QA – Second Last digit

Second Last digit

Cyclicity
There lies the cyclicity of tens' place digit of all the digits. This is given below:
Digits Cyclicity
2, 3, 8- 20
4, 9- 10
5- 1
6- 5
7- 4
Example: What is the tens' place digit of 1242?
For this, we need to break 1242 first by using binomial theorem as (10 + 2)42. Obviously this
expression will have 43 terms, and out of these 43 terms first 41 terms will have both of
their tens and units place digit as 0.
42
Last two terms will be C41 101 241 + 42C42 x 10° 242
Now, we will find the tens' place digit of all these terms individually.
Tens digit of 42C41 101 241 = 42 10 (02) [Cyclicity of 2 is 20, so 241 will have same tens
digits as 21] = 840, so 40 are the last two digits.
Similarly, 42C42x 10°x 242= 1 x 1 x 04 = 04
So, finally last two digits are —> 40 + 04 = 44, so 4 is the tens' place digit.

OR ALTERNATIVELY
Since we know that cyclicity of 2 i.e. the last digit of 12 is 20. Therefore for finding the
last 2 digits of 242 we only consider 22 = 4

Last two digits of numbers ending in 1

Example:41534?

Solution: 41534 = (40 + 1)534 = 534C0 × 400 ×1534 + 533C1 × 401 × 1533 + 532C2 × 402 × 1532 +
..., Note that all the terms after the second term will end in two or more zeroes. The
first two terms are 534C0 × 400 ×1534 and 533C1 × 401 × 1533. Now, the second term will
end with one zero and the tens digit of the second term will be the product of 534 and
4 i.e. 6. Therefore, the last two digits of the second term will be 60. The last two digits
of the first term is 01. So the last two digits of 41534 are 61.

The shortcut is

Multiply the ten’s digit of the number (4 here) with the last digit of the exponent (4
here) to get the ten’s digit. The unit’s digit will always be 1.

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QA – Second Last digit

Here are some more examples:

211569: Last 2 digits will be 81 (2 ×9 = 18). Therefore, 8 will be the tens digit and one will
be the units digit)

6124684: Last 2 digits will be 41 (6×4 = 24). Therefore, 4 will be the tens digit and one
will be the units digit)

714838: Last 2 digits will be 61 (7 ×8 = 56). Therefore, 6 will be the tens digit and one will
be the units digit)

Last two digits of 41236 × 81147

The last two digits of 41236 will be 41 and the last two digits of 81147 will be 61.
Therefore, the last two digits of 41236 × 81147 will be the last two digits of 41 ×61 :01

Last two digits of numbers ending in 3, 7 or 9

Find the last two digits of 29146.

29146 = (292)73. Now, 292 ends in 41 (292 = 841) therefore, we need to find the last two
digits of (41)73.

Once the number is ending in 1 we can straight away get the last two digits with the
help of the previous method. The last two digits are 21 (4 ×3 = 12, so the tens digit will
be 2 and last digit will be 1)

Last two digits of 53428.

53428 = (534)107. Now 534 ends in 21 (534 = 532 × 532 = 2809 × 2809 = xxxxx81) therefore,
we need to find the last two digits of 81107. By the previous method, the last two digits
of 81107 = 61 (tens digit = 8 × 7 = 6, unit digit = 1)

Shortcut:

If there is a number ending in 3 or 7 or 9, then convert the number into a number with
last digit as 1 and find the last 2 digits

Last two digits of 67638.

67638 = 67636 ×672 = (674)159 ×672 = (89 × 89)159 × 89 (The last two digits of 672 are 89) =
21159 × 89 = 81 × 89 = 09

Last two digits of numbers ending in 2, 4, 6 or 8

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QA – Second Last digit

There is only one even two-digit number which always ends in itself (last two digits) - 76
i.e. 76 raised to any power gives the last two digits as 76. Therefore, our purpose is to
get 76 as last two digits for even numbers. We know that 24 2 ends in 76 and 2 10 ends in
24. Also, 24 raised to an even power always ends with 76 and 24 raised to an odd
power always ends with 24. Therefore, 24 34 will end in 76 and 24 53 will end in 24.

