So perfect

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Given that X X is a positive integer that X 2 \frac{X}{2} is a perfect square, X 3 \frac{X}{3} is a perfect cube, X 7 \frac{X}{7} is a perfect seventh power.

What is the last digit of the smallest integer X X ?


The answer is 2.

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3 solutions

Daniel Lim
Jan 21, 2014

X X must be divisible by 2 , 3 2, 3 and 7 7 to satisfy the condition given.

We can write X X as X = 2 a × 3 b × 7 c X = 2^a\times3^b\times7^c

We can find the smallest that a a must be by writing it as

X 2 = 2 a 1 × 3 b × 7 c \frac{X}{2} = 2^{a-1}\times3^b\times7^c

a a must be divisible by 3 3 and 7 7 to be a perfect cube and perfect seventh power while a 1 a-1 must also be divisible by 2 to be a perfect square

Therefore, the smallest that a a can be is 21

We had solved for a a

Now let's find b b

X 3 = 2 a × 3 b 1 × 7 c \frac{X}{3} = 2^a\times3^{b-1}\times7^c

In the same way, we find b b by knowing that it should be divisible by 2 2 and 7 7 to be a perfect square and perfect seventh power while b 1 b-1 should be divisible by 3 3 to be a perfect cube

Thus, the smallest that b b can be is 28 28

We had solved for a a and b b , now let's solve for c c

X 7 = 2 a × 3 b × 7 c 1 \frac{X}{7} = 2^a\times3^b\times7^{c-1}

We already knew how to solve it, so we can easily know that the smallest of c c can be is 36 36

Now we know that the smallest integer X X can be written as X = 2 21 × 3 28 × 7 36 X = 2^{21}\times3^{28}\times7^{36}

The last digit of 2 21 = 2 2^{21}=2 , 3 28 = 1 3^{28}=1 , 7 36 = 1 7^{36}=1

So, 2 × 1 × 1 = 2 2\times1\times1 = \boxed{2}

thank you .....

Ripal Patel - 7 years, 4 months ago
敬全 钟
Jan 21, 2014

In order to make X X satisfy the condition, we let X = 2 a × 3 b × 7 c X=2^a\times 3^b\times 7^c . So, this really simplifies our work because it's time for Chinese Remainder Theorem.

Now, we know that a a must be in the form of 2 k + 1 2k+1 , where k k is any number, so this implies to

a 1 ( m o d 2 ) a\equiv 1\pmod 2

a 0 ( m o d 3 ) a\equiv 0\pmod 3

a 0 ( m o d 7 ) a\equiv 0\pmod 7

Luckily, 2 , 3 , 7 2,3,7 are pairwise prime. So there must exist a number a a that satisfy the congruence relation above. We do it in this way:

a = ( 2 × 3 × 7 2 ) × 2 × 3 × 7 2 × 1 + ( 2 × 3 × 7 3 ) × 2 × 3 × 7 3 × 0 + ( 2 × 3 × 7 7 ) × 2 × 3 × 7 7 × 0 a=\overline{\Big(\frac{2\times3\times7}{2}\Big)}\times {\frac{2\times3\times7}{2}}\times 1+\overline{\Big(\frac{2\times3\times7}{3}\Big)}\times {\frac{2\times3\times7}{3}} \times 0+\overline{\Big(\frac{2\times3\times7}{7}\Big)}\times {\frac{2\times3\times7}{7}}\times 0

where p \overline{p} denotes the multiplicative inverse in mod n. (Multiplicative inverse: Let two numbers be a , b a,b . These numbers are said to be the multiplicative inverse of each other if and only if a b 1 ( m o d p ) ab \equiv 1 \pmod p and a , b > p a,b > p )

Therefore, a = 21 × 21 = 1 × 21 = 21 a=\overline{21}\times21= 1\times 21= 21 , because 21 1 ( m o d 2 ) 21 \equiv 1 \pmod2 and 1 is the multiplicative inverse of 1 in mod 2, since 1 × 1 = 1 ( m o d 2 ) 1\times 1=1\equiv\pmod2 . Similarly for b b , we have

b = ( 2 × 3 × 7 2 ) × 2 × 3 × 7 2 × 0 + ( 2 × 3 × 7 3 ) × 2 × 3 × 7 3 × 1 + ( 2 × 3 × 7 7 ) × 2 × 3 × 7 7 × 0 b=\overline{\Big(\frac{2\times3\times7}{2}\Big)}\times {\frac{2\times3\times7}{2}}\times 0+\overline{\Big(\frac{2\times3\times7}{3}\Big)}\times {\frac{2\times3\times7}{3}} \times 1+\overline{\Big(\frac{2\times3\times7}{7}\Big)}\times {\frac{2\times3\times7}{7}}\times 0

b = 14 × 14 = 14 × 2 = 28 \implies b=14\times\overline{14}=14\times 2=28

since 14 2 ( m o d 3 ) 14\equiv 2\pmod 3 and also, 2 is the multiplicative inverse of 2 in mod 3, beacuse 2 × 2 = 4 1 ( m o d 3 ) 2\times 2=4 \equiv 1\pmod 3 . Also for c c ,

c = ( 2 × 3 × 7 2 ) × 2 × 3 × 7 2 × 0 + ( 2 × 3 × 7 3 ) × 2 × 3 × 7 3 × 0 + ( 2 × 3 × 7 7 ) × 2 × 3 × 7 7 × 1 c=\overline{\Big(\frac{2\times3\times7}{2}\Big)}\times {\frac{2\times3\times7}{2}}\times 0+\overline{\Big(\frac{2\times3\times7}{3}\Big)}\times {\frac{2\times3\times7}{3}} \times 0+\overline{\Big(\frac{2\times3\times7}{7}\Big)}\times {\frac{2\times3\times7}{7}}\times 1

