1

LEVEL 7 NUMBER THEORY VOS

1. Assume that a, b, c and d are positive integers such that a5 = b4, c3 = d2 and c - a = 19. Determine
d- b.

2. The product of three prime numbers is five times the sum of these prime numbers and it is also
divisible by 5. Find these prime numbers.

3. For a positive integer such that the sum of the positive integer and 100 is a square number, and the
sum of the positive integer and 168 is also a square number.

4. The six-digit number 713EF5 is divisible by 125. How many such six-digit numbers are there?

5. Find the total number of positive integers n not more than 100 such that n4 + 5n2 + 9 is divisible by 5.

6. If 7x + 2y - 5z is divisible by 11, x, y and z are all integers, prove that 3x - 7y + 12z is also divisible
by 11.

7. A number is formed by writing the first 10 primes in the increasing order. Half of the digits are now
crossed out, so that the number formed by the remaining digits without changing the order, is as
larger as possible. The second digit from the left of the new number is
(a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 5 (d) 7

8. The number of ordered triples (a, b, c) 1 ≤ a, b, c ≤ 9 such that ac = b2 - 1 is

(a) 9 (b) 7 (c) 14 (d) 18

9. The remainder when the number (2 × 3 × 4 × 2007 × 2008 × 2009) - 2008 is divided by 2009 is
(a) 0 (b) 2008 (c) 1 (d) 2007

10. Using the digits 2 and 7, and addition or subtraction operations only, the number 2010 is written. The
maximum number of 7 that can be used, so that the total numbers used is a minimum is
(a) 284 (b) 286 (c) 288 (d) 290

11. It is given that a, b and c are three positive integers such that a2 + b2 + c2 = 2011.
Let the highest common factor (HCF) and the least common multiple (LCM) of the three numbers a,
b, c be denoted by x and y respectively. Suppose that x + y = 388. Find the value of a + b + c.
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LEVEL 7 VOS
12. It is given that a and b are positive integers such that a has exactly 9 positive divisors and b has
exactly 10 positive divisors. If the least common multiple (LCM) of a and b is 4400, find the value of
|a—b|.
13. Let L denote the minimum value of the quotient of a 3-digit number formed by three distinct digits
divided by the sum of its digits. Determine [L].
(where [∙] denotes greatest integer function)

14. Let A be a 4-digit integer. When both the first digit (left-most) and the third digit are increased by n,
and the second digit and the fourth digit are decreased by n, the new number is n times A. Find the
sum of digits of A.

15. A positive integer is called a "good number’ if it is equal to four times of the sum of its digits. Find
the sum of all good numbers.

16. Prove that each number in the sequence 12; 1122; 111222; ..... is a product of two consecutive whole
numbers.

17. In a parlor game, the magician asks one of the participants to think of a three digit number abc
where a, b, and c represent digits in base 10 in the order indicated. The magician then asks this
person to form the numbers acb, bca, bac, cab and cba , to add these five numbers, and to reveal
their sum, N. If told the value of N, the magician can identify the original number, abc . Play the role
of the magician and determine the abc if N = 3194.

18. Find all the three digit number n satisfying the condition that if 3 is added, the sum of digits of the
resultant number is 1/3 of that of n.

19. For how many positive integers a is a4 - 3a2 + 9 a prime number?

(a) 5 (b) 7 (c) 6 (d) 2

20. How many positive two-digit integers are factors of 224 - 1?

21. Let S = {1, 2, 3,..., 20} be the set of all positive integers from 1 to 20. Suppose that N is the smallest
positive integer such that exactly eighteen numbers from S are factors of N, and the only two
numbers from S that are not factors of N are consecutive integers. Find the sum of the digits of N.

22. Determine the largest prime number less than 5000 of the form an - 1, where a and n are positive
integers, and n is greater than 1.

