Bell 1

Katie Bell
Professor Diaz
Math 2010
October 10, 2016
Polya Problem
Whole Numbers and Remainders
State the problem:
A certain whole number less than 100 leaves the remainders 1, 2, 3, and 4
when divided, respectively, by 2, 3, 4, and 5. What is the whole number?
In other words, what number when divided by 1,2,3 and 4 results in a whole
number with the remainders of 2,3,4, and 5?
Understand the Problem:
To understand this problem, I need to know how division works, and how to
get around doing a lot of division. Begin by knowing which numbers cannot
be used because of the rules of division.
2: even numbers cannot be used because they are divisible by 2.
3: numbers ending with a multiple of 3 cannot be used.
4: even numbers cannot be used because they are divisible by 4.
5: numbers ending with a multiple of 5 cannot be used.
However, this rules out all numbers so there has to be an exception. The first
exception that came to mind after testing this hypothesis was the exception
of prime numbers! Prime numbers are numbers that can only be divided
evenly by 1 and itself. This means that there HAS to be a remainder left.
My other wild guess is that the number would be above 50. So, start with a
list of prime numbers above 50 and use guess and check.
Devise a Plan:

Bell 2
Guess and Check-after I have narrowed down my options of numbers.
Division-to find the whole numbers and remainders.
Table-record my answers into a table so I can see which numbers to stop
guessing at and which to continue on with.
Continue with this plan until a solution works or come up with another plan.
Carry Out the Plan:

2
3
4
5

R1
R2
R3
R4

99
49R1
33
24R3
19R4

51
24R1
17
12R3
10R1

77
38R1
25R2
19R1
15R2

79
39R1
26R1
19R3
15R4

71
35R1
23R2
17R3
14R1

89
44R1
29R2
22R1
17R4

59
29R1
19R2
14R3
11R4

Look Back:
I really enjoyed this problem and working it out with the Polya method made
it easier and quicker to do. When I started this problem I initially thought that
it was a trick question because most whole numbers were excluded when put
up against the tests of divisibility and the remainders all came out
completely wrong. After writing out the numbers that would not work I
figured there had to be some sort of exception and prime numbers came to
mind. A prime number has to have a remainder unless it is divided by itself
so this is where I started. After looking back at my plan and adjusting, it was
easier to guess and check the numbers as I went. Knowing the exceptions to
rules made this problem easier than if I was just guessing the whole time. I
was so into this problem that I jumped up and scared my siblings doing
homework at the table with me!