QA – Numbers

Representation of numbers
A two digit number xy can be expressed as 10x + y
A three digit number xyz is expressed as
In general an n digit number in decimal representation, can be expressed as

Sum and difference with reverse

Two digit numbers

1) When the digits of a two digits number are reversed i.e., when their position is
interchanged, then the difference of the original number and this resultant number
is always divisible by 9. Also the difference of these two numbers is exactly the
product of the difference of the two digits (i.e., difference of their face values) with
9.For , xy

-yx

[ ]
e.g., 53 – 35 = 9 2 = 18
e.g., 82 – 28 = 9 6 = 54
2) When the digits of a two digits number are reversed i.e., when their position is
interchanged, then the sum of the original number and this resultant number is
always divisible by 11. Also the sum of these two numbers is exactly the product of
the sum of the two digits with 11.

For example, xy
yx

[ ]
e.g., 74 + 47 = 11 11 = 121
e.g., 39 + 93 = 11 12 = 132
Three digit numbers

Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 1

QA – Numbers

1) When the digits of a three digit number are reversed i.e., the unit digit becomes
hundreds digit and vice versa, then the difference between these two numbers is
always divisible by 99. Also the difference of these two numbers (i.e., original and
resultant number) is exactly equal to the product of the difference of unit and
hundreds digit, with 99, i.e., xyz – zyx = 99(x – z)
[
852 – 258 = 99 6= 594 [ ]
703 – 307 = 99 4= 396 [ ]
Four digit numbers
1) When the digits of a four digit number are reversed i.e., the unit digit becomes
hundreds digit and vice versa, then the difference between these two numbers is
always divisible by 9. Let the number be abcd.
Then

2) When the digits of a four digit number are reversed i.e., the unit digit becomes
hundreds digit and vice versa, then the sum of these two numbers is always divisible
by 11. Let the number be abcd.
Then

Conclusions
1) For a number with even number of digits, the difference with reverse is always
divisible by 9 and the sum with reverse is always divisible by 11
2) For a number with odd number of digits, the difference with reverse is always
divisible by 99 and there is no common pattern to divide sum with reverse
Even number of digits Odd number of digits
Difference with reverse Divisible by 9 Divisible by 99
Sum with reverse Divisible by 11 No pattern

Eg, the difference of 2345678 and 8765432 is divisible by 99, since there are 7 digits, an odd
number. Sum of 564379 and 973465 is always divisible by 11, since there are 6 digits, an
even number

Solved Examples:

Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 2

QA – Numbers

1) If we reverse the digits of a two digit number then the difference between the
original number and new number is 27, the difference between the digits is:
Given
Here
Thus x – y = 3
2) A three digit number which on being subtracted from another three digit number
consisting of the same digits in reverse order gives 594. The minimum possible sum
of all the three digits of this number is:

Let x, y, z be the hundred, tens and unit digits of the original number
Then

So, the possible values of (x, z) are (1, 7), (2, 8) and (3, 9). Again the tens digit can have the
values viz., 0, 1, 2, 3, … 9. So the minimum possible value of x + y + z = 1 + 0 + 7 = 8.

x and z can never be zero since if the left most digit becomes zero, then it means his number
is only two digit number.

3) The number of two digit numbers which on being reversed (i.e., their digit
exchanged the position) gives out perfect square numbers:
Let the two digit number be xy, therefore reverse of the number will be yx
Therefore when reversed is subtracted: 10x+y – (10y+x) = 9(x-y) = Square number
Since 9 is a square number, (x-y) must be a square number. So (x-y) can be 1 or 4 or 9
If (x-y) = 1, possible value of x and y
1,0 ; 2,1 ; 3,2 ; 4,3 ; 5,4 ; 6,5 ; 7,6 ; 8,7 ; 9,8
Therefore two digit numbers can be 10, 21, 32, 43, 54, 65, 76, 87 or 98 i.e. 9 values
If (x-y) = 4, possible value of x and y
4,0 ; 5,1 ; 62 ; 7,3 ; 8,4 ; 9,5
Therefore two digit numbers can be 40 , 51 , 62 , 73 , 84 or 95 i.e. 6 values
If (x-y) = 9, possible value of x and y
9, 0
Therefore two digit numbers can be 90 i.e. 1 value
Total number of possible values = 16

Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 3

QA – Numbers

4) When a two digit number is subtracted from the other two digit number which
consists of the same digits but in reverse order, then the difference comes out to be
a two digit perfect square. The number is:

Let the two digit number be xy, therefore reverse of the number will be yx
Therefore when reversed is subtracted: 10x+y – (10y+x) = 9(x-y) = Square number
Since 9 is a square number, (x-y) must be a square number. So (x-y) can be 1 or 4 or 9
However (x-y) cannot be 1, because in that case the difference will be 9 x 1 = 9 but we know
the difference is two digit number.
So (x-y) can be 4 or 9
If (x-y) = 4, possible value of x and y
4,0 ; 5,1 ; 62 ; 7,3 ; 8,4 ; 9,5
Therefore two digit numbers can be 40 , 51 , 62 , 73 , 84 or 95 i.e. 6 values
If (x-y) = 9, possible value of x and y
9, 0
Therefore two digit numbers can be 90 i.e. 1 value
Total number of possible values = 7

Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 4