Ok. The problem looks so huge when we see it initially. (Actually i didn't apply this shortcut so it took me almost 5 mins to solve this by identifying the cyclicity alone, and in a way i am putting up this explanation to help me memorize this technique).
\(5555^{2222} + 2222^{5555}\) has to be first reduced to simpler nos in the base. Understanding the modulo theorems, we know,
\((a + b) mod m ≡ [ a(mod m) + b(mod m)]mod m\)
Also,
\( a^b mod m ≡ [[a (mod m)]^ b]mod m\).
We get
\([5555^{2222} + 2222^{5555} ] (mod 7) ≡ [4^{2222} (mod 7) + 3^{5555} (mod 7)] mod 7\).
Now applying Eulers totient function, which say
If \( gcd(a,n)=1 \) , then
\( a^{φ(n)}≡1 mod n\).
Since 7 is prime, φ(n) = n-1 = 7-1 = 6.
The
Euler's Totient Function, denoted as φ(n), counts how many
positive integers less than or equal to n are
coprime to
n.
φ(n)=number of integers k such that 1≤k≤n, gcd(k,n)=1

Since 7 is prime, φ(n) = n-1 = 7-1 = 6, So we have to turn the powers into multiples of 6. So,
\([5555^{2222} + 2222^{5555} ] (mod 7) ≡ [4^{2222} (mod 7) + 3^{5555} (mod 7)] mod 7\)
can be rewritten as,
\([4^{2220} (mod 7) .4^2 (mod 7) + 3^{5550} (mod 7) .3^5 (mod 7)] mod 7\)
As,
\(3^{5550} (mod 7)= 4^{2220} (mod 7)=1\),
we get,
\([4^2 (mod 7) + 3^5 (mod 7)] mod 7\)
\([16 (mod 7) + 243 (mod 7)] mod 7\)
\([2 + 5 ] mod 7\)
=0.
Option A.
Bunuel
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