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QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE

1 NUMBER SYSTEMS

Introduction:

The ten symbols 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 are called digits, which can represent any number.
Natural Numbers:
These are the numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.) that are used for counting. It is denoted by N. There are infinite
natural numbers, and the smallest natural number is one (1).
Whole Numbers:
The natural numbers along with zero (0), from the system of whole numbers.
It is denoted by W.
There is no largest whole number and
The smallest whole number is 0.
Integers:
The number system consisting of natural numbers, their negative and zero is called integers. It is
denoted by Z or I.

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The smallest and the largest integers cannot be determined.

Even numbers:
Natural numbers which are divisible by 2 are even numbers.
It is denoted by E.
E = {2, 4, 6, 8, .............}
Smallest even number is 2. There is no largest even number.
Odd numbers:
Natural numbers which are not divisible by 2 are odd numbers.
It is denoted by O.
O = {1, 3, 5, 7, .............}
Smallest odd number is 1. There is no largest odd number.
Number Line:
The number line is a straight line between negative infinity on the left to positive infinity on the right.

Real Numbers:
All numbers that can be represented on the number line are called real numbers. It is denoted by R.
R+: Positive real numbers and
R-: Negative real numbers.
Real numbers = Rational numbers + Irrational numbers.
Rational numbers:
Any number that can be written in the form of P/q, where p and q are integers and q ≠ 0, is called a
rational number.
It is denoted by Q.
Every integer is a rational number.
Zero (0) is also a rational number.
Every fraction (and decimal fraction) is a rational number.

p (Numerator)
Rational Number (Q) =
q(deno min ator)
Irrational numbers:
The numbers which are not rational, or which cannot be written in the form of p/q, where p and q
are integers and q ≠ 0, is called irrational number.
It is denoted by Q’ or Qc.

2, 3, 5,2 + 2,3 − 5,............ etc are the irrational numbers.

Based on divisibility:
Prime numbers:
Numbers which have exactly 2 factors (1 and number itself) are called prime numbers.

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Eg: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, …………….

The lowest prime number is 2. 2 is also the only even prime number.
Composite numbers:
It is a natural number that has at least one divisor different from unity and itself i.e. it has more than
two divisors.
Every composite number can be factorized into its prime factors.
Example: 24 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 3. Hence, 24 is a composite number.
The smallest composite number is 4.
Remember:
i. 1 is neither prime nor composite.
ii. 1 is an odd integer.
iii. 0 is neither positive nor negative.
iv. 0 is an even integer.
v. 2 is prime & even both.
vi. All prime numbers (except 2) are odd.

vii. If a number ‘N’ is not divisible by any prime number less than N , then N is a prime number.
viii. Every prime number greater than 3 can be written in the form of (6k + 1) or (6k – 1), where k
is an integer.
Relative primes: Numbers which do not have common factor other than 1. Eg: 3 and 8, 15 and 16.
Fraction:
A fraction is a quantity which expresses a part of the whole.

Numerator
Fraction =
Deno min ator
TYPES OF FRACTIONS:
(i). Proper fraction:
If numerator is less than its denominator, then it is a proper fraction:

3 4
Example: , ,......
7 16
(ii). Improper fraction:
If numerator is greater than or equal to its denominator, then it is an improper fraction.

8 23 15
Example: , , ......
7 16 15
(iii). Mixed fraction:
It consists of an integer and a proper fraction.

4 11 3
Example: 1 ,1 ,2 ......
7 16 5
(iv). Equivalent fraction/Equal fractions: Fractions with same value.

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2 4 6
Example: , , ......
3 6 9
(v). Decimal fraction:
Denominator with the powers of 10.
Example: 2/10= 0.2 ,9/100 = (0.09)
(vi). Vulgar fraction: Denominators are not the power of 10.

