Source: Manhattan Prep
Starting with 0, a mathematician labels every non-negative integer as one of five types: alpha, beta, gamma, delta, or epsilon, in that repeating order as the integers increase. For instance, integer 8 is labeled delta. What is the label on an integer that is the sum of a gamma raised to the seventh power and a delta raised to the seventh power?
A. alpha
B. beta
C. gamma
D. delta
E. epsilon
The OA is A
Starting with 0, a mathematician labels every non-negative integer as one of five types: alpha, beta, gamma, delta, or
This topic has expert replies
-
- Moderator
- Posts: 2284
- Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2017 1:50 pm
- Followed by:6 members
Timer
00:00
Your Answer
A
B
C
D
E
Global Stats
-
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 415
- Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:52 am
- Thanked: 27 times
The pattern of labeling numbers is a repeating pattern of 5 letters.
So we need to determine how many cycles plus any fraction of a cycle are contained within the number.
We are free to choose which gamma and which delta. Let's choose the smallest, 2 and 3.
So, the number for which a label is desired is:
2^7+3^7
We want to map this to the appropriate label, so we can start with determining the number of cycles of 5:
(2^7+3^7)/5
Nobody wants to calculate this, so let's look at remainders of 5, which is determined by the last digit of each number:
2^1 =2. 3^1=3
2^2=4. 3^2=9
2^3=8. 3^3= 7
2^4=6 3^4=1
These last digits then repeat in a pattern of 4. So the numbers are 1 cycle of 4 plus 3 steps into the new cycle, or 8 and 7.
8+7 = 15
15 leaves no remainder when divided by 5, so there are a whole number of cycles of 5 in the number.
Since beta is assigned to 1 and alpha to 5 completes the cycle, the appropriate label is alpha, A
So we need to determine how many cycles plus any fraction of a cycle are contained within the number.
We are free to choose which gamma and which delta. Let's choose the smallest, 2 and 3.
So, the number for which a label is desired is:
2^7+3^7
We want to map this to the appropriate label, so we can start with determining the number of cycles of 5:
(2^7+3^7)/5
Nobody wants to calculate this, so let's look at remainders of 5, which is determined by the last digit of each number:
2^1 =2. 3^1=3
2^2=4. 3^2=9
2^3=8. 3^3= 7
2^4=6 3^4=1
These last digits then repeat in a pattern of 4. So the numbers are 1 cycle of 4 plus 3 steps into the new cycle, or 8 and 7.
8+7 = 15
15 leaves no remainder when divided by 5, so there are a whole number of cycles of 5 in the number.
Since beta is assigned to 1 and alpha to 5 completes the cycle, the appropriate label is alpha, A