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Bunuel
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I think this is a high-quality question and I agree with explanation.
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Are there any more practice questions for such type of questions please? Thank you.

Bunuel
Official Solution:

What is the units digit of \(66^6 - 5^{55}\)?

A. \(0\)
B. \(1\)
C. \(5\)
D. \(6\)
E. \(9\)


A number with the units digit of 6, in any positive integer power, will have 6 as its units digit. So, the units digit of \(66^6\) is 6.

A number with the units digit of 5, in any positive integer power, will have 5 as its units digit. So, the units digit of \(5^{55}\) is 5.

Here, you have to be careful and not assume that the units digit of \(66^6 - 5^{55}\) will be \(6 - 5 = 1\) because you should notice that \(5^{55}\) is MUCH larger number than \(66^6\). Why? \(5^{55}=5^{5*11}=(5^5)^{11}\). Now, \(5^5>66\) and \(11>6\), thus \((5^5)^{11}>66^6\).

Therefore, the units digit of \(66^6 - 5^{55}\) will be \(\{ smaller \ number \ with \ the \ units \ digit \ of \ 6 \} - \{ larger \ number \ with \ the \ units \ digit \ of \ 5\} = 9\). For example, \(16-25=-9\)


Answer: E
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lynnglenda
Are there any more practice questions for such type of questions please? Thank you.

Bunuel
Official Solution:

What is the units digit of \(66^6 - 5^{55}\)?

A. \(0\)
B. \(1\)
C. \(5\)
D. \(6\)
E. \(9\)


A number with the units digit of 6, in any positive integer power, will have 6 as its units digit. So, the units digit of \(66^6\) is 6.

A number with the units digit of 5, in any positive integer power, will have 5 as its units digit. So, the units digit of \(5^{55}\) is 5.

Here, you have to be careful and not assume that the units digit of \(66^6 - 5^{55}\) will be \(6 - 5 = 1\) because you should notice that \(5^{55}\) is MUCH larger number than \(66^6\). Why? \(5^{55}=5^{5*11}=(5^5)^{11}\). Now, \(5^5>66\) and \(11>6\), thus \((5^5)^{11}>66^6\).

Therefore, the units digit of \(66^6 - 5^{55}\) will be \(\{ smaller \ number \ with \ the \ units \ digit \ of \ 6 \} - \{ larger \ number \ with \ the \ units \ digit \ of \ 5\} = 9\). For example, \(16-25=-9\)


Answer: E

Units digits, exponents, remainders problems to practice: https://gmatclub.com/forum/units-digits ... 75004.html

Hope it helps.
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nice question! I missed the catch here
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I think this is a high-quality question and I agree with explanation.
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high quality question
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I think this is a high-quality question and I agree with explanation. Great question. In the hurry of solving the question I didn't notice the trap.
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I think this is a high-quality question and I agree with explanation.
Little things like these are easy to miss.
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I have edited the question and the solution by adding more details to enhance its clarity. I hope it is now easier to understand.
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there is no option of -9
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deepak.brijendra
there is no option of -9

The units digit is always a non-negative integer from 0 to 9, so is cannot be -9. The fact that we got -9 means that the units digit is 9.
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I think this is a high-quality question and I agree with explanation. Good tricky question
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I think this is a high-quality question and I agree with explanation.
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Bunuel
What is the units digit of \(66^6 - 5^{55}\)?

A. \(0\)
B. \(1\)
C. \(5\)
D. \(6\)
E. \(9\)

Responding to a pm:


Take an easier example first:

What's the units digit of 6^3 - 5^2 ?
We know that 6^3 ends in 6 and 5^2 ends in 5. We also know that 6^3 is greater than 5^2. It will be
216 - 25 = ... 1
The units digit will be 1.


What's the units digit of 6^2 - 5^3 ?
We know that 6^3 ends in 6 and 5^2 ends in 5. But now 6^2 is less than 5^3
So we will get 36 - 125 = - 89
Because the absolute value of the negative term is higher, we do 125 - 36 and give it a negative sign.

This question is the same. 66^6 will be much smaller than 5^55. So it will end in a 9.

Answer (E)
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I like the solution - it’s helpful.
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Hi Bunuel, is there a trick or method to figure out which exponent will be higher? For example if we have 45^46, 46^39, 5^70 etc.

Thank you so much!!
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crimsonfawkes
Hi Bunuel, is there a trick or method to figure out which exponent will be higher? For example if we have 45^46, 46^39, 5^70 etc.

Thank you so much!!

Each case is different and will require its own method to decide.
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