Last visit was: 24 Apr 2026, 08:42 It is currently 24 Apr 2026, 08:42
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
User avatar
sarb
Joined: 12 May 2012
Last visit: 27 Aug 2012
Posts: 15
Own Kudos:
1,593
 [13]
Given Kudos: 19
Location: United States
Concentration: Technology, Human Resources
Posts: 15
Kudos: 1,593
 [13]
Kudos
Add Kudos
13
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 24 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,814
Own Kudos:
811,024
 [3]
Given Kudos: 105,871
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,814
Kudos: 811,024
 [3]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
pike
User avatar
Current Student
Joined: 08 Jan 2009
Last visit: 27 Dec 2020
Posts: 245
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 7
GMAT 1: 770 Q50 V46
GMAT 1: 770 Q50 V46
Posts: 245
Kudos: 505
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
geometric
Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Last visit: 15 Feb 2017
Posts: 243
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 38
Weight: 170lbs
GMAT 1: 740 Q48 V42
GMAT 2: 760 Q50 V42
WE:Analyst (Other)
GMAT 2: 760 Q50 V42
Posts: 243
Kudos: 907
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
sarb
If a number (N) is divisible by 33, what will be the minimum value of k, such that Nk should definitely be divisible by 27?

1
2
3
4
6

I guess it should be N^k instead of Nk.

Given that N is divisible by 33=3*11. Now, in order N^k to be divisible by 27=3^3 then k must be at least 3 in order N^k to have enough 3's.

Answer: C.

Thanks as usual, Bunuel. Could you help me wrap my head around this some more?

So N is divisible by 3*11
and N^k is divisible by 3*3*3.

So why exactly does the minimum value for k only need to be 3? Could you possibly use some example values here?
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 24 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,814
Own Kudos:
811,024
 [1]
Given Kudos: 105,871
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,814
Kudos: 811,024
 [1]
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
[youtube][/youtube]
vandygrad11
Bunuel
sarb
If a number (N) is divisible by 33, what will be the minimum value of k, such that Nk should definitely be divisible by 27?

1
2
3
4
6

I guess it should be N^k instead of Nk.

Given that N is divisible by 33=3*11. Now, in order N^k to be divisible by 27=3^3 then k must be at least 3 in order N^k to have enough 3's.

Answer: C.

Thanks as usual, Bunuel. Could you help me wrap my head around this some more?

So N is divisible by 3*11
and N^k is divisible by 3*3*3.

So why exactly does the minimum value for k only need to be 3? Could you possibly use some example values here?

N^k to be divisible by 3^3 should have 3^3 as a factor and since N has only one 3 in its prime factorization then k must be at least 3.
User avatar
vomhorizon
Joined: 03 Sep 2012
Last visit: 30 Mar 2018
Posts: 352
Own Kudos:
1,129
 [1]
Given Kudos: 47
Location: United States
Concentration: Healthcare, Strategy
GMAT 1: 730 Q48 V42
GPA: 3.88
WE:Medicine and Health (Healthcare/Pharmaceuticals)
GMAT 1: 730 Q48 V42
Posts: 352
Kudos: 1,129
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
N is divisible by 33 ...

Prime factors of 33 are 3 x 11 ...

Therefore N has at the least one three and one eleven as its prime factors ..

Now N^k should be divisible by 27 i.e. 3 x 3 x 3

In order for N^K to be divisible by 27 , N^k must contain at least 3 three's .. In order for N^k to be DEFINITELY divisible by 27 it needs to have at least 3 3's as its prime factors .. we know that n has at least one 3 , therefore it needs three 3's , thus min possible value of k is 3 , and that would occur if n has exactly one three as one of its prime factor .. The max value for k would obviously be anything more than 3 uptil infinite ...

Therefore answer is 3 (C)
User avatar
ScottTargetTestPrep
User avatar
Target Test Prep Representative
Joined: 14 Oct 2015
Last visit: 24 Apr 2026
Posts: 22,283
Own Kudos:
26,534
 [1]
Given Kudos: 302
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: 22,283
Kudos: 26,534
 [1]
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
sarb
If a number (N) is divisible by 33, what will be the minimum value of k, such that N^k should definitely be divisible by 27?

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. 6

Since N is divisible by 33, we see that N has, at a minimum, one prime factor of 3. In order for N^k/27 = integer, we see that N must have at least three primes of 3 (since 27 has three factors of 3), and thus the minimum value of k would have to be 3, since 33^3 = 3^3 x 11^3 = 27 x 11^3.

Answer: C
User avatar
shaliny
Joined: 30 Oct 2023
Last visit: 24 Apr 2026
Posts: 120
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 988
Products:
Posts: 120
Kudos: 26
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
would you please elaborate it , i didn't get it?
Bunuel
sarb
If a number (N) is divisible by 33, what will be the minimum value of k, such that N^K should definitely be divisible by 27?

1
2
3
4
6


Given that N is divisible by 33=3*11. Now, in order N^k to be divisible by 27=3^3 then k must be at least 3 in order N^k to have enough 3's.

Answer: C.
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 24 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,814
Own Kudos:
811,024
 [1]
Given Kudos: 105,871
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,814
Kudos: 811,024
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
shaliny
would you please elaborate it , i didn't get it?
Bunuel
sarb
If a number (N) is divisible by 33, what will be the minimum value of k, such that N^K should definitely be divisible by 27?

1
2
3
4
6


Given that N is divisible by 33=3*11. Now, in order N^k to be divisible by 27=3^3 then k must be at least 3 in order N^k to have enough 3's.

Answer: C.

N is divisible by 33, so it has one factor of 3.

To get 3^3 = 27 in N^k, we need three factors of 3.

So, k must be at least 3.
Moderators:
Math Expert
109814 posts
Tuck School Moderator
853 posts