20 Number Theory Quiz Questions and Answers

Number theory is a fundamental branch of pure mathematics that explores the properties and relationships of numbers, particularly integers. It delves into topics such as prime numbers, which are the building blocks of all integers; divisibility, including greatest common divisors and least common multiples; and modular arithmetic, which examines remainders and congruences. This field also encompasses Diophantine equations, seeking integer solutions to polynomial equations, and the distribution of prime numbers, as studied in the famous Prime Number Theorem. Historically rooted in ancient civilizations like the Greeks and Indians, number theory has evolved to influence modern cryptography, computer science, and physics, revealing profound patterns in the structure of numbers.

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Part 2: 20 number theory quiz questions & answers

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1. Which of the following numbers is prime?
A) 1
B) 9
C) 15
D) 17
Answer: D) 17
Explanation: A prime number is greater than 1 and has no positive divisors other than 1 and itself. 17 is only divisible by 1 and 17.

2. What is the greatest common divisor (GCD) of 24 and 36?
A) 6
B) 8
C) 12
D) 18
Answer: C) 12
Explanation: The prime factorization of 24 is 2^3 * 3, and of 36 is 2^2 * 3^2. The GCD is the product of the lowest powers of common primes: 2^2 * 3 = 4 * 3 = 12.

3. What is the least common multiple (LCM) of 4 and 6?
A) 12
B) 24
C) 8
D) 6
Answer: A) 12
Explanation: The prime factorization of 4 is 2^2, and of 6 is 2 * 3. The LCM is the product of the highest powers of all primes: 2^2 * 3 = 4 * 3 = 12.

4. Is 28 a perfect number?
A) Yes
B) No
Answer: A) Yes
Explanation: A perfect number equals the sum of its proper divisors (excluding itself). The proper divisors of 28 are 1, 2, 4, 7, and 14, and 1 + 2 + 4 + 7 + 14 = 28.

5. What is the value of 15 mod 7?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 8
D) 15
Answer: A) 1
Explanation: 15 divided by 7 is 2 with a remainder of 1, so 15 ≡ 1 mod 7.

6. Which number is divisible by 9?
A) 18
B) 27
C) 36
D) 45
Answer: B) 27
Explanation: A number is divisible by 9 if the sum of its digits is divisible by 9. For 27, 2 + 7 = 9, which is divisible by 9.

7. Solve for x: x ≡ 3 mod 5, and x is between 1 and 10.
A) 3
B) 8
C) 5
D) 10
Answer: B) 8
Explanation: x = 5k + 3. For k=1, x=8, which is between 1 and 10 and satisfies the congruence.

8. How many positive divisors does 36 have?
A) 6
B) 9
C) 12
D) 18
Answer: B) 9
Explanation: The prime factorization of 36 is 2^2 * 3^2. The number of divisors is (2+1)(2+1) = 3*3 = 9 (divisors: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, 36).

9. Are 8 and 15 coprime?
A) Yes
B) No
Answer: A) Yes
Explanation: Two numbers are coprime if their GCD is 1. GCD of 8 and 15 is 1, as they have no common factors other than 1.

10. What is the next number in the Fibonacci sequence after 8 and 13?
A) 21
B) 34
C) 55
D) 89
Answer: A) 21
Explanation: The Fibonacci sequence is each number as the sum of the two preceding ones: 8 + 13 = 21.

11. Which of the following is a Pythagorean triple?
A) (3, 4, 5)
B) (5, 12, 13)
C) (7, 24, 25)
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: A Pythagorean triple satisfies a^2 + b^2 = c^2. (3^2 + 4^2 = 9 + 16 = 25 = 5^2), (5^2 + 12^2 = 25 + 144 = 169 = 13^2), and (7^2 + 24^2 = 49 + 576 = 625 = 25^2).

12. By Fermat’s Little Theorem, what is 3^4 mod 5?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
Answer: A) 1
Explanation: Fermat’s Little Theorem states that if p is prime and a is not divisible by p, then a^(p-1) ≡ 1 mod p. Here, 3^4 ≡ 1 mod 5.

13. What is the sum of the first 5 prime numbers?
A) 10
B) 15
C) 28
D) 31
Answer: C) 28
Explanation: The first 5 primes are 2, 3, 5, 7, and 11. Their sum is 2 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 11 = 28.

14. Is 1 considered a prime number?
A) Yes
B) No
Answer: B) No
Explanation: By definition, a prime number has exactly two distinct positive divisors: 1 and itself. 1 has only one divisor, so it is not prime.

15. What is the prime factorization of 100?
A) 2^2 * 5^2
B) 2^3 * 5^2
C) 2^2 * 5^3
D) 2^4 * 5
Answer: A) 2^2 * 5^2
Explanation: 100 divided by 2 is 50, by 2 is 25, by 5 is 5, by 5 is 1, so 100 = 2^2 * 5^2.

16. Solve: 7x ≡ 2 mod 5.
A) x ≡ 1 mod 5
B) x ≡ 2 mod 5
C) x ≡ 3 mod 5
D) x ≡ 4 mod 5
Answer: D) x ≡ 4 mod 5
Explanation: Multiply both sides by the modular inverse of 7 mod 5 (which is 3, since 7 ≡ 2 mod 5, and 2*3=6≡1 mod 5). So, x ≡ 2*3 ≡ 6 ≡ 1 mod 5? Wait, correct: 7x ≡ 2 mod 5 simplifies to 2x ≡ 2 mod 5, divide by 2 (inverse is 3, but directly: x ≡ 1 mod 5). Error—recheck: 7≡2 mod 5, so 2x≡2 mod 5, divide by 2: x≡1 mod 5. Actually, answer should be A, but based on options, reverify. Standard: x=4 works? 7*4=28≡3 mod 5, not 2. Mistake in question setup. Correct answer: For 7x≡2 mod 5, 2x≡2 mod 5, x≡1 mod 5. So A.

17. How many even factors does 12 have?
A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 6
Answer: C) 4
Explanation: Factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12. Even factors are 2, 4, 6, 12 (4 total).

18. What is Euler’s totient function φ(6)?
A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 6
Answer: A) 2
Explanation: φ(n) is the count of numbers up to n that are coprime with n. For 6, numbers 1 through 5: 1 and 5 are coprime with 6, so φ(6)=2.

19. Is 9 a triangular number?
A) Yes
B) No
Answer: A) Yes
Explanation: Triangular numbers are n(n+1)/2. For n=4, 4*5/2=10 (no). For n=3, 3*4/2=6; n=4=10; wait, 9 is for n=4? 1+2+3+4=10, not 9. Error: 9 is not triangular. Standard: 1,3,6,10,… so no. Answer: B) No. Explanation: The nth triangular number is n(n+1)/2; solving n(n+1)/2=9 gives n≈3. something, not integer.

20. Using the Euclidean algorithm, find GCD of 48 and 18.
A) 6
B) 12
C) 18
D) 24
Answer: A) 6
Explanation: 48 divided by 18 is 2 with remainder 12; 18 divided by 12 is 1 with remainder 6; 12 divided by 6 is 2 with remainder 0. So GCD is 6.

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