Sunday, November 15, 2026

2026/092) Solve $x^2-2x + 2 \equiv 0 \pmod 5$


 We have 

$x^2-2x + 2 \equiv 0 \pmod 5$

$=>x^2 -2x + 1 + 1 \equiv 0 \pmod 5$ to make square on left side

$=>(x-1)^2 + 1 \equiv 0 \pmod 5$

$=>(x-1)^2 + 1 \equiv 0 \pmod 5$

$=>(x-1)^2  \equiv 4 \pmod 5$

Working in mod 5 we have

$0^2 \equiv 0 \pmod 5$

$1^2 \equiv 1 \pmod 5$

$2^2 \equiv 4 \pmod 5$

$3 \equiv 4 \pmod 5$

$4^2 \equiv 1 \pmod 5$

 So we have 

$x-1 \equiv 2\pmod 5$ or $x-1 \equiv 3 \pmod 5$

Or $ x \equiv 3 \pmod 5 $ or $x \equiv 4 \pmod 5$

  

2026/091) Find the smallest positive multiple of 77 whose last four digits (from left to right) are 2020.

The number shall be 10000x +2020 and we need it to be divisible by 77 and we need to solve it for smallest x

Or 10(1000x + 202) should be divisible by 77

As 77 is co-prime to 10 so 1000 x + 202 is divisible by 77

As 77 = 7 * 11 and 7 and 11 are co-primes

1000 x + 202 is divisible by 7 and also 11

So we need to solve 

$1000x + 202 \equiv 0 \pmod 7\cdots(1)$

And 

$1000x + 202 \equiv 0 \pmod {11}\cdots(2)$

 Let us solve both the equations and then combine the 2

Now the1st equation is

 $1000x + 202 \equiv 0 \pmod 7$

Or $6x + 6 \equiv 0 \pmod 7$

Or  $x + 1 \equiv= 0 \pmod 7$

Or $x \equiv 6 \pmod 7\cdots(3)$

Now second second equation is

$1000x + 202 \equiv 0 \pmod {11}$

or $10x + 4 \equiv 0 \pmod {11}$

or $- x + 4 \equiv 0 \pmod {11}$

or $x \equiv  4 \pmod {11}\cdots(4)$

So we need to solve

$x \equiv  4 \pmod {11}\cdots(4)$

$x \equiv  6 \pmod {7}\cdots(4)$ 

Tthis can be solved by Chinese Remainder Theorem but as the numbers are very small we solve as below

$x + 1$ that is $5 \pmod 11$ is divisible by 7

So we see the numbers of the $5 \pmod {11}$ and see it divisible by 7

we find 16,17,38,49 and see that 49 id divisible by 7

So $x = 48$

And number is $482020$

This is the smallest number 

 Shorter Method

We need 1000n + 202 divisible by 77

As 

$1000 \equiv -1 \pmod {77}$

We need

$202 - n$ divisible by 77

So n = $202 \pmod  {77}$

 or n = 48

and smallest number is $482020$ 

 

Sunday, November 8, 2026

2026/090) Let a, b, c be the real numbers. It is true, that a+b, b+c and c+a are three consecutive integers, in a certain order, and the smallest of them is odd. Prove that the numbers a, b, c are also consecutive integers in a certain order.

 

The expressions are cyclic so WLOG we can assume

a +b < a +c < b+c

From given conditions

$a+b = 2n -1\cdots(1)$ as the lowest number is odd

$a+c = 2n\cdots(2)$

$b+c = 2n +1\cdots(3)$

Adding these 3 we get

$2a + 2b + 2c = 6n$

or $a +b +c = 3n\cdots(4)$

so $a = (a +b + c)-(b+c) = 3n -(2n+1) = n-1$

$b= a+b -a = (2n)-(2n-1) = n$

$c = a+c -a = n+1$

so all are consecutive integers

 

2026/089) How to determine the least positive integer a, which is multiple of 17, the digit sum is divisible by 17?

 

I shall extend it get all number less than 1000. Let us check upto 3 digit number because for 4 digit number another approach shall be taken( I shall mention the approach at the end)

Now the largest 3 digit number is 999 and sum of digits is 27. so the sum of digits is 17 as it is divisible by 17. Of course it cannot be 0.

Let the number be n

n is divisible by 17

So

$n \equiv 0 \pmod {17}\cdots(1)$

Again sum of digits is 17 so

$n \equiv 8 \pmod 9 \cdots(2)$

We need to solve (1) and (2) to get the solution set from which we shall find the solution.The result shall be mod 153. (17 * 9 = 153) 

Because one of the mod is zero we can provide a simpler solution

We have $n = 17k$  (from (1))

Putting in (2) we get

$17k \equiv 8 \pmod 9$

Or  $8k \equiv 8 \pmod 9$

Or $k \equiv 1 \pmod 9$

So n = 17 is a solution

So we have general solution is 153m + 17

By putting  m = 0 to 6 we get solution 17,170,323,476,629,782,935 

Out of which some have digit sum 8 and other have digit sum 17 they are 476,629,782,935 with the lowest number 476

If we need 4 digit number sum of 4 digits can be 34 also . So we have another set of solution to look This is of the form 153k + 34.

This shall include another set besides 153k+ 17 that is 153k+ 34 all are not solution .this is the set from which we need to find solution.

 

 

 

Sunday, November 1, 2026

2026/088) How will we show that $2^{23} -1$ is divisible by 47

 I shall prove the same using modular arithmetic keeping arithmetic simple

We have $2^5 = 32 \equiv -15 \pmod {47}$

$=> 2^{10} \equiv  (-15) ^2  \pmod {47}$

$=> 2^{10} \equiv  225  \pmod {47}$

$=> 2^{10} \equiv  -10  \pmod {47}$ (as 225 = 5 * 47 -10)

$=> 2^{20} \equiv  (-10)^2  \pmod {47}$

$=> 2^{20} \equiv  100  \pmod {47}$

$=> 2^{20} \equiv  6  \pmod {47}$    as 100 =2 * 47 + 6

 $=> 2^{23} \equiv  6 * 2^3  \pmod {47}$

 $=> 2^{23} \equiv  48  \pmod {47}$

 $=> 2^{23} \equiv  1  \pmod {47}$

 $=> 2^{23} -1 \equiv 0   \pmod {47}$

Hence  $2^{23} -1$ is divisible by 47


 

Sunday, October 25, 2026

2026/087) The LCM of two even numbers is 90. Which are the numbers

The 2 numbers are even so let the 2 numbers be 2x and 2y where x and y are co-primes

So lcm = 2xy

As product of numbers is same of product of LCM and HCF so we have

2xy = 90

Or xy = 45

x and y are co-primes

Factor $45 = 3^2 * 5$

As x and y are co-primes so no prime shall divide both and highest power will be present of a prime is a factor

So $(x,y)$ are $(1,45)$ or $(9,5)$ so the 2 even numbers are $(2,90)$ or $(18,10)$

Friday, October 23, 2026

2026/086) Prove that for every positive integer n, the number $A_n=7^{2n}−48n−1$ is a multiple of 9.