Browse · MATH
Printjmc
prealgebra intermediate
Problem
A whole number larger than 2 leaves a remainder of 2 when divided by each of the numbers 3, 4, 5, and 6. What is the smallest such number?
Solution
The numbers that leave a remainder of 2 when divided by 4 and 5 are 22, 42, 62, and so on. Checking these numbers for a remainder of 2 when divided by both 3 and 6 yields as the smallest.
We also might have noted that the desired number is 2 greater than a number that is a multiple of 3, 4, 5, and 6. Therefore, it is 2 greater than the least common multiple of 3, 4, 5, and 6. The least common multiple of 3, 4, 5, and 6 is , so the smallest number that fits the problem is .
We also might have noted that the desired number is 2 greater than a number that is a multiple of 3, 4, 5, and 6. Therefore, it is 2 greater than the least common multiple of 3, 4, 5, and 6. The least common multiple of 3, 4, 5, and 6 is , so the smallest number that fits the problem is .
Final answer
62