Problema Solution
If a collection of pencils is placed in rows of 3, there are 2 pencils left; if placed in rows of 5, there are 2 left; and if placed in rows of 7, there are 2 left. What is the smallest possible number of pencils in the collection?
Answer provided by our tutors
Let 'x' represent the number of pencils in the collection.
3 divides x - 2
5 divides x - 2
7 divides x - 2
The smallest number would be:
x - 2 = 3*5*7
x = 2 + 105
x = 107 pencils
The smallest possible number of pencils in the collection is 107.