Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 15:03 It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 15:03
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
605-655 Level|   Arithmetic|   Exponents|                              
User avatar
minnu
Joined: 19 Aug 2007
Last visit: 18 Sep 2007
Posts: 13
Own Kudos:
584
 [574]
Posts: 13
Kudos: 584
 [574]
35
Kudos
Add Kudos
537
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 105,390
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 99,977
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 105,390
Kudos: 778,363
 [162]
57
Kudos
Add Kudos
104
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 105,390
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 99,977
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 105,390
Kudos: 778,363
 [40]
21
Kudos
Add Kudos
19
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
nsp007
Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Last visit: 15 Dec 2010
Posts: 162
Own Kudos:
315
 [38]
Given Kudos: 44
Posts: 162
Kudos: 315
 [38]
26
Kudos
Add Kudos
12
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
C. 440

10^x - 74 --> last 2 digits are always 2, 6.

10^2 - 74 = 26

10^3 - 74 = 926

10^4 - 74 = 9926 and so on....

If x > 1,
the sum of the digits --> (x-2) * 9 + 2 + 6. hence, (50-2) * 9 + 8 --> 440.
User avatar
BrentGMATPrepNow
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 12 Sep 2015
Last visit: 31 Oct 2025
Posts: 6,739
Own Kudos:
35,353
 [22]
Given Kudos: 799
Location: Canada
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 6,739
Kudos: 35,353
 [22]
11
Kudos
Add Kudos
11
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
minnu
If \(10^{50} – 74\) is written as an integer in base 10 notation, what is the sum of the digits in that integer?

A. 424
B. 433
C. 440
D. 449
E. 467

One approach is to look for a pattern...
10^3 - 74 = 1,000 - 74 = 926 (1 nine)
10^4 - 74 = 10,000 - 74 = 9926 (2 nines)
10^5 - 74 = 100,000 - 74 = 99926 (3 nines)
10^6 - 74 = 1,000,000 - 74 = 999926 (4 nines)
.
.
.
In general, we can see that 10^n - 74 will feature n-2 9's followed by 26

So, 10^50 - 74 will feature 48 9's followed by 26
This means the sum of its digits = 48(9) + 2 + 6 = 432 + 2 + 6 = 440\

Answer: C
General Discussion
User avatar
KillerSquirrel
Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Last visit: 28 Mar 2009
Posts: 520
Own Kudos:
634
 [9]
Posts: 520
Kudos: 634
 [9]
4
Kudos
Add Kudos
5
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
solving for easier numbers ---> 10^3 and 74

(10^4) - 74 =

(10^4) - 10*7.4 =

10*[(10^3) - 7.4] =

10*[10^3 - 7.4] = 992.6*10 = 9926 = 9*2+2+6 = 26

Note that 10^4 will yield two nines a six and a two.

so solving for 10^50 and 74 will give 48 nines a six and a two:

10*[10^49 - 7.4] = 9*48+2+6 = 440

the answer is (C)

:-D
User avatar
PTK
Joined: 02 Jul 2009
Last visit: 06 Oct 2022
Posts: 1,138
Own Kudos:
2,206
 [8]
Given Kudos: 622
Status:mission completed!
GPA: 3.77
Products:
Posts: 1,138
Kudos: 2,206
 [8]
5
Kudos
Add Kudos
3
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
dimitri92
If 10^50 - 74 is written as an integer in a base 10 notation.What is the sum of the digits in that integer?

a. 424
b. 433
c. 440
d. 449
e. 467

C. 440
another approach is:
We know that 10^50 is ending 00, so 10^50-74=9....9926
total number of digits in 10^50-74 is 50, or 48 digits of 9 and two digits 2 and 6.
answer choice is 48*9+8=440

plugging numbers:
let represent the sum of the digits in that integer as Y, with the reminder 8, we can represent it in form Y=X*9+8, where X number of digits in 10^50-74 and 8=2+6.

Start with C and than move to B or D.

B. 433=X*9+1, X=48
C. 440=X*9+8, X=48 - correct as we have the reminder 8 and 48 number of digits (50-2), 2 digits are 26.
D. 449=X*9+8, X=49



Personally, I like NSP007's approach. My approaches are easy to comprehend.
User avatar
ygdrasil24
Joined: 07 Apr 2012
Last visit: 15 Jan 2014
Posts: 70
Own Kudos:
29
 [3]
Given Kudos: 45
Location: United States
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Operations
Schools: ISB '15
GMAT 1: 590 Q48 V23
GPA: 3.9
WE:Operations (Manufacturing)
Schools: ISB '15
GMAT 1: 590 Q48 V23
Posts: 70
Kudos: 29
 [3]
3
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
10^1 = 10
10^2 - 74 = 026
10^3 - 74 = 926
10^4 - 74 = 9926

Basically for 10^n , its 9999....(n-2)26.