6 × 6 = 6 × 6 = 36 \implies 6\times \overline 6 = 6\times 6 = 36

Therefore, the smallest integer that satisfy X X is 2 21 × 3 28 × 7 36 2^{21}\times 3^{28}\times 7^{36} . Then, we reduce it to mod 10, we have our desired answer.

2 21 × 3 28 × 7 36 2 × 1 × 1 2 ( m o d 10 ) 2^{21}\times 3^{28}\times 7^{36} \equiv 2\times 1\times 1 \equiv \boxed{2} \pmod {10}

Whoosh! A crazy one! Even though I took 10 minutes to do this problem, but it took me 30 minutes to write this solution! But luckily this way is implemented by my trainer and HE (not me) said that by using this way we can find a set of infinitely many solutions...

敬全 钟 - 7 years, 4 months ago
Trevor B.
Jan 21, 2014

Wow. Such problem. So perfect. Much solution. Here is. Wow. (I'm sorry)

The minimum X X is of the form 2 A 3 B 7 C . 2^A3^B7^C. We need to find conditions for A , A, B , B, and C . C. We can use mods while looking at the three fractions.

Take a look at X 2 . \frac{X}{2}. X 2 = 2 A 1 3 B 7 C = k 1 2 . \frac{X}{2}=2^{A-1}3^B7^C=k_1^2. We can see that A 1 0 mod 2 A 1 mod 2. A-1\equiv0\text{ mod }2\Rightarrow A\equiv1\text{ mod }2. Also, B , C 0 mod 2. B,C\equiv0\text{ mod }2.

Now look at X 3 . \frac{X}{3}. X 3 = 2 A 3 B 1 7 C = k 2 3 . \frac{X}{3}=2^A3^{B-1}7^C=k_2^3. We can see that B 1 0 mod 3 B 1 mod 3. B-1\equiv0\text{ mod }3\Rightarrow B\equiv1\text{ mod }3. Also, A , C 0 mod 3. A,C\equiv0\text{ mod }3.

Lastly, look at X 7 . \frac{X}{7}. X 7 = 2 A 3 B 7 C 1 = k 3 7 . \frac{X}{7}=2^A3^B7^{C-1}=k_3^7. We can see that C 1 0 mod 7 C 1 mod 7. C-1\equiv0\text{ mod }7\Rightarrow C\equiv1\text{ mod }7. Also, A , B 0 mod 7. A,B\equiv0\text{ mod }7.

Now we can start solving for values of A , A, B , B, and C . C.

Start with A . A. Since A 0 mod 3 A\equiv0\text{ mod }3 and A 0 mod 7 , A\equiv0\text{ mod }7, we know that A 0 mod 21. A\equiv0\text{ mod }21. Combining this with the knowledge that A 1 mod 2 , A\equiv1\text{ mod }2, we can find the smallest possible A A is 21 , 21, and to generalize, A 21 mod 42. A\equiv21\text{ mod }42.

Now go to B . B. Since B 0 mod 2 B\equiv0\text{ mod }2 and B 0 mod 7 , B\equiv0\text{ mod }7, we know that B 0 mod 14. B\equiv0\text{ mod }14. Combining this with the knowledge that B 1 mod 3 , B\equiv1\text{ mod }3, we can find the smallest possible B B is 28 , 28, and to generalize, B 28 mod 42. B\equiv28\text{ mod }42.

Finally, solve for C . C. Since C 0 mod 2 C\equiv0\text{ mod }2 and B 0 mod 3 , B\equiv0\text{ mod }3, we know that C 0 mod 6. C\equiv0\text{ mod }6. Combining this with the knowledge that C 1 mod 7 , C\equiv1\text{ mod }7, we can fid the smallest possible C C is 36 , 36, and to generalize, C 36 mod 42. C\equiv36\text{ mod }42.

So we have found that the smallest possible X X is 2 21 3 28 7 36 . 2^{21}3^{28}7^{36}. Now we need to find the last digit of this.

Note that X = 2 1 mod 4 3 0 mod 4 7 0 mod 4 . X=2^{1\text{ mod }4}3^{0\text{ mod }4}7^{0\text{ mod }4}. Using the recurrence patterns of the last digits of a number raised to the power, we can find that X mod 10 2 1 3 0 7 0 mod 10 2 mod 10. X\text{ mod }10\equiv2^13^07^0\text{ mod }10\equiv2\text{ mod }10. Therefore, the last digit of X X is 2 \boxed{2}

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