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Power Cycle
Main Application to find the last digit of a power expression
The last digit of a number of the form a falls in a particular sequence or order depending on the unit digit of the number (a) and the power the
number is raised to (b). The power cycle of a number thus depends on its unit digit.
Consider the power cycle of 2
2 =2,2 =4,2 =8,2 =16,2 =32,2 =64,2 =128,2 =256
As it can be observed, the unit digit gets repeated after every 4th power of 2. Hence, we can say that 2 has a power cycle of 2, 4, 8, 6 with
frequency 4.
This means that, a number of the form
2 will have the last digit as 2
2 will have the last digit as 4
2 will have the last digit as 8
2 will have the last digit as 6 (where k=0, 1, 2, 3)
This is applicable not only for 2, but for all numbers ending in 2. ( eg 12 ,3452 )
b
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
4k+1
4k+2
4k+3
4k+4
32 123
Therefore to find the last digit of a number raised to any power, we just need to know the power cycle of digits from 0 to 9, which is given below
Unit digit Power cycle Frequency
0 0 1
1 1 1
2 2,4,8,6 4
3 3,9,7,1 4
4 4,6 2
5 5 1
6 6 1
7 7,9,3,1 4
8 8,4,2,6 4
9 9,1 2
APPLICATIONS OF POWER CYCLE
I. DIRECT QUESTIONS TO FIND THE UNIT DIGIT OF A POWER EXPRESSION OF THE FORM a
II. REMAINDER QUESTIONS WHERE THE DIVISIBLITY OF THE DIVISOR DEPENDS ONLY ON ITS UNIT DIGIT (eg: when the divisors
are 2, 5, 10)
Sometimes, you may get a question in the term of variables, where you need to substitute values to get the answer in the fastest
way possible.
III. POWER CYCLE QUESTIONS OCCURING IN GROUPS
In some questions, given a sequence of numbers; there will be a pattern in the unit digit which will be followed with a particular frequency.
Based on this frequency, we can form groups of the sequence of numbers. In those cases, we need to find out the frequency and we can easily
evaluate the unit digit of the entire group based on one single group.Let us understand this concept with the help of a typical example
b
Eg 1.
Find the last digit of 4
55 can be written as 4k+3
In the cycle of 4, in the third position we get 4 itself. Last digit of the expression is 4 itself
55
Eg 2.
Find the remainder when 375 is divided by 5.
Since 7 is the units digit write 34 = 4k + 2
In the cycle of 7, in the 2nd position = 9. last digit of the expression = 9
Eg 3.
Find the remainder when 375 is divided by 5.
1. Express the power in the form, 4k + x where x=1, 2, 3, 4. In this case 75 = 4k + 3.
2. Take the power cycle of the base (3) which is 3, 9, 7, 1. Since the form is 4k + 3, take the third digit in the cycle, which is 7
Any number divided by 5, the remainder will be that of the unit digit divided by 5. Hence the remainder is 2.
Eg 4.
Find the remainder when 4466 is divided by 10?
1. Express the power in the form, 4k + x where x=1, 2, 3, 4. In this case 66 = 4k + 2.
2. Take the power cycle of the base (4) which is 4, 6, 4, 6. Since the form is 4k + 2, take the second digit in the cycle, which is 6
Any number divided by 10, the remainder will be that of the unit digit divided by 10. Hence the remainder is 6.
Eg 5.
Find the unit digit of 7
Put n = 1, the problem reduces to 7 , which is 7 .
Since 81 = 4k + 1, take the first digit in the power cycle of 7, which is 7.
What is the logic behind this? Since n is a variable, whichever value of n you substitute; you have to get the same answer. We substitute n = 1
for ease of calculation. You can try substituting n = 2 as well, you will get the answer as 7.
3^4n
3^4 81
IV. TO FIND THE RIGHT MOST NON ZERO INTEGER
Useful technique to find the last 2 digits of any expression of the form a
TYPE METHOD EXAMPLES
Eg 6.
The sum of the third powers of the first 100 natural numbers will have a units digit of
(a) 3 (b) 6 (c) 9 (d) 0.
The question asks us to find 1 +2 +3 +.100
If you notice, the unit digit of 1 + 2 + ..10 is the same as the unit digit of 11 + 12 .+20 and so on till 91 + 92 + .100
Hence it is is sufficient to find the unit digit of the first group and then multiply by 10 to get the unit digit of 1 + 2 + 3 +.100
Let us find out the unit digit of each element in the first group. Using the concept of power cycle, it can be found as
Therefore units digit of 13 1003= ..5 10 = 0
Shortcut:- since there are 10 groups involved, the unit digit of the first group has to be multiplied by 10 to get the answer. There is absolutely no
need to even find the unit digit of the first group as any number multiplied by 10 gives 0 as the unit digit!!
