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74th Romanian Mathematical Olympiad

Romania algebra

Problem

We say that a simple periodic decimal fraction has the reduced length equal to (where is a positive integer) if has a -digit period and cannot be represented as a simple periodic decimal fraction with a period having less than digits. For instance, has the reduced length 3, while has the reduced length 2, as .

a) Prove that is a simple periodic fraction with reduced length 3.

b) Does there exist two simple periodic fractions with reduced length 1, such that their product has reduced length also 1?

c) Does there exist two simple periodic fractions with reduced length 3, such that their product has the reduced length also 3?
Solution
a) is a fraction of reduced length 3.

b) Yes. For an example, .

c) Yes. For example, .
Final answer
a) 0.(2) × 0.(3) = 2/27 = 0.(074), which has reduced length 3. b) Yes. Example: 0.(3) × 0.(6) = 0.(2), which has reduced length 1. c) Yes. Example: 0.(270) × 0.(370) = 0.(100), which has reduced length 3.

Techniques

DecimalsFractions