Find the last two digits of 2 247.

2247 = (210)24 ×27 = (24)24 (24 raised to an even power) ×27 = 76 × 128 = 28

(NOTE: Here if you need to multiply 76 with 2 n, then you can straightaway write the last
two digits of 2 n because when 76 is multiplied with 2 n the last two digits remain the
same as the last two digits of 2 n. Therefore, the last two digits of 76 × 27 will be the last
two digits of 2 7 = 28)

Last two digits of 32536.

32536 = (25)536 = 22680 = (210)268 = 24268 (24 raised to even power) = 24

Now those numbers which are not in the form of 2n can be broken down into the form
2n odd number. We can find the last two digits of both the parts separately.

Last two digits of 82354.

82354 = (2 × 41)354 = 2354 × 41354 = (210)35 × 24 × 41354 = 24 × 16 × 61 = 24

Find the last two digits of 74480.

74480 = (2 × 37)480 = 2480 × 37480 = (210)38 × (374)285 = 76 x (61)285 = 76 × 01 = 76.

Last two digits of 56 283.

56283 = (23 × 7)283 = 2849 × 7283 = (210)84 × 29 × (74)70 × 73 = 76 × 12 × (01)70 ×43 = 16

Find the last two digits of 78 379.

78379 = (2 × 39)379 = 2379 × 39379 = (210)37 × 29 × (392)189 × 39 = 24 × 12 × 81 × 39 = 92

Last two digits of numbers ending in 0 or 5

If the last digit in abcpqr is 0 then the second last digit will be 0 and if it is 5, second last digit
will be 2 or 7

Let us consider our number is abcpqr where a, b, c, p, q and r are digits and c is not 0 or 5.

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QA – Second Last digit

A) Last digit is odd?

The second last digit always depends on the last two digits of the number so anything
before that can be easily neglected. We first convert the number in such a way that the last
digit of the base becomes 1. If the last digit is odd i.e. 3 or 7 or 9 (5 is much simpler) then
we can always convert it into a number whose last digit is 1.The second last digit of the
number will then simply be,

Last digit of (Second last digit of base) X (Last digit of power) X (Last digit of the remaining
part)

Eg: 2569569 : We know that 92 is a number ending in 1. So we write 2569569 as (25692)284 X

2569

Let find the last 2 digits of (25692)284

Now for finding the last 2 digits of 25692 we need to consider only the last 2 digits i.e. 39
and can ignore 25. Therefore last 2 digits of 25692 will be same as the last 2 digits of 692
which is 61 (again using the rule regarding the common last 2 digits concept).

So the last 2 digits of (25692) 284 will be same as the last 2 digits of (692) 284 or same as the
last 2 digits of (61) 284

We know the method for calculating the last 2 digits of a number ending in 1. So the last 2
digits of (61) 284 is 41

So the last 2 digits of (25692)284 X 2569 will be same as last 2 digits of 41 X 69 which is 29

Eg: 5627468 = Second last digit of 27468 = Second last digit of (274) 117 = Second last digit of
(29) 117 = Second Last digit of (292) 58 X 29 = Second Last digit of (41) 58 X29= Second last digit
of 21 X 29 which is 09

B) Last digit is even

We need to remember the following ideas:

 Any number ending with 2 when raised to power of 10 will always end in 24.
 24 raised to an even power will always end in 76 and to an odd power will always
end in 24.
 76 raised to any power will always end in 76.

Now we can use these to find out the second last digit. We reduce the number in such a way
that the last two digits of the base become 76.

Eg: 1572242

Second last digit of 72242

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QA – Second Last digit

Second last digit of 72240 x 722

Second last digit of (7210) 24 x (84)

Second last digit of 2424 x (84)

Second last digit of 76 x 84 = 8

Eg: 15484 = Second last digit of (54) 84

Second last digit of (545) 16 x 544 = (***24) 16 x (542) 2

Second last digit of 76 x (2916) 2

Second last digit of 76 x 56

Second last digit of 4256 = 5

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