QA – Remainder

I. Greatest and Least number to subtract or add to make it divisible

Remainder: When a given number, say X is not exactly divisible by any number, say D, then
there is a left over number, the residual part which we call remainder.

Divisor) Dividend (quotient

-(Divisor x Quotient)
remainder

Thus dividend = (divisor x quotient) + remainder

When a number x is divided by d, the remainder is 'r' and quotient is `q' then x = dq + r
When a number x is exactly divisible by d, then remainder r= 0, x = dq

Exactly or completely divisible means the remainder is 0

Important rules
1) Therefore, x — r and x + (d — r) will be completely divisible by d.
2) The Remainder, r, is the smallest number which should be subtracted from the dividend,
x, to get a number which is completely divisible by d.
3) The value equal to (divisor — remainder) is the least number which should be added to
the dividend, x, to get a number which is completely divisible by d.

Example: Find the least number that must be

a) subtracted from or
b) added to
a given number 4563, to make it exactly divisible by 17.
Solution: On dividing 4563 by 17, we find that
17) 4563 (268
—34
116
—102
143
—136
7
Remainder = 7.
(a) The least number to be subtracted to make it exactly divisible = remainder = 7.
(b) The least number to be added to make it exactly divisible = divisor- remainder = 17-7=10

II. Greatest n-digit and Least n-digit Number Exactly Divisible by a Number
1) To find out the greatest n-digit number exactly divisible by a divisor, D, the required
number = Greatest n-digit number — remainder.
Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 1
QA – Remainder

2) To find out the least n-digit number exactly divisible by a divisor, D , the
required number = Least n-digit number + (divisor — remainder)
Example: Find the
a) greatest 4-digit number divisible by 13
b) the least 4-digit number divisible by 13
Solution:
a) Greatest 4 digit number = 9999. Remainder when 9999 is divided by 13 = 2. So
the greatest 4 digit number divisible by 13 = 9999-2= 9997.
b) Smallest 4 digit number = 1000. Remainder when 1000 is divided by 13 = 12. Therefore the
smallest 4 digit number divisible by 13 = 1000 + (13-12)= 1001.

Solved Examples:
1) On dividing 9790 by 21, what is the quotient and the remainder?
a) 465,21
b) 456,25
c) 465,25
d) 465,21
SOLUTION
Divisor = 21, dividend = 9890, quotient = 465 and remainder = 21.

2) What is the number which on dividing (x + ak) gives 'a ' as the quotient and x as the remainder?
SOLUTION
Divisor = (Dividend – Remainder)/Quotient
Therefore divisor = (x+ak – x)/a = k

3) On dividing 55236 by a certain number, the quotient is 531 and the remainder is 12. Find the
divisor?
a) 106
b) 104
c) 108
d) 113

SOLUTION
Divisor = (Dividend – Remainder)/Quotient
Divisor = (55236-12)/531= 55224/205 = 104

4) Find the least number which when subtracted from 45610, to get a number exactly divisible by
512?
a) 102
b) 101
c) 111
d) 112
SOLUTION
On dividing 4510 by 512, the remainder is 102
The least number to be subtracted from the dividend is the remainder.
... The least number to be subtracted = 2102
Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 2
QA – Remainder

5) What least number must be added to 137359 to get a number exactly divisible by 421?
a) 101
b) 111
c) 305
d) 308
SOLUTION
On dividing 137359 by 421, the remainder is 113.
The least number to be added to the dividend = divisor — remainder = 421- 113 = 308.
... the least number to be added = 308.
6) Find the greatest 4 digit number, which is exactly divisible by 59.
a) 9968
b) 9971
c) 9974
d) None of these
SOLUTION
The greatest 4 digit number = 9999
On dividing 9999 by 59, remainder = 28
The required number = dividend — remainder = 9999 — 28 = 9971
7) Find the least number of 4 digits, which is exactly divisible by 54.
a) 26
b) 24
c) 36
d) 34
SOLUTION
The least number of 4 digits = 1000
On dividing 100 by 54, remainder = 28
... The required number = Dividend + Divisor — Remainder = 1000 + (54-28) = 26

