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Printjmc
number theory senior
Problem
The positive integers and both end in the same sequence of four digits when written in base , where digit a is not zero. Find the three-digit number .
Solution
We have that Thus, must be divisible by both and . Note, however, that if either or has both a and a in its factorization, the other must end in either or , which is impossible for a number that is divisible by either or . Thus, one of them is divisible by , and the other is divisible by . Noting that , we see that would work for , except the thousands digit is . The other possibility is that is a multiple of and is a multiple of . In order for this to happen,Since , we know that . Thus, , so , and our answer is .
Final answer
937