23. For k > 0, let Ik = 10. . . 064, where there are k zeros between the 1 and the 6. Let N(k) be the
number of factors of 2 in the prime factorization of Ik. What is the maximum value of N(k)?
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LEVEL 7 VOS

24. Find the number of counterexamples to the statement:

“If N is an odd positive integer the sum of whose digits is 4 and none of whose digits is 0, then N is
prime.”

25. A positive integer n is nice if there is a positive integer m with exactly four positive divisors
(including 1 and m) such that the sum of the four divisors is equal to n. How many numbers in the set
{2010, 2011, 2012, ... , 2019} are nice?

a 3 − b3 73
26. Let a and b be relatively prime integers with a > b > 0 and = . What is a − b ?
(a − b)
3
3

27. Find the value of 𝑏 − 𝑐 if 𝑎3 = 𝑏 2 , 𝑐 2 = 𝑑 and 𝑑 − 𝑎 = 5, where 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 and 𝑑 are positive integers.

𝑝
28. Find 3𝑞+1, where both 𝑝 and 𝑞 are prime numbers, if 3𝑝 + 5𝑞 = 31 ?

29. Find the last three digits of 62002

30. Find the last three digits of 72005 .

31. Let S be the smallest positive multiple of 15, that comprises exactly 3 k digits with k '0's, k'3's and k
'8's. Find the remainder when 𝑆 is divided by 11.

32. The number of ordered triples (𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐)1 ≤ 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 ≤ 9 such that 𝑎𝑐 = 𝑏 2 − 1 is

(a) 9 (b) 7 (c) 14 (d) 18

33. It is given that a, b and c are three positive integers such that
𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 + 𝑐 2 = 2011
Let the highest common factor (HCF) and the least common multiple (LCM) of the three numbers a,
b, c be denoted by x and y respectively. Suppose that x + y = 388. Find the value of a + b + c.

34. If 𝑎 nd 𝑏 are positive integers such that 𝑎2 + 2𝑎𝑏 − 3𝑏 2 − 41 = 0, find the value of 𝑎 + 𝑏.

35. Find the smallest whole number such that its first digit is 4, and the value of the number obtained by
moving this 4 to the last place is 1/4 of the original value.

36. Let 𝑥 = 1 ⏟
000 … 000 ⏟
000 … . .000 50.
2011 times 2012 times
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LEVEL 7 VOS
If x − k is a perfect square, where k ∈ {15,25,50,75}, then find the value of k .

37. Total number of 0 's at the end of the value of the product 1 × 2 × 3 × 4 × ⋯ × 2008 is N , then find
the value of √n + 125.

38. For each integer n ≥ 4, let an denote the base-n number 0. 133n . The product a4 a5 … … … … a99 can
m
be expressed as n!. where m and n are positive integers and n is as small as possible. What is the
value of sum of the digits of 𝑚 ?

39. Let 𝑛 be a positive integer such that 𝑛2 + 19𝑛 + 48 is a perfect square. Find the value of 𝑛.

40. The highest natural number which are divisible by 30 and have exactly 30 different positive divisors
can be written as A 1 B 5 C then find A + B + C.

41. For each positive integer m > 1, let P(m) denote the greatest prime factor of m . For how many
positive integers 𝑛 is it true that both 𝑃(𝑛) = √𝑛 and 𝑃(𝑛 + 48) = √𝑛 + 48 ?

42. Let x and y be two-digit integers such that y is obtained by reversing the digits of x. Suppose that the
𝑥+𝑦+𝑚
integers x and 𝑦 satisfy 𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 = 𝑚2 for some positive integer ' 𝑚 '. What is the value of ( )
11
?
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LEVEL 7 VOS
Answer
1. (757) 2. (2,5,7) 3. (x = 156, y = 16, z = 18) 4. (4) 5. (80) 6.
(-)
7. (d) 8. (d) 9. (c) 10. (d) 11. (61) 12. (76)
13. (10) 14. (18) 15. (120) 16. (-) 17. (358) 18. (108, 117 or 207)

19. (d) 20. (12) 21. (36) 22. (127) 23. (7) 24. (2)
25. (1) 26. (3) 27. (5) 28. (1/8, 1) 29. (536) 30. (807)
31. (6) 32. (18) 33. (61) 34. (21) 35. (410256) 36. (25)
37. (25) 38. (17) 39. (33) 40. (9) 41. (1) 42. (14)

Solutions
1. Assume that a, b, c and d are positive integers such that a5 = b4, c3 = d2 and c - a = 19. Determine
d- b.
Sol.

