What's the number?!

When A , B , C , A, B, C, and D D are digits, we denote by A B C D ABCD the number composed of those four digits. The numbers A B C D ABCD and C B A D CBAD are both perfect squares. The number B A D BAD is the cube of a positive integer. Determine the number A B C D . ABCD.


The answer is 1296.

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2 solutions

why do you Need the solution so urgent?

As Joshua Kimmich mentioned, there would be only 5 5 three-digit numbers, namely X = { 125 , 216 , 343 , 512 , 729 } X=\{125,216,343,512,729 \} . So, B A D BAD can be a memeber of X X . Then, we know that a square, mod 4 4 is either 0 , 1 0,1 . therefore, C B A D 0 , 1 ( m o d 4 ) CBAD \equiv 0,1 (mod \ 4) . All members of X X pass the test, except 343 343 . The new set is Y = { 125 , 216 , 512 , 729 } Y=\{125,216,512,729 \} . Also note that A C A-C needs to be an even number, because

A B C D C B A D = ( A C ) 1 0 3 + ( C A ) 10 = 10 ( A C ) ( 1 0 2 1 ) = 9 × 10 × 11 ( A C ) ABCD-CBAD=(A-C)10^3+(C-A)10=10(A-C)(10^2-1)=9\times 10 \times 11(A-C)

and 9 × 10 × 11 9\times 10 \times 11 has only one 2 2 and we know that the difference of squares cannot have only one 2 2 .

So, when A , B , D A,B,D are taken from memebers of Y Y , for any B A D BAD , you get at most 4 4 possible C C . So, you are gonna need to take 16 16 square roots in the worst case Scenario. Take the square root of C B A D CBAD , for a B A D Y BAD \in Y and a possible C C , and if it is a whole number, then test A B C D ABCD .

I was solving and was not getting the exact answer, the reason I posted this question and wanted a solution. No urgent as such, just wanted the solution :)

A Former Brilliant Member - 2 years, 6 months ago

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I have posted a solution, similar to Joshua's, which does not depend on a list. I suppose it can be made more accurate though.

A Former Brilliant Member - 2 years, 6 months ago

Thanks, this helps!

A Former Brilliant Member - 2 years, 6 months ago
Joshua Lowrance
Dec 3, 2018

First, I brought up lists of perfect squares and perfect cubes. Next, I noted that all three numbers end in the same number. Therefore, looking at the list of perfect squares and cubes, this last digit had to be 5, 6, or 9. Using the same method, the second digit of both perfect squares had to be 1, 2, 3, 5, or 7. Then I quickly scanned through the list of perfect squares and found 1296. In fact, the only four digit perfect square A B C D ABCD where B A D BAD is a perfect cube is 1296 (unless I missed one...), so that was a pretty big giveaway.

Yeah, but how would you solve this during an exam, this is a Dutch Olympiad question , there taking out a list wont be an option maybe.

A Former Brilliant Member - 2 years, 6 months ago

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Go through every number until you find the right one. It'll only take a minute or so, 1296 is only the fourth four-digit perfect square... At least, that's how I would do it. I know it's not the most effective way to do it, but in this case it wouldn't take too long.

Joshua Lowrance - 2 years, 6 months ago

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