8) A number when divided by 522 leaves a remainder 42. What remainder would be obtained by
dividing the same number by 18?
a) 10
b) 6
c) 4
d) 15
SOLUTION
Divisor = 522
Remainder= 42
Let the quotient be q
Therefore dividend= 522q +42
Since 522 is a multiple of 18, therefore when 522q +42 is divided by 18, the remainder is same as when
42 is divided by 18, i.e. 6

Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 3

QA – Remainder

9)A number, when divided by 513, leaves a remainder 36. What remainder would be obtained by
dividing the same number by 19?
a) 15
b) 17
c) 11
d) 13
SOLUTION
Divisor = 513
Remainder= 36
Let the quotient be q
Therefore dividend= 513q +36
Since 513 is a multiple of 19, therefore when 513q +19 is divided by 19, the remainder is same as when
36 is divided by 19, i.e. 17

10) A number when divided by 255 leaves a remainder 70. What will be the remainder
when the same number is divided by 17?
Number can be written as 255k+70. Since 255 is a multiple of 17, therefore when this number is
divided by 17, the remainder will be same as when 70 is divided by 17, which is 2.

11) 1140 is divided by a X, the quotient is 45 and the remainder is 15. Then what is the value
of X?
a) 20
b) 25
c) 24
d) 28

SOLUTION
1140 = (Divisor x 45) + 15.
Hence Divisor = 25.

12) When a number is divided by 6 reminder is 4 and when divided by 4 reminder is 2.

Which is the second smallest such number?
a) 10
b) 16
c) 22
d) 28

SOLUTION
Let us take the first number as 6x + 4 and the second number as 4y + 2.
So, 6x + 4 = 4y + 2 or y = (6x +2)/4. For to be an integer, (6x + 2) should be a multiple of 4.
The second smallest such number is when x takes the value 3. I.e. Hence the number is 22.

Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 4

QA – Remainder

13) A number ‘x’ when divided by 5 leaves a remainder of 2. Another number ‘y’ when
divided by 5 leaves a remainder of 3. Find the remainder when : (i) x + y is divided by 5,
(ii) x – y is divided by 5 and (iii) x.y is divided by 5?

SOLUTION
x = 5a + 2, y = 5b + 3.
(i) x + y = 5(a + b) + 5 when divided by 5 leaves a same remainder as when 5 is divided by 5
i.e. 0
(ii) x – y = 5(a – b) – 1 when divided by 5 leaves a same remainder as when –1 is divided by
5 i.e. 4
(iii) x.y = 25ab + 15a + 10b + 6, when divided by 5 leaves a same remainder as when 6 is
divided by 5 i.e. 1.

14) When a number is divided by 7 the remainder is 2 and when another number is divided
by 7 the remainder is 3. What is the remainder when addition of both the number is
divided by 7?
a) 2
b) 3
c) 5
d) Can’t say
SOLUTION
Let the first number be 7x + 2 and second number be 7y + 3
By adding the two number 7(x+y) +3+2
Then the remainder will be 3+2=5

15) A number when divided by 384 leaves a remainder 23. What will be the remainder
when the same number is divided by 16?
a) 5
b) 6
c) 7
d) 8

SOLUTION
Number can be written as 384+23. Since 384 is a multiple of 16, therefore when this number is
divided by 16, the remainder will be same as when 23 is divided by 16, which is 7.

Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 5

QA – Remainder

16) Remainder when a number is divided by 5 is 3 and when divided by 4 is 1. What is the
smallest such number? Which is the second smallest?
We can express the first number as 5x + 3 and the second number as 4y + 1.
So, 5x + 3 = 4y + 1 or x = (4y – 2)/5. For x to be an integer, (4y – 2) should be a multiple of 5.
The smallest such number is when y takes the value 3. I.e. y = 3, x = 2. Hence the number is 13.
For the second smallest number, y = 8, x = 6. So the second smallest number is 33.

Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 6