2. The product of three prime numbers is five times the sum of these prime numbers and it is also
divisible by 5. Find these prime numbers.
Sol.
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LEVEL 7 VOS
3. For a positive integer such that the sum of the positive integer and 100 is a square number, and the
sum of the positive integer and 168 is also a square number.
Sol.

4. The six-digit number 713EF5 is divisible by 125. How many such six-digit numbers are there?
Sol.

5. Find the total number of positive integers n not more than 100 such that n4 + 5n2 + 9 is divisible by 5.
Sol.

6. If 7x + 2y - 5z is divisible by 11, x, y and z are all integers, prove that 3x - 7y + 12z is also divisible
by 11.
Sol.
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LEVEL 7 VOS

7. A number is formed by writing the first 10 primes in the increasing order. Half of the digits are now
crossed out, so that the number formed by the remaining digits without changing the order, is as
larger as possible. The second digit from the left of the new number is
(a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 5 (d) 7
Sol.

8. The number of ordered triples (a, b, c) 1 ≤ a, b, c ≤ 9 such that ac = b2 - 1 is

(a) 9 (b) 7 (c) 14 (d) 18
Sol.

9. The remainder when the number (2 × 3 × 4 × 2007 × 2008 × 2009) - 2008 is divided by 2009 is
(a) 0 (b) 2008 (c) 1 (d) 2007
Sol.

10. Using the digits 2 and 7, and addition or subtraction operations only, the number 2010 is written. The
maximum number of 7 that can be used, so that the total numbers used is a minimum is
(a) 284 (b) 286 (c) 288 (d) 290
Sol.
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LEVEL 7 VOS

11. It is given that a, b and c are three positive integers such that a2 + b2 + c2 = 2011.
Let the highest common factor (HCF) and the least common multiple (LCM) of the three numbers a,
b, c be denoted by x and y respectively. Suppose that x + y = 388. Find the value of a + b + c.
Sol.

12. It is given that a and b are positive integers such that a has exactly 9 positive divisors and b has
exactly 10 positive divisors. If the least common multiple (LCM) of a and b is 4400, find the value of
|a—b|.
Sol.

13. Let L denote the minimum value of the quotient of a 3-digit number formed by three distinct digits
divided by the sum of its digits. Determine [L].
(where [∙] denotes greatest integer function)
Sol.
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LEVEL 7 VOS

14. Let A be a 4-digit integer. When both the first digit (left-most) and the third digit are increased by n,
and the second digit and the fourth digit are decreased by n, the new number is n times A. Find the
sum of digits of A.
Sol.

15. A positive integer is called a "good number’ if it is equal to four times of the sum of its digits. Find
the sum of all good numbers.
Sol.
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LEVEL 7 VOS

16. Prove that each number in the sequence 12; 1122; 111222; ..... is a product of two consecutive whole
numbers.
Sol.

17. In a parlor game, the magician asks one of the participants to think of a three digit number abc
where a, b, and c represent digits in base 10 in the order indicated. The magician then asks this
person to form the numbers acb, bca, bac, cab and cba , to add these five numbers, and to reveal
their sum, N. If told the value of N, the magician can identify the original number, abc . Play the role
of the magician and determine the abc if N = 3194.
Sol.
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LEVEL 7 VOS

18. Find all the three digit number n satisfying the condition that if 3 is added, the sum of digits of the
resultant number is 1/3 of that of n.
Sol.

