Tao is thinking of a perfect square whose ten's digit is 7. Find its unit digit.
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Nice solution ,+1! And a logical question!
Let a ∈ { 0 , 1 , . . , 9 } . We want to solve the congruence x 2 ≡ 7 0 + a m o d 1 0 0 . This would typically entail finding both x , a but there is an indirect way of obtaining a . Remember that x 2 ≡ 7 0 + a m o d 1 0 0 ⟹ x 2 ≡ 7 0 + a m o d 1 0 ⟹ x 2 ≡ a m o d 1 0 . This means that a is a quadratic residue m o d 1 0 . It is easy to list these, so we now know that a ∈ { 0 , 1 , 4 , 9 , 6 , 5 } .
But also, x 2 ≡ 7 0 + a m o d 1 0 0 ⟹ x 2 ≡ 7 0 + a m o d 4 ⟹ x 2 ≡ 2 + a m o d 4 . Because the only quadratic residues m o d 4 are 0 , 1 this implies that a ≡ 2 , 3 m o d 4 . So a ∈ { 2 , 6 , 3 , 7 } .
Combining both statements, a ∈ { 2 , 6 , 3 , 7 } ∩ { 0 , 1 , 4 , 9 , 6 , 5 } = { 6 } . Thus, a = 6 .
By using trial and error method, you get 2 4 2 = 5 7 6 , So tens' digit is 7 and so unit digit is "6".
Other shortest way is using python.
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We can write the condition as follows:
1 0 0 y + 7 0 + x = ( 1 0 a + b ) 2 = 1 0 0 a 2 + 2 0 a b + b 2 .
All possible values for 2 0 a b will have even tens digit. We will need b 2 to have odd tens digit and that is possible only for values of b = 4 , b = 6 giving b 2 = 1 6 , b 2 = 3 6 . In both cases we get unit digit 6 .
Note: That holds true for any odd tens digit. Any perfect square having odd tens digit has to have unit digit equal to 6.