So for 10^50-74, it is 99999....4826

48times9 + 2+6 = 440.
avatar
Lobro
Joined: 04 Oct 2013
Last visit: 31 May 2015
Posts: 3
Own Kudos:
3
 [2]
Given Kudos: 2
Posts: 3
Kudos: 3
 [2]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I don't understand why in the question it is mentioned "in base 10 notation"

Maybe its because English is not my mother tongue but that instruction really confused me. I thought I was looking for a number like "ten to the power of something".
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 105,390
Own Kudos:
778,363
 [7]
Given Kudos: 99,977
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 105,390
Kudos: 778,363
 [7]
3
Kudos
Add Kudos
3
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Lobro
I don't understand why in the question it is mentioned "in base 10 notation"

Maybe its because English is not my mother tongue but that instruction really confused me. I thought I was looking for a number like "ten to the power of something".

Based 10 notation, or decimal notation, is just a way of writing a number using 10 digits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 0 (usual way), in contrast, for example, to binary numeral system (base-2 number system) notation.

Similar questions to practice:
the-sum-of-the-digits-of-64-279-what-is-the-141460.html
the-sum-of-all-the-digits-of-the-positive-integer-q-is-equal-126388.html
10-25-560-is-divisible-by-all-of-the-following-except-126300.html
if-10-50-74-is-written-as-an-integer-in-base-10-notation-51062.html

Hope this helps.
avatar
PareshGmat
Joined: 27 Dec 2012
Last visit: 10 Jul 2016
Posts: 1,534
Own Kudos:
8,102
 [1]
Given Kudos: 193
Status:The Best Or Nothing
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Technology
WE:Information Technology (Computer Software)
Posts: 1,534
Kudos: 8,102
 [1]
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
100 - 74 = 26

The last 2 digits of the term would be 26; all else would be 9

99999999......26

Important rule:

Sum of ANY NUMBER added to 9 would give the SAME value of itself

For example; Consider number = 13

Sum of digits = 1+3 = 4

Adding 9 to 13 = 22 = 2+2 = 4

So the sum would always remain the same;


Back to our problem

99999999......26 = The sum of this number will add up to 2+6 = 8

From the options available, A & B can be discarded

9x1 = 9
9x2= 18
9x3= 27
9x4= 36
9x5= 45
9x6= 54
9x7= 63
9x8= 72 ........................................ 48th time
9x9= 81
9x10=90


99999999......26

\(10^{50}- 74\) means 9 would be repeated 48 times; so last digit would be 2

Now we have 2+2+6 = 10 (Last digit is 0)

Only option C best fits = 440

Answer = C
User avatar
dave13
Joined: 09 Mar 2016
Last visit: 12 Aug 2025
Posts: 1,108
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 3,851
Posts: 1,108
Kudos: 1,113
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
udaymathapati
If 10^{50}-74 is written as an integer in base 10 notation, what is the sum of the digits in
that integer?
A. 424
B. 433
C. 440
D. 449
E. 467


\(10^{50}\) has 51 digits (1 followed by 50 zeros). \(10^{50}-74\) has 50 digits: last 2 digits are 2 and 6 (26) and first 48 digits are 9's.

Like 1,000-74=926.

So the sum of the digits is \(9*48+2+6=440\).

Answer: C.

generis can you please explain ? :-)

i dont understand how after \(10^{50}-74\) we have 50 digits :?

And how we get "last 2 digits are 2 and 6 (26) and first 48 digits are 9's" :?
User avatar
generis
User avatar
Senior SC Moderator
Joined: 22 May 2016
Last visit: 18 Jun 2022
Posts: 5,272
Own Kudos:
37,389
 [10]
Given Kudos: 9,464
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 5,272
Kudos: 37,389
 [10]
5
Kudos
Add Kudos
5
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
dave13
Bunuel
udaymathapati
If 10^{50}-74 is written as an integer in base 10 notation, what is the sum of the digits in
that integer?
A. 424
B. 433
C. 440
D. 449
E. 467
\(10^{50}\) has 51 digits (1 followed by 50 zeros). \(10^{50}-74\) has 50 digits: last 2 digits are 2 and 6 (26) and first 48 digits are 9's.