19. For how many positive integers a is a4 - 3a2 + 9 a prime number?

(a) 5 (b) 7 (c) 6 (d) 2
Sol. a + 6a + 9 – 9a = (a + 3) – (3a) = (a + 3 – 3a)( a2 + 3 + 3a)
4 2 2 2 2 2 2

(a2 + 3 – 3a)( a2 + 3 + 3a) is prime if one of the factor is 1.

a2 + 3 – 3a = 1
a2 – 3a + 2 = 0
a = 1, 2

20. How many positive two-digit integers are factors of 224 - 1?

Sol.
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LEVEL 7 VOS

21. Let S = {1, 2, 3,..., 20} be the set of all positive integers from 1 to 20. Suppose that N is the smallest
positive integer such that exactly eighteen numbers from S are factors of N, and the only two
numbers from S that are not factors of N are consecutive integers. Find the sum of the digits of N.
Sol.

22. Determine the largest prime number less than 5000 of the form an - 1, where a and n are positive
integers, and n is greater than 1.
Sol.

23. For k > 0, let Ik = 10. . . 064, where there are k zeros between the 1 and the 6. Let N(k) be the
number of factors of 2 in the prime factorization of Ik. What is the maximum value of N(k)?
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LEVEL 7 VOS
Sol.

24. Find the number of counterexamples to the statement:

“If N is an odd positive integer the sum of whose digits is 4 and none of whose digits is 0, then N is
prime.”
Sol.

25. A positive integer n is nice if there is a positive integer m with exactly four positive divisors
(including 1 and m) such that the sum of the four divisors is equal to n. How many numbers in the set
{2010, 2011, 2012, ... , 2019} are nice?
Sol.
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LEVEL 7 VOS

a 3 − b3 73
26. Let a and b be relatively prime integers with a > b > 0 and = . What is a − b ?
(a − b)
3
3

a3 − b3 (a − b)(a 2 + ab + b 2 )
Sol. =
( a − b) 3 ( a − b) 3
(a 2 + ab + b 2 ) 73
= =
a 2 − 2ab + b 2 3
(a + ab + b ) − (a − 2ab + b 2 ) 73 − 3
2 2 2
=
a 2 − 2ab + b 2 3
3ab 70
=
a − 2ab + b
2 2
3
70a − 149ab + 70b 2 = 0
2

70a 2 − 100ab − 49ab + 70b 2 = 0

(7a − 10b)(a − 7b) = 0
7a = 10b or a = 7b
If a = 7b then a and b can not be coprime.
If 7a = 10b then a = 10 and b = 7
a–b=3

27. Find the value of 𝑏 − 𝑐 if 𝑎3 = 𝑏 2 , 𝑐 2 = 𝑑 and 𝑑 − 𝑎 = 5, where 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 and 𝑑 are positive integers.
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LEVEL 7 VOS
Sol. Since 𝑎 and 𝑏 are positive integers, let 𝑎3 = 𝑏 2 = 𝑡 3×2 = 𝑡 6 , we get : 𝑎 = 𝑡 2 and 𝑏 = 𝑡 3
Therefore, d − c = 5 can be written as c 2 − t 2 = 5 or (c − t)(c + t) = 5
Since 5 is a prime number and c + t > c − t, we have :
𝑐+𝑡 = 5
c−t=1
⇒ c = 3, t = 2
𝑏 − 𝑐 = 23 − 3 = 5

𝑝
28. Find 3𝑞+1, where both 𝑝 and 𝑞 are prime numbers, if 3𝑝 + 5𝑞 = 31 ?
Sol. Since 3𝑝 + 5𝑞 = 31,3𝑝 or 5𝑞 must be even since two odd numbers do not sum to an odd integer.
Case I: If 3 p is even, p must be 2 . We then have 5𝑞 = 31 − 3 × 2 = 25 ⇒ 𝑞 = 5
𝑝 2 1
= =
3𝑞 + 1 3 × 5 + 1 8
Case II : If 5𝑞 is even, 𝑞 must be 2 . We then have 3𝑝 = 31 − 5 × 2 = 21 ⇒ 𝑝 = 7
𝑝 7
= =1
3𝑞 + 1 3 × 2 + 1

