Ryan Chow

G7 Amber

SHANGHAI SINGAPORE
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Grade 7 MATHEMATICS 2014/2015
Due Date: Friday 17th October, Week 7

Draft 2

Project 1 - Investigation on Indices

Criteria

Level Achieved

Part 1
1. Calculate and fill in the blanks.
21 = 2

25 = 32

29 = 512

213 = 8192

22 = 4

26 = 64

210 = 1024

214 = 16 348

23 = 8

27 = 128

211 = 2048

215 = 32 768

24= 16

28 = 256

212 = 4096

216 = 65 536

2. Do you see any pattern occurring on the last digit of the numbers above? If yes,
how would you describe the pattern?
Yes. The numbers are always either 2, 4, 6 or 8.
3. In mathematics, why do we want to find patterns? How can they be useful?
It can help us find the answer to a question easier and helps us understand the
question, concept and answer better.
We can use a clock model to represent how this number pattern cycles through the
last digits. If we investigate how this works we may be able to spot a pattern
between the power of 2 and the last digit.
The first tick of our clock lands on 2, the second tick on 4 etc.

Continues on the next page

Ryan Chow

G7 Amber

4. What number will the clock stop at after 10 ticks?

4
5. What number will the clock stop at after 15 ticks?
8
6. Construct a table to investigate the number of ticks and the number the pointer
stops at.
20 Ticks

25 Ticks

30 Ticks

35 Ticks

40 Ticks

45 Ticks

50 Ticks

55 Ticks

7. Using the information in your table, how could you predict which number of ticks
will land on a 6? Describe your method.
I would find the number 6 and what the number of ticks it is associated with and
then I would find out the pattern and then based on that pattern, I can find out what
the number of ticks are. In this case, 20 and 40 ticks are associated with the
number 6 so in this, I find the pattern that every 20 ticks, the pointer would land
on the number 6.
8. How could you predict which number of ticks will land on a 4, 8 or 2? Describe
your method.
Again, I would find the number of ticks the numbers requested are associated
with and then I can find out how many ticks are needed to land on that number.
Or, I could add five ticks for each number going bigger to find out how many
ticks are needed to land on that number for instance, for the number 6, there are
20 ticks, so, for the next number, 2, I would add five ticks to get to that number.
8. What do the ticks represent in our clock model?
The ticks represent the increase in the power.
9. How could we use our clock model to predict the last digit of any power of 2?
Describe your method.
We could use the clock model as a way to calculate the numbers with using a
table or imagining it in our minds to find the power of a certain number in a much
easier and quicker way.
11. Find the last digits of 2

50

and 2

71

Explain how you arrive at that result. Justify your answers by using a calculator or
other techniques.
2

Ryan Chow

50 divided 4=12

G7 Amber

R1=2 R2=4 R3=8

71 divided 4=17

4, 8

Part 2
Now we will try to use the clock model to find a pattern for the last digits of powers
of 3.
13. Calculate and fill in the blanks
31 = 3

34= 81

37 = 2187

310 = 59 094

32= 9

35 = 243

38 = 6561

311 = 177 147

33 = 27

36= 729

39 = 19 683

312 = 531 441

14. Can you use the clock model to find a pattern for the last digits of powers of 3?
If so, explain the pattern and how you would use it to predict the last digit for any
power of 3. Show all tables and working out.
The last digit changes as 3-9-7-1 and repeating.
50
71
15. Find the last digits of 3
and 3
Explain how you arrive at that result. Justify your answers by using a calculator or
other techniques.
9, 7

Part 3
16. In a competition, your friend was asked to find the last digit of
Can you use the findings of your investigation above to help your
friend?

2106 389

Explain how you arrive at that result.

Justify your answers by using a calculator or other techniques.
2^106s last digit is 4, 3^89s last digit is 3, so 4x3=12. The last digit of
2^106x3^89=2. Answer: 2.

Ryan Chow

G7 Amber

Extension
Use the Internet to find out about modular arithmetic and the modulus.
What does it mean in maths?
How does it relate to this number pattern problem?
Modular arithmetic is a system of arithmetic for integers, where numbers "wrap
around" upon reaching a certain valuethe modulus.
An example of this is 2222^5555 + 5555^2222 divisible by 7?
2222^5555 + 5555^2222 = 35555 + 42222. The series of powers of a given
number is bound to be cyclic.
For example, 32 = 2 (mod 7), 33 = 6 (mod 7), 34 = 4 (mod 7), and so on: 3, 2, 6, 4,
5, 1, 3 Note that 5555 = 5 (mod 6). Therefore, 22225555 = 35 (mod 7) = 5 (mod
7).

Adding up 5 + 2 gives a number divisible by 7.

So is 2222^5555 + 5555^2222.