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Question from surender, a teacher:

what will be the unit digit of (7*3)^21?plz give me method 2 calculate such problems.thank you.

Surender,

One way to approach this problem is to write

(7 × 3)21 = 721 × 321

and then find the units digit of 721 and the units digit of 321 using the technique in my response to Alex's question. Multiply the two units digits obtained to find the units digit of (7 × 3)21 = 721 × 321.

For this particular problem it is easier to deal with 7 × 3 = 21 directly. Your question is to find the units digit of (7 × 3)21 = 2121.

Multiply 21 × 21. (Do it by hand without a calculator). What is the units digit?

Multiply the result of 21 × 21 by 21, again without a calculator. What is the units digit?

Multiply the result by 21. What is the units digit?

What will happen every time?

Penny

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