# Find the remainder when $787^{777}$ is divided by $100$?

Find the remainder when $787^{777}$ is divided by $100$?

MyApproach

$787^{20\times38+17}$=$787^{17}$=I will get the last digit of remainder as 7 but how to calculate tens digit in this question fast using this approach only.

Similarly,Find the remainder when $948^{728}$ is divided by $100$.

On solving I get $948^8$=I will get the last digit of remainder as 7 but how to calculate tens digit in this question fast using this approach only.

Again here how to calculate the other digits fast.

• The answer depends on last two digits of $87^{777}$ Nov 3, 2015 at 9:48
• @Pratyush Yes but calculating it is even longer. Nov 3, 2015 at 9:50
• ya right i am looking for a shorter one. Nov 3, 2015 at 9:52
• I am disappointed to see that all the answers (except the one by Lab Bhattacharjee) concentrate on rigorous computation rather than finding a smart idea to solve this. Jul 2, 2017 at 3:29
• Does this answer your question? Mod of numbers with large exponents [modular order reduction] Dec 28, 2020 at 17:05

Hint

$787^3 \equiv 03\pmod {100}$ and $3^{20} \equiv 01 \pmod {100}$

Now the problem becomes much simpler. The last two digits of $787^{780}$ are $01$. You can now easily work backwards.

Other Problem

You can tackle it similarly by observing

$948^2 \equiv 04\pmod {100}$ and $4^{16} \equiv 04 \pmod {100}$

(You are not going to be lucky because with an even number, you will never get a $01$)

Edit - Alternately for first problem

You can use Fermat's little theorem, knowing $\phi(100) = 40$.

So any number, relatively prime with $100$, raised to $40$ will give $01$ and hence the last two digits of $787^{780}$ are $01$

• How u did this.I understood that approach only which I mentioned. Nov 3, 2015 at 9:50
• $3^{20}\equiv1\mod 100$ as $\lambda(100)=20$, which I think you tried to used. Nov 3, 2015 at 9:51
• 787, I just hand-calculated -- you need only last 2 digits. On $3^{20}$, I knew it, just like $7^4$. See Subhadeep Dey's comment below Nov 3, 2015 at 9:51
• @justintakro, do you know congruence theory? $787\equiv 87\equiv-13\pmod {100}$
– user249332
Nov 3, 2015 at 9:51
• Any odd number raised to relative prime to 100 or 1000 or 4 has its last digit 1. Then find out last 2 digits and you will get the remainder. Nov 3, 2015 at 9:53

$787\equiv-13\pmod{100}$

$\implies787^{777}\equiv(-13)^{777}\equiv-13^{777}$

Now $13^2=170-1\implies13^{777}=13(-1+170)^{388}$

and $(-1+170)^{388}\equiv(-1)^{388}+\binom{388}1(-1)^{387}170\pmod{100}$ $\equiv1-388\cdot170$

Again as $388\cdot17\equiv6\pmod{10},388\cdot170\equiv60\pmod{100}$

Hope you can take it from here!

$$787^{777}\equiv x(mod~100)$$ and you need to find $x$. Let's go this way

In every step we will take last two digits only, as the remainder when divided by $100$ depends upon last $2$ digits only. So $$787^{777}=(787^3)^{259}$$Now you don't have to do complete multiplication , just find last two digits of $87*87$ and multiply it by $87$ and again left all the digits except last two. Do, it for every next case$$787^{777}\equiv(787^3)^{259}\equiv(03)^{259}\equiv(03^7)^{37}\equiv(87)^{37}\equiv(87^3)^{12}\cdot87\equiv(03)^{12}\cdot87\equiv(3^6\cdot3^6)\cdot87\equiv(729\cdot729)\cdot87\equiv(29\cdot29)\cdot87\equiv41\cdot87\equiv3567\equiv67(mod~100)$$

So the answer is $67$ when $787^{777}$ is divided by $100$

For your second question, same approach works and solution comes out to be like this $$948^{728}\equiv(48^2)^{364}\equiv(04)^{364}\equiv(04^7)^{52}\equiv(2^{14})^{52}\equiv(96)^{52}\equiv(96^2)^{26}\equiv(16)^{26}\equiv(16^2)^{13}\equiv(56)^{13}\equiv(56^2)^6\cdot56\equiv(36)^6\cdot56\equiv(36^2)^3\cdot56\equiv(96)^3\cdot56\equiv(96)^2\cdot96\cdot56\equiv16\cdot96\cdot56\equiv36\cdot56\equiv2016\equiv16(mod~100)$$

So the answer is $16$ is the remainder whn $948^{728}$ is divided by $100$

From this method, I learnt how to calculate last two (or more) digits of a number because it is easily understandable.

We have $\pmod{100}$

$$787^{777}\equiv 87^{777}$$

And we have the following factorisations

$$87=3\times 29$$ $$777=3\times 7\times 37$$

$$87^3=658503\equiv 3\pmod{100}$$

And so

$$787^{777}\equiv 3^{7\times 37}\pmod{100}$$

Now we have $3^7=2187\equiv 87$ and so

$$787^{777}\equiv (3\times 29)^{37}\pmod{100}$$

So we're now left with $3^{37}$ and $29^{37}$ $\pmod{100}$.

A direct computation shows that $3^{15}=14348907\equiv 7\pmod{100}$ and $3^7=2187\equiv 87$ so

$$3^{37}\equiv 7\times 7\times 87=4263\equiv 63\pmod{100}$$

Another direct (and painful) computation shows that $29^7=17249876309\equiv 9$ and $29^{10}=420707233300201\equiv 1$ and so

$$29^{37}\equiv 9\pmod{100}$$

And now putting the two results together

$$787^{777}\equiv 9\times 63=567\equiv 67\pmod{100}$$