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Answer A
Take 2: 2^7-2= 126/42=3 and 0 as remainder
Take 3: 37-3= 2187-3/42=52 and 0 as remainder
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Bunuel
If n is a positive integer, what is the remainder when \(n^7 – n\) is divided by 42?

A. 0
B. 1
C. 3
D. 5
E. Cannot be determined.


Are You Up For the Challenge: 700 Level Questions

First, we can factor the common n from each term:

n(n^6 - 1)

We now have a difference of squares, which can be factored:
n(n^3 - 1)(n^3 + 1)

We can factor (n^3 - 1) as a difference3 of cubes and (n^3 + 1) as a sum of cubes, obtaining:

n(n - 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1)

Rearranging the factors, we have:

(n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1)

We see that (n - 1)(n)(n + 1) is a product of 3 consecutive integers, which is always divisible by 3! = 6. However, to be divisible by 42, it also needs to be divisible by 7 since 42 = 6 x 7. To see if the expression is divisible by 7, we can substitute n by all the remainders from division by 7 (i.e., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6):

If n = 0, (n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1) = 0, which is divisible by 7.

If n = 1, (n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1) = 0, which is divisible by 7.

If n = 2, (n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1) = (1)(2)(3)(7)(3), which is divisible by 7.

If n = 3, (n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1) = (2)(3)(4)(13)(7), which is divisible by 7.

If n = 4, (n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1) = (3)(4)(5)(21)(13), which is divisible by 7.

If n = 5, (n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1) = (4)(5)(6)(31)(21), which is divisible by 7.

If n = 6, (n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1) = (5)(6)(7)(43)(31), which is divisible by 7.

As we can see, since all the values of n from 0 to 6, inclusive, yield a value of the expression that is divisible by 7, we see that n^7 - n is divisible by both 6 and 7, which makes it divisible by 42. Thus, the remainder when the expression is divided by 42 is 0.

[Note: The reason we can just use the 7 remainders from division by 7 is that all other integers will “behave” like one of these 7 remainders. For example, if n = 15 and since 15/7 = 2 R 1, 15 “behaves” like 2.]

Answer: A
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Bunuel
If n is a positive integer, what is the remainder when \(n^7 – n\) is divided by 42?

A. 0
B. 1
C. 3
D. 5
E. Cannot be determined.


Are You Up For the Challenge: 700 Level Questions

let n=1
1^7-1=0
0/42 leaves remainder of 0
A
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Bunuel
If n is a positive integer, what is the remainder when \(n^7 – n\) is divided by 42?

A. 0
B. 1
C. 3
D. 5
E. Cannot be determined.



First, we can factor the common n from each term:

n(n^6 - 1)

We now have a difference of squares, which can be factored:
n(n^3 - 1)(n^3 + 1)

We can factor (n^3 - 1) as a difference3 of cubes and (n^3 + 1) as a sum of cubes, obtaining:

n(n - 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1)

Rearranging the factors, we have:

(n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1)

We see that (n - 1)(n)(n + 1) is a product of 3 consecutive integers, which is always divisible by 3! = 6. However, to be divisible by 42, it also needs to be divisible by 7 since 42 = 6 x 7. To see if the expression is divisible by 7, we can substitute n by all the remainders from division by 7 (i.e., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6):

If n = 0, (n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1) = 0, which is divisible by 7.

If n = 1, (n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1) = 0, which is divisible by 7.

If n = 2, (n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1) = (1)(2)(3)(7)(3), which is divisible by 7.

If n = 3, (n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1) = (2)(3)(4)(13)(7), which is divisible by 7.

If n = 4, (n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1) = (3)(4)(5)(21)(13), which is divisible by 7.

If n = 5, (n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1) = (4)(5)(6)(31)(21), which is divisible by 7.

If n = 6, (n - 1)(n)(n + 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1) = (5)(6)(7)(43)(31), which is divisible by 7.

As we can see, since all the values of n from 0 to 6, inclusive, yield a value of the expression that is divisible by 7, we see that n^7 - n is divisible by both 6 and 7, which makes it divisible by 42. Thus, the remainder when the expression is divided by 42 is 0.