Like 1,000-74=926.

So the sum of the digits is \(9*48+2+6=440\).

Answer: C.
generis can you please explain ? :-)

i dont understand how after \(10^{50}-74\) we have 50 digits :?

And how we get "last 2 digits are 2 and 6 (26) and first 48 digits are 9's" :?
dave13 , I've seen you use patterns. Good instinct. Use a pattern. (I think you missed the "1,000" pattern above.)

In other words, when exponents are huge, we can replicate the question with exponents that are manageable.
Make the powers of 10 smaller and test a few.

First we have to figure out what the digits ARE. That's just subtraction. Start with 100. (You could start with 1,000, which would be a little more accurate. 1,000 - 74 = 926. There is a 9. But, see below, 26 is always there.)

Given (100-74), what is the sum of the digits?*
100-74 = 26. Sum of the digits? (2+6)=8

How many digits in the answer? TWO. You wrote: "i dont understand how after \(10^{50}-74\) we have 50 digits"

The exponent, 50, gives us a clue, but we will not see that clue until after we go further with the earlier pattern.
100 = 10\(^2\). How many digits in \(10^2 -74?\) TWO digits in the answer, 26

The exponent is a clue only. Simple subtraction, with a few examples will tell us how many digits. So let's go higher by powers of 10:
10\(^3\) = 1,000
10\(^4\) = 10,000
10\(^5\) = 100,000

Subtract 74 from each one. (Writing on paper really shows the pattern. Formatting here is hard):
(1,000 - 76) = 926
(10,000-76) = 9,926
100,000-76 = 99,926

\((10^3 - 74)\) has THREE digits. One 9, and 26
\((10^4 - 74)\) has FOUR digits. Two 9s, and 26
\((10^5 - 74)\) has FIVE digits. Three 9s, and 26

1) We are getting the same number of digits as the exponent on 10
2) The last two digits will always be 26
3) We have to borrow to move the initial 1 to next place to the right and turn it into a 9.
So: (1) there are repeated 9s, and (2) there are only 9s until 26.
4) How many 9s? Exactly TWO fewer than 10's exponent (because 2 and 6 "use up" two of the digits)

Finally, SUM of the digits?
Back to the pattern:

Increasing powers of 10 (100, 1000, 10000) minus 74
produce an answer that has exactly the same number of digits as the exponent on the 10 has.
10\(^3\) has 3 digits: a 9, a 2 and a 6.
We need to know the number of digits so that we know how many 9s there are.
[Those digits will consist of varying quantities of the number 9, plus one numeral 2 and one numeral 6).

(1,000 - 76) = 926
(10,000-76) = 9,926
100,000-76 = 99,926
\(10^3 - 74 = ((1*9)+26)=(9+26)=35\)
\(10^4-74 = ((2*9)+26)) =(18+26)=44\)
\(10^5-74= ((3*9)+26))=(27+26)=53\)


Try extrapolating from the pattern above to answer this question:
What is the sum of the digits of \(10^{50} - 74\)?

We get:
1) the number of 9s will be exactly two fewer than the exponent on the 10, so:
10\(^{50}\) = (50 - 2) = 48 instances of the number 9
2) there will also be one 2 and one 6
3) the sum of the digits is
(48 * 9) = 432 (that part takes care of summing the 9s). Then add the 2:
(432 + 2) = 434. Then add the 6 and we are done.
(434 + 6) = 440

Hope that helps. :)


*A fancy way to ask that question: If \(10^{2} - 74\) is written as an integer in base 10 notation, what is the sum of the digits in that integer?

Does that help? :-)
User avatar
vishnusheth
Joined: 17 Sep 2018
Last visit: 03 Aug 2020
Posts: 8
Own Kudos:
8
 [1]
Given Kudos: 195
Location: India
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
If (10^50) – 74 is written as an integer in base 10 notation, what is the sum of the digits in that integer?

A. 424
B. 433
C. 440
D. 449
E. 467

Based 10 notation, or decimal notation, is just a way of writing a number using 10 digits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 0 (usual way), in contrast, for example, to binary numeral system (base-2 number system) notation.

\(10^{50}\) has 51 digits: 1 followed by 50 zeros;
\(10^{50}-74\) has 50 digits: 48 9's and 26 in the end;

So, the sum of the digits of \(10^{50}-74\) equals to 48*9+2+6=440.

