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2013 AMC 10B Problem 25

Problem 25 of 25HarderNumber Theory

Bernardo chooses a three-digit positive integer NN and writes both its base-55 and base-66 representations on a blackboard. Later LeRoy sees the two numbers Bernardo has written. Treating the two numbers as base-1010 integers, he adds them to obtain an integer S.S. For example, if N=749,N = 749, Bernardo writes the numbers 10,10,  ⁣444\!444 and 3,3,  ⁣245,\!245, and LeRoy obtains the sum S=13,S = 13,  ⁣689.\!689. For how many choices of NN are the two rightmost digits of S,S, in order, the same as those of 2N?2N?

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Solution

It is enough to work modulo 900=lcm(25,36,100)900=\operatorname{lcm}(25,36,100), because the last two base-55, base-66, and decimal digits repeat with that period. Let the last two base-55 digits be a1a0a_1a_0 and the last two base-66 digits be b1b0b_1b_0. The units digit condition gives a0+b02N2a0(mod10)a_0+b_0\equiv2N\equiv2a_0\pmod{10}, so a0=b0a_0=b_0. Writing N=150N3+30a1+a0N=150N_3+30a_1+a_0, the base-66 tens digit condition gives N3a1+b1(mod6)N_3\equiv a_1+b_1\pmod6, so N=900N4+180a1N=900N_4+180a_1 +150b1+a0+150b_1+a_0. The tens digit condition for SS and 2N2N reduces to 5a1b1(mod10)5a_1\equiv b_1\pmod{10}. With 0a140\le a_1\le4 and 0b150\le b_1\le5, the valid pairs are (0,0),(2,0),(4,0),(1,5),(3,5)(0,0),(2,0),(4,0),(1,5),(3,5). There are 55 choices for a0=b0a_0=b_0, so there are 55=255\cdot5=25 choices of NN. Thus, the correct answer is E .

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Concepts: number base · modular arithmetic · Chinese Remainder Theorem

Problem text and solution from the LIVE past-contest archive. See also the AoPS wiki page for community solutions.