisfy ( 10 a + b ) t = 100 a + b (10a + b)t = 100a + b , with a , b 0 a,b \neq 0 and b < 10 b<10 . Clearly t < 10 t < 10 .

Then b ( t 1 ) = 10 a ( 10 t ) b(t-1) = 10a(10-t) . Thus b ( t 1 ) b(t-1) is a multiple of 10 10 . Given that b < 10 b<10 and t 1 < 9 t-1<9 , and 5 5 must be a prime factor of b ( t 1 ) b(t-1) , either b = 5 b=5 or t 1 = 5 t-1=5 , i.e. t = 6 t=6 .

If b = 5 b = 5 , then t t is an odd number between 2 2 and 10 10 . But t = 3 t=3 and t = 5 t=5 are too small, since ( 10 t ) 10 (10-t)*10 divides b ( t 1 ) b(t-1) .

If we try t = 7 t=7 , then b ( t 1 ) = 30 = 3 10 a b(t-1) = 30 = 3*10*a , which works with a = 1 a=1 . We can verify 15 15 is a solution, since 105 = 7 15 105=7*15 .

If we try t = 9 t=9 , then b ( t 1 ) = 40 = 1 10 a b(t-1) = 40 = 1*10*a , which works with a = 4 a=4 . We can verify 45 45 is a solution, since 405 = 9 45 405 = 9*45 .

The other option uses t 1 = 5 t-1 = 5 , i..e. t = 6 t=6 . Then 5 b = 10 a 4 5b = 10a*4 , i.e. b = 8 a b = 8a . Since b b is a single digit number, the only solution is a = 1 , b = 8 a=1, b=8 . We can verify 18 18 is a solution since 108 = 6 18 108=6*18 .

We have exhausted the possible values of a a , b b , and t t . Thus the only solutions are 15 15 , 45 45 , and 18 18 , which sum to 78 78 .

Mark Hennings
Jan 7, 2020

We are looking for positive integers a , b a,b such that 1 b 9 1 \le b \le 9 and 10 a + b 10a + b divides 100 a + b 100a + b . But then 10 a + b 10a + b must divide 10 ( 10 a + b ) ( 100 a + b ) = 9 b 10(10a+b) - (100a+b) = 9b , and it is easy to check that the only pairs of integers ( a , b ) (a,b) with these properties are ( 1 , 5 ) (1,5) , ( 4 , 5 ) (4,5) and ( 1 , 8 ) (1,8) . Thus the answer is 15 + 45 + 18 = 78 15 + 45 + 18 = \boxed{78} .

How to show that no number of more than two digits possesses the said properties?

A Former Brilliant Member - 1 year, 5 months ago

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If a 10 a \ge 10 then 10 a + b 100 + b > 9 b 10a+b \ge 100+b>9b , so it's impossible to have 10 a + b 10a+b divide into 9 b 9b .

Chris Lewis - 1 year, 5 months ago

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Alternatively, 10 a < 10 a + b 9 b 81 10a < 10a + b \le 9b \le 81 , and hence a 8 a \le 8 .

Mark Hennings - 1 year, 5 months ago

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