[Note: The reason we can just use the 7 remainders from division by 7 is that all other integers will “behave” like one of these 7 remainders. For example, if n = 15 and since 15/7 = 2 R 1, 15 “behaves” like 2.]

Answer: A

I got to the part: n(n - 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1)

And then here's my logic:

(n-1)n(n+1) is always divisible by 3 and 2. So we got T = n^7-n is divisible by 6.

With divisibility by 7: n can have 6 remainders when divided by 7: r(emainder) = {0; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6}

r = 1. (n-1) is divisible by 7. T is divisible by 42
r = 2. n = 7k+2. So n^2 +n +1 = ... + 2^2 + ... + 2 + 1 = 7. So T is divisible by 42.
r = 3. n = 7k+3. So n^2 - n +1 = ... + 3^2 - ... - 3 + 1 = 7. So T is divisible by 42.
r =4. n = 7k+4. So n^2 + n +1 = ... + 4^2 + ... + 4 + 1 = 21. So T is divisible by 42.
r =5. n = 7k+5. So n^2 - n +1 = ... + 5^2 - ... - 5 +1 = 21. So T is divisible by 42.
r =6. (n+1) is divisible by 7. So T is divisible by 42.

IMO A.
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Asked: If n is a positive integer, what is the remainder when \(n^7 – n\) is divided by 42?

n^7 - n = n (n^6-1) = n(n^3-1)(n^3+1) = n(n-1)(n^2+n+1)(n+1)(n^2-n+1)
n(n-1)(n+1) is divisible by 6.

n^7-n is also divisible by 7. Confirmed after checking for n=1,2,3,4,...

n^7-n is divisible by 6*7 = 42

The remainder when \(n^7 – n\) is divided by 42 = 0

IMO A
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i do the same as you but for the 7, it will take for more than 2 minute to calculate it so is there any other way
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KarishmaB MartyMurray please comment. As the part to check divisibiloty by 7 definitely takes over 2 mins.
nguyen11223344
i do the same as you but for the 7, it will take for more than 2 minute to calculate it so is there any other way
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lacktutor
If n is a positive integer, what is the remainder when \(n^{7}–n\) is divided by 42?
42= 2*3*7

\(n^{7}–n= n*(n^6-1)= n*(n^3-1)(n^3+1)= n(n-1)(n^2+n+1)(n+1)(n^2-n+1)\\
\)

--> \(n(n-1)(n+1)(n^2+n+1)(n^2-n+1)= n(n-1)(n+1)(n^4+n^2+1)\)
Consecutive three integers \((n-1)(n)(n+1)\) can be divided by 6.

Also, we have to check whether 7 is a factor of \(n^7-n.\)
n -positive integer:
--> if \(n =1\), then n^7-n= 0
--> if \(n=2\), then \((n^4+n^2+1)= n^{2}(n^{2}+1) +1= 4*5+1= 21\) (yes)
--> if \(n=3\), then \(n^{2}(n^{2}+1) +1= 9*10+1= 91\) (yes)
--> if \(n=4\), then \(n^{2}(n^{2}+1) +1= 16*17 +1= 273= 7*39\) (yes )
......

In any positive integer of n, \(42\) is divided by \(n^{7}-n \)
The remainder will be \(0\)

The answer is A.


I don’t understand the first bit after n(n3-1)(n3+1)
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nandini14



I don’t understand the first bit after n(n3-1)(n3+1)

\(n^7–n= n(n^6-1)= n(n^3-1)(n^3+1)= n(n - 1)(n^2 + n + 1)(n + 1)(n^2 - n + 1)\)

n^3 - 1 is the difference of cubes, n^3 and 1^3. For that there is a formula:

a^3 - b^3 = (a - b)(a^2 + ab + b^2)

So, n^3 - 1 = (n - 1)(n^2 + n + 1)

Similarly, n^3 + 1 is the sum of cubes, n^3 and 1^3. For that there is a formula:

a^3 + b^3 = (a + b)(a^2 - ab + b^2)
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