Answer: C.

Hope it helps.

For once I did it exactly the way Bunuel did it. I came up here to check if what I did was the right way and not only did I get it right but it's exactly the way Bunuel explained it. This is the first time in my almost a year's time on Gmatclub!



I guess this calls for an ice-cream :inlove:
User avatar
ScottTargetTestPrep
User avatar
Target Test Prep Representative
Joined: 14 Oct 2015
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 21,716
Own Kudos:
26,996
 [7]
Given Kudos: 300
Status:Founder & CEO
Affiliations: Target Test Prep
Location: United States (CA)
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 21,716
Kudos: 26,996
 [7]
4
Kudos
Add Kudos
3
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
minnu
If \(10^{50} – 74\) is written as an integer in base 10 notation, what is the sum of the digits in that integer?

A. 424
B. 433
C. 440
D. 449
E. 467

Solution:

Consider a simpler version of the problem: 10^4 - 74. We see that 10^4 is the 5-digit number 10,000, and from it we subtract 74. The answer is a 4-digit number whose last 2 digits are 2 and 6, and all other digits are 9’s. In this case, the answer is 9926, and the sum of the digits is 9 + 9 + 2 + 6 = 26.

Similarly, 10^50 is a 51-digit number, and the difference 10^50 - 74 is a 50-digit number. The first 48 digits are 9, and the last two digits are 2 and 6. Therefore, the sum of the digits is 48 x 9 + 2 + 6 = 440.

Answer: C
avatar
darklord21
Joined: 10 Jun 2020
Last visit: 16 Dec 2022
Posts: 9
Own Kudos:
7
 [1]
Given Kudos: 101
Posts: 9
Kudos: 7
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
A very simple approach to solve this problem would be to break down the terms into notations of 10
10^50 - (10^2-26)
(10^50 - 10^2) +26
10^2(10^48-1) + 26
100( 999.......48 times) + 26
(99999....48times 00) + 26
= 48*9 + 8
= 440 (C)
User avatar
Oppenheimer1945
Joined: 16 Jul 2019
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 784
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 223
Location: India
GMAT Focus 1: 645 Q90 V76 DI80
GPA: 7.81
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
1000-74=926

10^n-74=999...(n-2) times 26

10^50-74=9999...(48 times)26
Sum=48*9+8=(50-2)*9+8=450-10
User avatar
ablatt4
Joined: 18 Dec 2024
Last visit: 24 Sep 2025
Posts: 89
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 89
Location: United States (FL)
Concentration: Finance
Posts: 89
Kudos: 2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
First instinct for me was to try and solve for the number which is too long to write out. If we remember that 10^1 has 1 0 after the 1 and 10^2 has 2 we can follow this pattern.
By subtracting 26 we convert all of those 0s into 9s and the last 2 will be 100-74=26 which translates to 9(48) + 2+6.
9*50=450-9(2)=432+2+6=440

C is correct
Bunuel
If (10^50) – 74 is written as an integer in base 10 notation, what is the sum of the digits in that integer?

A. 424
B. 433
C. 440
D. 449
E. 467

Based 10 notation, or decimal notation, is just a way of writing a number using 10 digits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 0 (usual way), in contrast, for example, to binary numeral system (base-2 number system) notation.

\(10^{50}\) has 51 digits: 1 followed by 50 zeros;
\(10^{50}-74\) has 50 digits: 48 9's and 26 in the end;

So, the sum of the digits of \(10^{50}-74\) equals to 48*9+2+6=440.

Answer: C.

Hope it helps.
User avatar
ablatt4
Joined: 18 Dec 2024
Last visit: 24 Sep 2025
Posts: 89
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 89
Location: United States (FL)
Concentration: Finance
Posts: 89
Kudos: 2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
10^50 is just 1 followed by 50 0s, if we were to subtract 74 from that number all of those 0s would become 9s (to prove try it with 10^4-74) and the last 2 digits will be 100-74=26
If we have 50 total digits and 2 are not 9s the rest must be 9s therefore we have 48(9) +2+6 = 432+8 = 440

C

minnu
If \(10^{50} – 74\) is written as an integer in base 10 notation, what is the sum of the digits in that integer?

A. 424
B. 433
C. 440
D. 449
E. 467
Moderators:
Math Expert
105390 posts
Tuck School Moderator
805 posts