Perfect numbers: If the sum of all the factors excluding itself (but including 1) is equal to the number
itself, then the number is called perfect number. E.g. 6, 28
Note :
i. The product of 2 consecutive integers is always divisible by 2.
ii. The product of n consecutive integers is always divisible by n!
Pure recurring decimal: if all the digits after decimal repeat, then it is called pure recurring.
Converting pure recurring decimal to fraction
Recurring digits
Ex: 0.abababab .... =
as many 9 'as the number of recurring digits

Converting mixed recurring decimal to fraction

bc − a
Ex: 0. abcbcbcbc… =
990
recurring digits - nonrecurring digits
i.e.
as many 9's as the no. of recurring digits followed by as many 0's as the no. of non recurring digits

Complex numbers:
Complex numbers:

A number of the form a + bi, where a and b are real number and i = −1 (imaginary number) is
called a complex number.
It is denoted by C.

Example: 5i (a = 0 and b = 5), 5 + 3i (a = 5 and b = 3).

Divisibility rules

Test for divisibility by 2 The last digit should be divisible by 2.

Test for divisibility by 3 The sum of digits should be divisible by 3
The number formed with its last 2 digits
Test for divisibility by 4
should be divisible by 4
Test for divisibility by 5 The last number should be divisible by 5
Test for divisibility by 6 It should be divisible by both 2 and 3.
Subtract two times the unit digit from the
Test for divisibility by 7 remaining number. If it is divisible by 7,
then the number is also divisible by 7.

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The number formed by its last 3 digits

Test for divisibility by 8
should be divisible by 8.
The sum of the digits should be divisible by
Test for divisibility by 9
9.
Test for divisibility by 10 The last digit should be 0.
Subtract the unit digit from the remaining
Test for divisibility by 11
number.
Add four times the unit digit to the
Test for divisibility by 13
remaining number
Subtract five times the unit digit from the
Test for divisibility by 17
remaining number.
Add two times the unit digit to the
Test for divisibility by 19
remaining number.
Add seven times the unit digit to the
Test for divisibility by 23
remaining number.

Divisibility by a Composite number:

A number is divisible by a given composite number if it is divisible by all factors of composite
number.
Division algorithm:
Dividend = (Divisor × Quotient) + Remainder
where, Dividend = The number which is being divided
Divisor = The number which performs the division process
Quotient = Greatest possible integer as a result of division
Remainder = Rest part of dividend which cannot be further divided by the divisor.
Complete remainder: A complete remainder is the remainder obtained by a number by the
method of successive division.
Complete reminder = [I divisor × II remainder] + I remainder

C.R. = d1r2 + r1
C.R. = d1d2r3 + d1r2 + r1

Two different numbers x and y when divided by a certain divisor D leave remainder r 1 and r2
respectively. When the sum of them is divided by the same divisor, the remainder is r 3. Then:

Divisor D = r1 + r2 − r3

Method to find the number of different divisors:

Number/Sum of factors:
If a number N is written as N = ap × bq × cr × ………... where a, b, c are prime numbers, then
• The number of factors of ‘N’ is (p + 1) (q + 1) ×(r+1) ………….
• Similarly, the sum of factors of ‘N’ = (a0 + a1 + ……+ap) ×(b0 + b1 + ……+bq)×(c0 + c1 + ……+cr)
• Product of factors of N: NNo. of factors/2
1
• The number of ways of writing the given number as a product of 2 factors = (p + 1)(q + 1) ...
2

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• If N is a perfect square, 2 cases will come:

1
Case 1: Number of ways of writing N as a product of 2 different factors = {(p + 1)}
2
1
Case 2: Number of ways of writing N as a product of 2 factors = {(p + 1)(q + 1) ..... + 1}
2
 1  1
• Number of co–primes to N which are less than N = N 1 −  1 −  ....
 a  b
• Number of ways of writing N as a product of 2 co-primes = 2n-1, where, n is the number of different
prime factors to N.
 1  1
• Sum of all the numbers, co-primes to N, which are less than N = N 1 −  1 −  ....
 a  b 
• Now suppose that q and r are odd prime numbers in the prime factorization of N:
Odd number of factors = (q+1) × (r+1)
Even number of factors = (Total number of factors) – (Odd number of factors)

Find the remainders using Binomial and Congruent Modulo

(e.g Find the remainder when 725 divided by 6)
Binomial Theorem:
(x + y)n = nc0xn + nc1xn-1.y + nc2xn-2.y2 + ..... + ncnyn. Where nc0, nc1 .... ncn are binomial coefficients.
n!
cr =
n
r! (n − r ) !

