Base B Number System Factor

XAT 2014 · Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation · Medium · Number System

Two numbers, 297B297_B and 792B792_B, belong to base B number system. If the first number is a factor of the second number then the value of B is:

  1. A.

    11

  2. B.

    12

  3. C.

    15

  4. D.

    17

  5. E.

    19

Answer

E

Explanation

297B=2B2+9B+7297_B = 2B^2 + 9B + 7. 792B=7B2+9B+2792_B = 7B^2 + 9B + 2. Since 297B297_B is a factor of 792B792_B, 7B2+9B+2=k(2B2+9B+7)7B^2 + 9B + 2 = k(2B^2 + 9B + 7). For k=2k = 2: 7B2+9B+2=4B2+18B+14  ⟹  3B2−9B−12=0  ⟹  B2−3B−4=0  ⟹  B=47B^2 + 9B + 2 = 4B^2 + 18B + 14 \implies 3B^2 - 9B - 12 = 0 \implies B^2 - 3B - 4 = 0 \implies B = 4 (Invalid, base must be > 9). For k=3k = 3 (or rearranging 5B2−5=k(2B2+9B+7)5B^2 - 5 = k(2B^2 + 9B + 7)): 5B2−5=2(2B2+9B+7)  ⟹  B2−18B−19=0  ⟹  (B−19)(B+1)=0  ⟹  B=195B^2 - 5 = 2(2B^2 + 9B + 7) \implies B^2 - 18B - 19 = 0 \implies (B - 19)(B + 1) = 0 \implies B = 19.

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