Divisibility final

1
ASSIGNMENT
1. Which integers have the following property? If the last digit is deleted, the integer is divisible by the
new number.
2. Prove that n11 – n is divisible by 11
3. Prove that n37 – n is divisible by 1919190 for all positive integers ‘n’.
4. If a > 17 is odd and 3a –2 is a square. Show that there are positive integers b ≠ c that a + b, a + c, b +
c and a + b + c are all squares.
5. Prove that the expression

m5 + 3m4n – 5m3n2 – 15m2n3 + 4mn4 + 12n5
cannot the value of 33, regardless of what integers are substituted for m and n.
2
Solutions
1. Which integers have the following property? If the last digit is deleted, the integer is divisible by the
new number.
Sol: It is clear that if the last digit of an integer is deleted, the integer is reduced by a factor of at least 10.
If that final digit is zero then, of course, the number is reduced by exactly the factor 10, and so all
such numbers automatically satisfy the conditions of the problem. Assume now that if the last digit
of a number x is deleted, then the digit is reduced by an integral factor exceeding 10, say, by the
factor 10 + a(a  1). Let y be the quotient obtained by dividing x by 10. and let z be the remainder;
that is, x = 10y + z(z  9). If the last digit of x is deleted, then the deleted digit is z, and the new
number is equal to y. The condition of the problem then calls for the equation
x = (10 + a).y ,
or the equation
10y + z = (10 + a).y ,
from which we obtain
z = ay
Since z < 10, both a and y must be less than 10. Therefore, except for the numbers divisible by 10.
the only integers meeting the conditions of the problem are two-digit numbers; also, if the last digit
is deleted, the original integer can be reduced by, at most, a factor of 19(11  10 + a < 19). It is easily
shown that only the following two-digit numbers are reduced by a factor of 11 when their last digit is
deleted: 11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, 99. (If 10 + a = 11, then a = 1; hence z = ay = y, and x = l0y +
z = 11y, where y = 1, 2, 3, ….., 9.) It can be shown, in an analogous way, that the only two-digit
integers reduced by a factor of 12 upon deletion of the final digit are 12, 24, 36, 48 (z = ay = 2y,
where only y = 1, 2, 3, 4 are possible, since z < 10, and x = 12y). The numbers diminished by a
factor of 13 are 13, 26, 39; the numbers diminished by a factor of 14 are 14 and 28. It is evident that
the only numbers which can be reduced by factors of 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 are these numbers
themselves.
2. Prove that n11 – n is divisible by 11

Sol: n11 – n = n(n – l)(n + 1)(n8 + n6 + n4 + n2 + l). If n is divisible by 11 or yields the remainder 1 or 10
upon division by 11, then one of the first three factors is divisible by 11. If this remainder is either 2
or 9(n = 11k ± 2). then n2 clearly yields a remainder of 4; n4 yields a remainder of 5 = 16 -11; n6
yields a remainder of 9 = 20 – 11, and n8 yields a remainder of 3 = 25 – 22. It follows, in either case,
that n8 + n6 + n4 + n2 + 1 is divisible by 11. In the same manner we can easily verify that if one of the
remainders is ±3, ±4, or ±5 (the only remaining possibilities upon division of n by 11). then n8 + n6 +
n4 + n2 + 1 is divisible by 11.
3. Prove that n37 – n is divisible by 1919190 for all positive integers ‘n’.
Sol: Since 37 in a prime, there, n37 – n  0 (mod 37) …(i)
Since 19 in a prime, there, n19 – n  0 (mod 19) …(ii)
Since 13 in a prime, therefore n13 – n  0 (mod 13) …(iii)
3
Since 7 in a prime, therefore n7 – n  0 (mod 7) …(iv)

Since 5 in a prime, therefore n5 – n  0 (mod 5) …(v)
Since 3 in a prime, therefore n5 – n  0 (mod 3) …(vi)
Since 2 in a prime, therefore n2 – n  0 (mod 2) …(vii)
It can be easily seen that
(nk – n) /(n37–n) for k = 2,3,5,7,13,19 …(viii)
Also, by observation it follows that
n–1, n2–1, n4 –1, n6 –1, n12 –1, n18 –1 are all divisions of n36 –1. From (i) and (viii) it follows that
n37 – n  0 (mok k)
for k = 2,3,5,7,13,19,37
Since 2,3,5,7,13,19,37 are distinct primes, therefore, it follows that
n37 – n  0 mod (2,3,4,7,13,19,37)
i.e. n37 – n  0 mod (1919190)
4. If a > 17 is odd and 3a –2 is a square. Show that there are positive integers b ≠ c that a + b, a + c, b +
c and a + b + c are all squares.
Sol: Let a = 2k + 1 so we are given that 6k + 1 is a square. Take b = k2 – 4k, c = 4k,
then b  c since a  17
also, b > 0 since a > 9
now, a + b = (k – l)2, a + c = 6k + 1 (given to be square),
b + c = k2, a + b + c = (k+1)2.
5. Prove that the expression

m5 + 3m4n – 5m3n2 – 15m2n3 + 4mn4 + 12n5
cannot the value of 33, regardless of what integers are substituted for m and n.
Sol: The given expression factors to
(m – 2n)(m – n)(m + n)(m + 2n)(m + 3n).
If n  0, no two of these factors are equal. However, the integer 33 can be factored only as a product
of at most four factors:
33 = (-11).3.1(-1),
or
33 = 11.(-3).1.(-1).
If n = 0, the given expression becomes m5, which cannot equal 33 for any integral value of m.

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1

2. Prove that n11 – n is divisible by 11

5. Prove that the expression

2. Prove that n11 – n is divisible by 11

Since 7 in a prime, therefore n7 – n  0 (mod 7) …(iv)

5. Prove that the expression

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