Congruent Modulo
a is said to be congruent to b, if they leave same remainder when divided by n
a = b(mod n) means a – b is a multiple of n.
Ex: 26 = 4(mod 11), because 26 – 4 = 22 is divisible by 11.
Note: If a1 = b1 (mod n) and a2 = b2 (mod n) then
a1 + a2 = (b1 + b2) (mod n)
a1 – a2 = (b1 – b2) (mod n)
a1 × a2 = (b1 × b2) (mod n)
Ex. What is the remainder, when 2256 is divided by 17?
(1) 1
(2) 16
(3) 14
(4) 10
(5) None of these
Sol.
We can write 17 as 24 + 1 and 2256 as (24)64.
[If f(x) is divided by (x – a), the remainder is f(a)]
∴ The remainder is (– 1)64 = 1. Answer: (1)
Ex. What is the remainder, when 15 75 is divided by 7?

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(1) 1
(2) 2
(3) 6
(4) 0
(5) None of these
Sol.
When 15 is divided by 7, the remainder is 1.
So, the answer is 175 = 1. Answer: (1)
Remainder for the numbers of the form an + bn or an – bn.

If n is even If n is odd
an – b n divisible by (a – b) and (a + b) divisible by (a – b)
a +b
n n
divisible by (a + b)

Counting number of zeros in a factorial of a number:

Here basically we have to count number of fives, because multiplication of five by any even number
will result in 0 at the end of final product.
Example: 10! = (10=5×2) × 9 × 8 × 7 × 6 × 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 ×1
we have 2 fives thus total number of zeros are 2.
Short Cut:
Counting number of zeros at the end of n! value will be:

n   n   n   n 
 5  +  52  +  53  +  54  + ..............
       
[] represents the greatest integer function and the integral value of this number will be the total
number of zeros.
Power of a number contained in a factorial Highest power of a prime number P in N!

N   N   N   N 
 p  +  p2  +  p3  +  p4  + ..............
       
where [x] denotes the greatest integers less than or equal to x and is a natural number such that P r<
n.
Example: Find the largest power of 3 that can divide 95! Or Finding the number of Zeros in n!
Approach: Find the largest power of 3 contained in 95!.

 95   95   95   95 
 3  +  32  +  33  +  34  + .............. .
       
= 31 + 10 + 3 + 1 = 45
Try to solve these questions by using above results:
1. Let N = 553 + 173 – 723. N is divisible by
(1) both 7 and 13
(2) both 3 and 13

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(3) both 17 and 7

(4) both 3 and 17
(5) none of these
2. If x = (163 + 173 + 183 + 193), what is the remainder when x is divided by 70?
(1) 0
(2) 1
(3) 69
(4) 35
(5) None of these
Finding last digit or unit digit in ab:
Remember: Last digit of a product of numbers = the product of last digits
Step 1: Divide b (only last two digits if number of digits more than 3) by 4, check the remainder
Step 2: If remainder is 0, then the unit digit is last digit of (unit digit of a)4
If remainder is 1, then the unit digit is last digit of (unit digit of a) 1
If remainder is 2, then the unit digit is last digit of (unit digit of a) 2
If remainder is 3, then the unit digit is last digit of (unit digit of a)3
Remember:
(i). If unit digit of ‘a’ is 5 or 6, the last digit is always 5 or 6, respectively.
(ii). For 4 and 9, if the power is odd, the last digits are 4 and 9, respectively and if the power is
even, the last digits will be 6 and 1, respectively.

