Not just a single number, but a kind of number

N = a n a n 1 a n 2 . . . a 2 a 1 a 0 n + 1 digits N = 1 0 n a n + 1 0 n 1 a n 1 + 1 0 n 2 a n 2 + + 1 0 2 a 2 + 10 a 1 + a 0 \large N = \overbrace{a_n a_{n-1} a_{n-2} ... a_2 a_1 a_0}^{n+1 \ \text{digits}} \\ \large \Updownarrow \\ \large N= 10^n a_n + 10^{n-1} a_{n-1} + 10^{n-2} a_{n-2} + \cdots + 10^2 a_2 + 10 a_1 + a_0

Let N N be a positive integer as defined above.

A certain kind of positive integer χ \chi exists such that

N χ = a n a n 1 a n 2 . . . a 2 a 1 a 0 n + 1 digits χ = 0. a n a n 1 a n 2 . . . a 2 a 1 a 0 \large \dfrac{N}{\chi} = \dfrac{\overbrace{a_n a_{n-1} a_{n-2} ... a_2 a_1 a_0}^{n+1 \ \text{digits}}}{\chi} = 0. \ \overline{a_n a_{n-1} a_{n-2} ... a_2 a_1 a_0}

What is χ \chi ?

Details and Assumptions:

  • N = a n a n 1 a n 2 . . . a 2 a 1 a 0 n + 1 digits N = \overbrace{a_n a_{n-1} a_{n-2} ... a_2 a_1 a_0}^{n+1 \ \text{digits}} denotes that N N is a positive integer that contains n + 1 n+1 digits in the order of digits: a n , a n 1 , a n 2 , . . . , a 2 , a 1 , a 0 a_n, a_{n-1}, a_{n-2}, ... ,a_2, a_1, a_0 from the leftmost digit to the rightmost digit (i.e. from the digit with highest place value a n a_n to the digit in the units place a 0 a_0 ).
  • 0. a n a n 1 a n 2 . . . a 2 a 1 a 0 0. \ \overline{a_n a_{n-1} a_{n-2} ... a_2 a_1 a_0} denotes that it is the decimal representation of the rational number N χ \dfrac{N}{\chi} , where ' \overline{\cdots} ' denotes the recurring digits in the decimal expansion. Here, these recurring digits will have the same order as that of order of digits of N N from left to right.
1 0 n + 1 1 10^{n+1} -1 1 0 n + 1 0 n 1 + 1 0 n 1 + + 1 0 2 + 10 + 1 10^n + 10^{n-1} + 10^{n-1} + \cdots + 10^2 + 10 + 1 No such kind of positive integer χ \chi exists 1 0 n 1 10^n -1

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2 solutions

Seth Christman
Oct 11, 2016

To get a repeating decimal of any pattern you want of finite length, you can multiply your digit x x who has n n digits by 0. 00...0 n 1 1 0.\overline{\underbrace{00...0}_{n-1}1} .

This number has enough 0 0 's to hold your number, and multiplies it by 1, then just keeps concocting them. Now we need to find this number as a fraction.

Lets look at the fraction 1 9 \dfrac{1}{9} . As a decimal it is 0. 1111 0.\overline{1111} . This is a good baseline, as this x 9 \dfrac{x}{9} is the 1 digit repeating number fraction.

Lets look at the fraction 1 11 \dfrac{1}{11} . As a decimal it is 0. 0909 0.\overline{0909} . We now have a 2 digit repeating decimal, but we need 1 1 's, not 9 9 's. So lets multiply by 1 9 \dfrac{1}{9} . 1 11 × 1 9 = 0. 0909 ÷ 9 = 0. 0101 = 1 99 \dfrac{1}{11}\times\dfrac{1}{9}=0.\overline{0909}\div9=0.\overline{0101}=\dfrac{1}{99} . We can see multiplying this decimal by any 2 2 digit number would give us the 2 2 digit repeating decimal. So x 99 \dfrac{x}{99} is the 2 digit repeating fraction. (The pattern is forming).

This pattern does indeed repeat, to get 0. 009009 0.\overline{009009} you need the fraction 1 111 \dfrac{1}{111} . Repeat the steps as above and you get the 3 digit repeat fraction of 1 999 \dfrac{1}{999} .

Recapping:

1 1 digit = 1 9 = 1 1 0 1 1 =\dfrac{1}{9}=\dfrac{1}{10^1 -1}

2 2 digits = 1 99 = 1 1 0 2 1 =\dfrac{1}{99}=\dfrac{1}{10^2 -1}

3 3 digits = 1 9 = 1 1 0 3 1 =\dfrac{1}{9}=\dfrac{1}{10^3 -1}

\dots

n n digits = 1 9 = 1 1 0 n 1 =\dfrac{1}{9}=\dfrac{1}{10^n -1}

n + 1 n+1 digits = 1 9 = 1 1 0 n + 1 1 =\dfrac{1}{9}=\dfrac{1}{10^{n+1} -1} . Our number has n + 1 n+1 digits, therfore χ = 1 0 n + 1 1 \chi=10^{n+1} -1

P.S. I already had prior knowledge about how repeating decimals worked, so I kind of just described the pattern. Somebody please show the work of deriving 1 9 a n d 1 111 111 x \dfrac{1}{9} and \dfrac{1}{\underbrace{111\dots111}_{x}} as the key fractions needed

Take a look at (this)[https://brilliant.org/problems/decimal-integers]. Same question asked in a different way with good solution

Viki Zeta - 4 years, 8 months ago
Tapas Mazumdar
Oct 12, 2016

N χ = 0. a n a n 1 a n 2 . . . a 2 a 1 a 0 1 0 n + 1 × N χ = a n a n 1 a n 2 . . . a 2 a 1 a 0 . a n a n 1 a n 2 . . . a 2 a 1 a 0 As number of recurring digits is n + 1 ( 1 0 n + 1 1 ) N χ = a n a n 1 a n 2 . . . a 2 a 1 a 0 ( 1 0 n + 1 1 ) N χ = N ( 1 0 n + 1 1 ) 1 χ = 1 χ = 1 0 n + 1 1 \begin{aligned} \dfrac{N}{\chi} &= 0. \ \overline{a_n a_{n-1} a_{n-2} ... a_2 a_1 a_0} \\ \implies 10^{n+1} \times \dfrac{N}{\chi} &= \overline{a_n a_{n-1} a_{n-2} ... a_2 a_1 a_0} \ . \ \overline{a_n a_{n-1} a_{n-2} ... a_2 a_1 a_0} ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ \small\color{#3D99F6}{\text{As number of recurring digits is} \ n+1} \end{aligned} \\ \therefore \left( 10^{n+1} - 1 \right) \dfrac{N}{\chi} = \overline{a_n a_{n-1} a_{n-2} ... a_2 a_1 a_0} \\ \implies \left( 10^{n+1} - 1 \right) \dfrac{N}{\chi} = N \\ \implies \left( 10^{n+1} - 1 \right) \dfrac{1}{\chi} = 1 \\ \implies \chi = \boxed{10^{n+1} - 1}

Take a look at this . Same question asked in a different way with good solution

Viki Zeta - 4 years, 8 months ago

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Oh, I wasn't aware that you had posted a similar problem like this. Your solution is elaborative and clear. Seth Christman has also posted an elaborate solution to my problem, which has a similar approach but somewhat not exactly the same as yours. I found it much less time consuming and efficient to use my method for solving this problem. +1 for your solution on your problem. :)

Tapas Mazumdar - 4 years, 8 months ago

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