2024 AMC 10B Problem 18

Attempt Problem 18 of the 2024 AMC 10B below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2024 AMC 10B solutions, or check the answer key.

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18.

How many different remainders can result when the 100100th power of an integer is divided by 125?125?

11

22

55

2525

125125

Answer: B
Concepts:Euler’s Totient Functionmodular exponentiationcasework
Difficulty rating: 1840
Small Hint:

125=53125 = 5^3 and φ(125)=100;\varphi(125) = 100; split into nn coprime to 55 and nn divisible by 55

Big Hint:

If gcd(n,5)=1,\gcd(n, 5) = 1, then n1001;n^{100} \equiv 1; if nn is divisible by 5,5, then n100n^{100} is divisible by 535^3

Solution:

Here 125=53125 = 5^3 and φ(125)=100.\varphi(125) = 100. If gcd(n,5)=1,\gcd(n, 5) = 1, Euler’s theorem gives n1001(mod125).n^{100} \equiv 1 \pmod{125}. And if nn is divisible by 5,5, then n100n^{100} carries a factor of 5100,5^{100}, hence of 125,125, so n1000(mod125).n^{100} \equiv 0 \pmod{125}. That leaves only two possible remainders, 00 and 1.1. Therefore, the answer is B.

Problem 17#17
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