3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3
Element Unit digit
1 1
2 8
3 7
4 4
5 5
6 6
7 3
8 2
9 9
10 0
? ..5
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Eg 7.
Find the rightmost non-zero integer of the expression 1430 + 1470 ?
(a) 3 (b) 9 (c) 7 (d) 1
It can be easily observed that 1470 has more number of zeroes as compared to 1430 . hence, the rightmost non-zero integer will depend on
the unit digit of only 1430 , which in turn will depend on the unit digit of 3
343 can written as 4k + 3
In the power cycle of 3 (3, 9, 7, 1), the third digit is 7. Hence, the last non-zero integer in the expression is 7.
What is the logic behind this? Since n is a variable, whichever value of n you substitute; you have to get the same answer. We substitute n = 1
for ease of calculation. You can try substituting n = 2 as well, you will get the answer as 7.
343 367
367 343
343 343
b
Depending on the last digit of the number in question, we can find the last two digits of that number.
We can classify the technique to be applied into
(a) Odd Numbers (b) Even Numbers
It can be easily observed that 1470 has more number of zeroes as compared to 1430 . hence, the rightmost non-zero integer will depend on
the unit digit of only 1430 , which in turn will depend on the unit digit of 3
343 can written as 4k + 3
In the power cycle of 3 (3, 9, 7, 1), the third digit is 7. Hence, the last non-zero integer in the expression is 7.
(a) Odd Numbers
367 343
343 343
1) Numbers ending in 1 The last digit is always 1. The 2 last digit = product of
tens digit of base * unit digit of the power.
21 =__41 (2 * 7=__4)
9) 41 =__ 81
nd 67
87
(B) For even Numbers
ILLUSTRATIONS
tens digit of base * unit digit of the power.
For example, In 21 ; 2 is the tens digit of base and 7 is
the unit digit of power
9) 41 =__ 81
( 4 *7= __8)
10) 1261 =__21
( 6 * 7= __2)
11) 31 =__ 21
( 3 * 4=__2)
2) Number ending with 5
Tens digit of base power Last digit Second last digit
Odd odd 5 7
Odd Even 5 2
Even Odd 5 2
even Even 5 2
12) 1555 = __ 25
3) Numbers ending in 3, 7, 9 Change the power so that the base ends with 1 and then
use the same technique as for those numbers ending with
1. eg) 3 , 7 &9 all will end in1.
67
87
167
124
34
4 4 2
It is based on the cycle of 2
i.e. 2 raised to even power ends with 76 and
* 2 raised to odd power ends with 24.
This can be used for all even numbers
10
10
10
4) For even numbers (2,4,6,8) Use the pattern of the number 1024 =2
i.e.*2 raised to even power ends with 76
and
* 2 raised to odd power ends with 24.
Note:-
76 04=04
76 08=08
76 16 =16
76 32= 32
76 64= 64
76 28= 28
76 56 = 56
10
10
10
Eg 14.
Find the last two digits of 8
8 = 2 = 2
(2 ) 2 = 76 04 = __04
234
234 3(234) 702
10 70 2
Eg 15.
What are the last two digits of 475 ?
(a) 25 (b) 50 (c) 75 (d) None of these
Ans (a)
Any number ending with 5, will always have its last two digits as 25.
23
Any number ending with 5, will always have its last two digits as 25.
Eg 16.
Find the tens digit of 74
(a) 3 (b) 6 (c) 7 (d) 8
Ans (c)
74 = (37 2)
37 2
(37 ) (2)
(3 37 ) (__56)
(69 69) (__56)
(__61) (__56)
(__21) (__56) = __76. answer is 7
288
288 288
288 288
4 72 288
72 2 --5672
72
72
Shortcut of last two digit of squares:- in the above question to get the last two digits of 372 as 69;we do not need to calculate
manually. There is a pattern which will be very useful here
The last two digits of , x , (50 x) , (50 + x) , (100 x) will always be the same. For example 1 , 38 , 62 , 88 , 112 . will all be the same. That is,
the last two digits of these numbers will always be 44 Also, last two digits of 11 = 39 = 61 =89 = 111 = 139 = 161 = 189 and so on
2 2 2 2 22 2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Eg 17.
Find the remainder when (148) is divided by 100.
(a) 06 (b) 66 (c) 56 (d) 16
Option (d)
When the question is about finding the remainder when you divide a number by 100, what we need to find out is the last two digits
(148) = (37) (4) = (374) (2) = (37 37 ) 56 (The last two digits of 37 will be the same as the last two digits of 13 = 69)
=(..69 ..69) 271 56 =(61) 56 = 61 ...56= 16
1084
1084 1084 1084 271 2168 2 2 271 2 2
271
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