29. Find the last three digits of 62002

Sol. As we know that the last two digits of 62002 are 36. The hundreds digit can be obtained in the
following way:
1 36 2000 9 2000 9 9
(62002 − 36) = (6 − 1) = (6 − 1) = [(65 )400 − 1] = (7776400 − 1)
100 100 25 25 25
9
× (7776 − 1)(7776399 + 7776398 + ⋯ + 7776 + 1) = 9 × 311 × (6 ⏟ + 6 + 6 + ⋯ + 6 + 1)
25
399
= 9 × 1 × (399 × 6 + 1) = 9 × 1 × (9 × 6 + 1) = 9 × 1 × 5 ≡ 5( Mod. 10)
So, the last three digits of 62002 are 536

30. Find the last three digits of 72005 .

Sol. We know that the last two digits of 72005 are 07. The hundreds digit can be obtained the following
way:
1 7 7
(72005 − 7) = (72004 − 1) = [(74 )501 − 1]
100 100 100
7
= (2401 − 1)(2401500 + 2401499 + ⋯ + 2401 + 1)
100
≡ 7 × 24 × (2401500 + 2401499 + ⋯ + 24017 + 1) ≡ 7 × 4 × (1500 + 1499 + ⋯ + 1 + 1)
≡ 8 × (501) ≡ 8 × 1 ≡ 8(mod10)
2005
So the last three digits of 7 are 807

31. Let S be the smallest positive multiple of 15, that comprises exactly 3 k digits with k '0's, k'3's and k
'8's. Find the remainder when 𝑆 is divided by 11 .
 16
LEVEL 7 VOS
Sol. S being a multiple of 5 and 3 must end with ' 0 ' and has the sum of digits divisible by 3 . Since 3 +
8 = 11, the smallest positive k such that k × 11 is divisible by 3 is 3 . Thus S = 300338880 and the
remainder is
0 − 8 + 8 − 8 + 3 − 3 + 0 − 0 + 3 = −5 = 6(mod11)

32. The number of ordered triples (𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐)1 ≤ 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 ≤ 9 such that 𝑎𝑐 = 𝑏 2 − 1 is

(a) 9 (b) 7 (c) 14 (d) 18
2
Sol. 𝑎𝑐 = 𝑏 − 1 ⇒ 𝑎 × 𝑐 = (𝑏 − 1)(𝑏 + 1) with this property we find that any 2 consecutive numbers,
satisfy the condition ; the ordered triples are
(1,2,3), (3,2,1), (2,3,4), (4,3,2), (3,4,5), (5,4,3), (4,5,6),
(6,5,4), (5,6,7), (7,6,5), (6,7,8), (8,7,6), (7,8,9), (9,8,7). Again we have (1,3,8), (8,3,1), (3,5,8) and
(8,5,3).
Thus there are 18 ordered triples satisfying the given conditions.

33. It is given that a, b and c are three positive integers such that
𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 + 𝑐 2 = 2011
Let the highest common factor (HCF) and the least common multiple (LCM) of the three numbers a,
b, c be denoted by x and y respectively. Suppose that x + y = 388. Find the value of a + b + c.
Sol. Without loss of generality, we may assume that a ≥ b ≥ c. Let the HCF (or GCD) of a, b and c be d.
2011
Then a = da1 , b = db1 and c = dc1 . Let the LCM of a1 , b1 and c1 be m. Thus, a21 + b12 + c12 = d2
388
and d + md = 388 or 1 + m = . So, d2 ∣ 2011 and d ∣ 388. Note that 2011 is a prime. Thus we
d
must have d = 1, and it follows that 𝑎 = 𝑎1 , 𝑏 = 𝑏1 , 𝑐 = 𝑐1, and thus 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 + 𝑐 2 = 2011. In
particular, 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 + 𝑐 2 < 2025 = 452 , so that one has a, b, c < 45. Furthermore we have m =
387 = 32 × 43. Thus a, b and c can only be 1,3,9 or 43 , since they must be less than 45 . Then it is
easy to check that 432 + 92 + 92 = 2011, and 𝑎 = 43, 𝑏 = 𝑐 = 9 is the only combination which
satisfies the given conditions. Thus we have a + b + c = 43 + 18 = 61.

