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# Find the units digit of 556^17n + 339^(5m+15n), where m and n are

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e-GMAT Representative
Joined: 04 Jan 2015
Posts: 1767
Find the units digit of 556^17n + 339^(5m+15n), where m and n are [#permalink]

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16 Dec 2016, 02:03
00:00

Difficulty:

75% (hard)

Question Stats:

44% (01:30) correct 56% (01:45) wrong based on 63 sessions

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Take a stab at the following GMAT like question on Units Digit. The official solution will be posted soon.

Find the units digit of $$556^{17n} + 339^{5m+15n}$$, where m and n are positive integers.

(1) $$4m+12n = 360$$
(2) n is the smallest 2-digit positive integer divisible by 5

A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
C. BOTH statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question asked, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question asked.
E. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data specific to the problem are needed.

To practise ten 700+ Level Number Properties Questions attempt the The E-GMAT Number Properties Knockout

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Find the units digit of 556^17n + 339^(5m+15n), where m and n are [#permalink]

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Updated on: 18 Dec 2016, 22:28
2
Let's look at the official solution to the above question. Let us know if you have any queries regarding this question.

Steps 1 & 2: Understand Question and Draw Inferences

Given: Two positive integers are given - $$556^{17n}$$ and $$339^{5m+15n}$$

To find: The units digit of the sum of these two integers

Analysis: To find units digit let’s concentrate only on the last digit of the number.

Therefore, the expression given to us can be written as
$$6^{17n}$$ + $$9^{5m+15n}$$

As we know the units digit of $$6^x$$ is always 6, irrespective of the exponent of 6, the units digit of $$6^{17n}$$ is 6

The cyclicity of 9 is 2,
If exponent of 9 is 2m, we get the units digit as 1
If the exponent of 9 is 2m+1, the units digit is 9

We need to find the units digit of $$9^{5(m+3n)}$$. In order to solve the question we need to find

the value of $$m + 3n$$
OR

B. infer whether m+3n is odd or even

Hence,

if $$m+3n$$ is even, then, $$9^{5(m+3n)}$$ will be $$9^{even}$$ and unit’s digit, in this case will be 1
If $$m+3n$$ is odd, then $$9^{5(m+3n)}$$ will be $$9^{odd}$$ and the unit’s digit, in this case will be 9

Now, let us look at each of the statements.

Step 3: Analyze Statement 1 independently

$$4m + 12n = 360$$
$$4(m + 3n) = 360$$
$$m + 3n = 90 = even$$
Hence, we can conclude that $$9^{5(m+3n)} = 9^{even}$$

Therefore, the units digit of $$9^{5(m+3n)}$$ is 1

And the unit digit of $$556^{17n}+339^{5m+15n}$$ is $$6 + 1 = 7$$

Therefore, Statement 1 is sufficient to get us a unique answer.

Step 4: Analyze Statement 2 independently

Statement 2 says that n is the smallest two-digit number divisible by 5

We can infer that the value of $$n = 10$$
But nothing can be inferred about $$m + 3n$$, as we don’t have any information about the value of m.

Therefore, statement 2 is not sufficient to get us a unique answer.

Step 5: Analyze Both Statements Together (if needed)

Since we’ve already got a unique answer in Step 4, this step is not required.

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Originally posted by EgmatQuantExpert on 16 Dec 2016, 02:04.
Last edited by EgmatQuantExpert on 18 Dec 2016, 22:28, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Units Digit DS Question [#permalink]

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16 Dec 2016, 02:54
Here is how I attempted the question,
Unit digit of 556^17n+339^(5m+15n) and both m and n are positive integer.
Option 1: 4m+12n=360 can be made short as m+3n=90
Taking different values of m and n and need to ensure that both are multiples of 3.
m n
3 29
6 28
.
.
30 20 and so on...
We know that unit digit of any number with unit digit 6 will always be 6. ---- Rule 1
Even power of number with unit digit 9 will give number with unit digit 1 and odd power will give 9--- rule 2

Coming to equation 556^17n+339^(5m+15n). Putting value of m and n from above values
When m = 3 and n = 29,
556^17n+339^(5m+15n) = 556^493+339^450 = 6+1 = 7 as unit digit.
When m = 6 and n = 28
556^17n+339^(5m+15n) = 556^476+339^450 = 6+1 = 7 as unit digit
For all the value of m and n the equation gives unit digit as 7.................... Sufficient

