CAT 2008QA Question 9

Prime and Composite NumbersEasy
Passage / Data

Directions for next 2 questions:

The figure below shows the plan of a town. The streets are at right angles to each other. A rectangular park (P) is situated inside the town with a diagonal road running through it. There is also a prohibited region (D) in the town.

Suppose, the seed of any positive integer n is defined as follows:

                 seed(n) = n, if n < 10
                              = seed(s(n)), otherwise,

where s(n) indicates the sum of digits of n.

For example, seed(7) = 7, seed(248) = seed(2 + 4 + 8) =  seed(14) = seed(1 + 4) = seed(5) = 5 etc.

How many positive integers n, such that n < 500, will have seed(n) = 9?

Answer & solution

  • A

    39

  • B

    72

  • C

    81

  • D

    108

  • 55

Solution

Sum of the digits of multiples of 9 is always 9.

∴ Seed of any number will be 9 if and only if it is a multiple of 9.

There are 55 multiples of 9 which are less than 500 (as 500/9 = 55.555)

∴ There are 55 positive integers which will have seed = 9

Hence, option (e).

CAT 2008 QA Q9: Suppose, the seed of any positive integer n is defined as follows: seed(n) = n, if n < 10 = seed(s(n)), otherw — Solution | TheCATExam