34. If 𝑎 nd 𝑏 are positive integers such that 𝑎2 + 2𝑎𝑏 − 3𝑏 2 − 41 = 0, find the value of 𝑎 + 𝑏.
Sol. We have 𝑎2 + 2𝑎𝑏 − 3𝑏 2 = (𝑎 − 𝑏)(𝑎 + 3𝑏) = 41. Since 41 is a prime number, 𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎 − 𝑏 < 𝑎 +
3𝑏, we have a − b = 1 and a + 3 b = 41. Solving the simultaneous equations gives a = 11 and b =
10. Hence a + b = 21.

35. Find the smallest whole number such that its first digit is 4, and the value of the number obtained by
moving this 4 to the last place is 1/4 of the original value.
Sol. Suppose that the desired whole number N has n + 1 digits, then N = 4.10n + x where x is an n -digit
number.
From assumptions in question
4(10x + 4) = 4.10n + x, i.e. 39x = 4(10n − 4) = 4. 99 ⏟ … 9 6,
n−1
 17
LEVEL 7 VOS
∴ 13x = 4. 33
⏟ … 3 2, and 13 ∣ ⏟
33 … 32.
n−1 n−1
By checking the cases 𝑛 = 1,2, … one by one, it is easy to see that the minimal value of 𝑛 is 5 :
33332 ÷ 13 = 2564. ∴ x = 4 × 2564 = 10256, and N = 410256.

36. Let 𝑥 = 1 ⏟
000 … 000 ⏟
000 … . .000 50.
2011 times 2012 times
If x − k is a perfect square, where k ∈ {15,25,50,75}, then find the value of k .
Sol. Note that
𝑥 = (101012 + 1) × 102014 + 50 = 104026 + 102014 + 50
= (102013 )2 + 2 × 102013 × 5 + 50 = (102013 + 5)2 + 25
So x − 25 is a perfect square.

37. Total number of 0 's at the end of the value of the product 1 × 2 × 3 × 4 × ⋯ × 2008 is N , then find
the value of √n + 125.
Sol.

38. For each integer n ≥ 4, let an denote the base-n number 0. 133n . The product a4 a5 … … … … a99 can
m
be expressed as . where m and n are positive integers and n is as small as possible. What is the
n!
value of sum of the digits of 𝑚 ?
Sol.
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LEVEL 7 VOS

39. Let 𝑛 be a positive integer such that 𝑛2 + 19𝑛 + 48 is a perfect square. Find the value of 𝑛.
Sol.

40. The highest natural number which are divisible by 30 and have exactly 30 different positive divisors
can be written as A 1 B 5 C then find A + B + C.
Sol.
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LEVEL 7 VOS

41. For each positive integer m > 1, let P(m) denote the greatest prime factor of m . For how many
positive integers 𝑛 is it true that both 𝑃(𝑛) = √𝑛 and 𝑃(𝑛 + 48) = √𝑛 + 48 ?
Sol.
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LEVEL 7 VOS
42. Let x and y be two-digit integers such that y is obtained by reversing the digits of x. Suppose that the
𝑥+𝑦+𝑚
integers x and 𝑦 satisfy 𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 = 𝑚2 for some positive integer ' 𝑚 '. What is the value of ( )
11
?
Sol.