BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

NUMBERS

Expert replies
Source: — Problem Solving |

by GMATGuruNY » Tue May 22, 2018 1:03 pm
vaibhav101 wrote:find the units digit in $$57867^{192567}-1452^{876}$$ .
A 3
B 6
C 5
D 7
E 1
When an integer is raised to consecutive powers, the resulting units digits repeat in a CYCLE.

57867¹�²���:
7¹ --> units digit of 7.
7² --> units digit of 9. (Since the product of the preceding units digit and 7 = 7*7 = 49.)
7³ --> units digit of 3. (Since the product of the preceding units digit and 7 = 9*7 = 63.)
7� --> units digit of 1. (Since the product of the preceding units digit and 7 = 3*7 = 21.)
From here, the units digits will repeat in the same pattern: 7, 9, 3, 1.
The units digits repeat in a CYCLE OF 4.
Implication:
When an integer with a units digit of 7 is raised to a power that is a multiple of 4, the units digit will be 1.
From there, the cycle of units digits will repeat: 7, 9, 3, 1.
192576/4 = 48141 R3.
The result in blue implies that 57867¹�²��� will go through 48141 cycles of 4 (yielding a units digit of 1) and then 3 more places in the unit-digit cycle:
7, 9, 3.
Thus, 57867¹�²��� has a units digit of 3.

1452���:
2¹ --> units digit of 2.
2² --> units digit of 4.
2³ --> units digit of 8.
2� --> units digit of 6. (Since the product of the preceding units digit and 2 = 8*2 = 16.)
From here, the units digits will repeat in the same pattern: 2, 4, 8, 6.
The units digit repeat in a CYCLE OF 4.
Implication:
When an integer with a units digit of 2 is raised to a power that is a multiple of 4, the units digit will be 6.
876 is a multiple of 4 because its last two digits -- 76 -- form an integer that can divided twice by 2.
Since 1452��� is raised to a power that is a multiple of 4, it will yield a units digit of 6.

When an integer with units digit of 6 is subtracted from an integer with a units digit of 3, the result has a units digit of 7:
53 - 36 = 17.
Thus:
57867¹�²��� - 1452��� = (integer with a units digit of 3) - (integer with a units digit of 6) = integer with a units digit of 7.

The correct answer is D.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Join the discussion

by Scott@TargetTestPrep » Thu May 24, 2018 12:30 pm
vaibhav101 wrote:find the units digit in $$57867^{192567}-1452^{876}$$ .
A 3
B 6
C 5
D 7
E 1
Since we only care about units digits we can rewrite, the problem as:

7^192567 - 2^876



Let's start by evaluating the pattern of the units digits of 7^n for positive integer values of n. That is, let's look at the pattern of the units digits of powers of 7. When writing out the pattern, notice that we are ONLY concerned with the units digit of 7 raised to each power.

7^1 = 7

7^2 = 9

7^3 = 3

7^4 = 1

7^5 = 7

The pattern of the units digit of powers of 7 repeats every 4 exponents. The pattern is 7-9-3-1. In this pattern, all positive exponents that are multiples of 4 will produce a 1 as its units digit. Thus:

7^192568 has a units digit of 1.

7^192567 has a units digit of 3.

Next, we can evaluate the pattern of the units digits of 2^n for positive integer values of n. That is, let's look at the pattern of the units digits of powers of 2. When writing out the pattern, notice that we are ONLY concerned with the units digit of 2 raised to each power.

2^1 = 2

2^2 = 4

2^3 = 8

2^4 = 6

2^5 = 2

The pattern of the units digit of powers of 2 repeats every 4 exponents. The pattern is 2-4-8-6. In this pattern, all positive exponents that are multiples of 4 will produce a 6 as its units digit. Thus:

2^876 has a units digit of 6.

Thus, the units digit of 7^192567 - 2^876 is 3 - 6 = "-3". Of course, we can't have a units digit that is negative. We must borrow 10 from the tens digit, making the actual subtraction 13 - 6 = 7. Thus, the correct answer is 7.

Answer: D

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder and CEO
[email protected]

Image

See why Target Test Prep is rated 5 out of 5 stars on BEAT the GMAT. Read our reviews

ImageImage
Join the discussion