Option 2: n is the smallest 2-digit positive integer divisible by 5
In this case, n should be 10 as the smallest 2 digit positive integer divisible by 5. i.e. n = 10
In this case m value is not known, either even or odd... Not sufficient.

e-GMAT Representative
Joined: 04 Jan 2015
Posts: 1767
Find the units digit of 556^17n + 339^(5m+15n), where m and n are [#permalink]

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16 Dec 2016, 03:13
prashantrchawla wrote:
Here is how I attempted the question,
Unit digit of 556^17n+339^(5m+15n) and both m and n are positive integer.
Option 1: 4m+12n=360 can be made short as m+3n=90
Taking different values of m and n and need to ensure that both are multiples of 3.
m n
3 29
6 28
.
.
30 20 and so on...
We know that unit digit of any number with unit digit 6 will always be 6. ---- Rule 1
Even power of number with unit digit 9 will give number with unit digit 1 and odd power will give 9--- rule 2

Coming to equation 556^17n+339^(5m+15n). Putting value of m and n from above values
When m = 3 and n = 29,
556^17n+339^(5m+15n) = 556^493+339^450 = 6+1 = 7 as unit digit.
When m = 6 and n = 28
556^17n+339^(5m+15n) = 556^476+339^450 = 6+1 = 7 as unit digit
For all the value of m and n the equation gives unit digit as 7.................... Sufficient

Option 2: n is the smallest 2-digit positive integer divisible by 5
In this case, n should be 10 as the smallest 2 digit positive integer divisible by 5. i.e. n = 10
In this case m value is not known, either even or odd... Not sufficient.

Hi Prashant,

Good job. You've answered this question correctly. But the method followed by you includes multiple redundant steps. Let me give you certain clues on how to get to the answer with less effort.

Do a thorough question statement analysis to draw as many inferences as possible from the question. Try to find the answer to this question - "What do we need to get a unique answer to this question?". You can use the Rule 1 and 2 mentioned by you to arrive at the answer to the last question. Once you do so then analyse each of the statement (1) and (2) independently to solve the question.

On doing so, you will realize that you don't need to find values of m and n, and substitute them in the given expression to conclude that Statement (1) is sufficient. We will explain the same in our detailed solution, which will be posted soon.

Regards,
Saquib
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Articles and Question to reach Q51 | Question of the week

Number Properties – Even Odd | LCM GCD
Word Problems – Percentage 1 | Percentage 2 | Time and Work 1 | Time and Work 2 | Time, Speed and Distance 1 | Time, Speed and Distance 2
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Geometry- Triangles 1 | Triangles 2 | Triangles 3 | Common Mistakes in Geometry
Algebra- Wavy line

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Number Properties 1 | Number Properties 2 | Algebra 1 | Geometry | Prime Numbers | Absolute value equations | Sets

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Joined: 04 Jan 2015
Posts: 1767
Re: Find the units digit of 556^17n + 339^(5m+15n), where m and n are [#permalink]

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18 Dec 2016, 22:26
The official solution to the above question has been posted. Please go through the solution and check if you followed the same approach to solve the question.

In case of any queries, feel free to post your doubt here.
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Ace GMAT quant
Articles and Question to reach Q51 | Question of the week

Number Properties – Even Odd | LCM GCD
Word Problems – Percentage 1 | Percentage 2 | Time and Work 1 | Time and Work 2 | Time, Speed and Distance 1 | Time, Speed and Distance 2
Advanced Topics- Permutation and Combination 1 | Permutation and Combination 2 | Permutation and Combination 3 | Probability
Geometry- Triangles 1 | Triangles 2 | Triangles 3 | Common Mistakes in Geometry
Algebra- Wavy line

Practice Questions
Number Properties 1 | Number Properties 2 | Algebra 1 | Geometry | Prime Numbers | Absolute value equations | Sets

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Re: Find the units digit of 556^17n + 339^(5m+15n), where m and n are [#permalink]

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04 Jan 2018, 04:20
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Re: Find the units digit of 556^17n + 339^(5m+15n), where m and n are   [#permalink] 04 Jan 2018, 04:20
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