Example: What is the right most non-zero digit of (30)2740?

(1) 1
(2) 3
(3) 7
(4) 9
(5) None of these
Answer: (1)

Example. Find unit digit of 96363 × 7373.

Unit digit of 96363 = 7
Unit digit of 7373=3
So, unit digit of 96363× 7373= 7 × 3 = 21. i.e. 1.

Base conversions:
Converting from other number bases to decimal

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The value of the number 12304 in base ‘a’ is determined by computing the place value of each of the
digits of the number:

Converting from decimal to other number bases

One way to do this is to repeatedly divide the decimal number by the base in which it is to be
converted, until the quotient becomes zero. As the number is divided, the remainders - in reverse
order - form the digits of the number in the other base.
Example: Convert the decimal number 82 to base 6:
82/6 = 13 remainder 4
13/6 = 2 remainder 1
2/6 = 0 remainder 2
The answer is formed by taking the remainders in reverse order: 2 1 4 base 6
Least Common Multiple( LCM ) and Highest Common Factor(HCF)
HCF divides the numbers and numbers divides the LCM
L.C.M H.C.F = product of the two numbers.
L.C.M is always multiple of H.C.F.
LCM of numerators
LCM of fractions =
HCF of denominators

HCF of numerators
HCF of fractions =
LCM of denominators

Question Approach
Find the least number, which is exactly divisible by x,
LCM (x, y, z)
y, z.
Find the least number, which when divided by x, y, z,
LCM (x, y, z) + r
leaves a remainder ‘r’ in each case.
Observe, if x – a = y – b = z – c = k
Find the least number, which when divided by x, y, z
(say). Then LCM (x, y, z) – k
leaves remainders a, b, c respectively.
Else, go with the options.
Find the greatest number, that will exactly divide x, y,
HCF (x, y, z)
z.
Find the greatest number, that will divide x, y, z
HCF (x – a, y – b, z – c)
leaving remainders a, b, c respectively.
Find the greatest number, that will divide x, y, z
HCF (x – y, y – z, z – x)
leaving the same remainder in each case.

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Laws of Surds:
n
1
i.  n  = a
a 

1 1 1
ii. 
an

bn 
= ( ab ) n
 
1
 1 m 1
iii.  n  = ( a) mn
a 
Law of Indices:
m n m +n
i. a  a = a
m
ii. a  an = am−n

(a )
n
m
iii. = amn

 1  m
iv.  am  = a
 
1
v. a−m =
am

vi. am/n = n am
0
vii. a = 1

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Practice Questions

1. A red light flashes 3 times per minute and a green light flashes 5 times in two minutes at regular
intervals. If both lights start flashing at the same time, how many times do they flash together in each
hour?
Hint: LCM of (20, 24) = duration after which both the light will flash together.
Ans. 30
2. Three wheels can complete 60, 36, 24 revolutions per minute respectively. There is red spot on
each wheel that touches the ground at time zero. After how much time, all these spots will
simultaneously touch the ground again?
Find the time taken by the three wheels to complete one revolution and take their LCM
Ans. 5 sec
3. A is the set of positive integers such that, when divided by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 leaves the remainders 1,
2, 3, 4, 5 respectively. How many integers between 0 and 100 belong to set A?
Ans. 1

3250
4. Find remainder of .
7
Ans. 4
5. If N be the greatest number that will divide 1305, 4665 and 6905, leaving the same remainder in
each case. Then sum of the digits in N is __________?
Ans. 4
6. The L.C.M. of two numbers is 48. The numbers are in the ratio 2: 3. Then difference of the number
is ___________.
Ans. 8
7. How many factors of 2 × 5 × 7 are odd numbers?
4 3 4

Ans. 80
8. Find the smallest number that has exactly 18 factors.
Ans. 180
9. What is the remainder when 3 444
+4 333
is divided by 5 __________?
Ans. 0
10. Find the remainder when 8643 is divided by 132.
Ans. 116
****

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