The last article Whole Number Dynamics IV was about the rule which takes N to N ', where N was written in the form N=10 M+ R and the remainder R lies between 0 and 9 inclusive, and N '= 10 R- M. We suggested there that if we start with any whole number and then apply the rule repeatedly, we will eventually reach 0, or end in a cycle of four numbers. If you check many cases you will find this is so, but of course, this does not prove that it is so.

We also saw that for any whole number K there are exactly ten numbers which go to K in one step, and these are the numbers

As a result of this, we then showed that if N eventually reaches 0 (after applying the rule sufficiently many times) then N must be a multiple of 101.

Now it is important to understand that the statement

1. if N is a multiple of 101, then N eventually reaches 0,
   is not the same as the statement
2. if N eventually reaches 0, then N is a multiple of 101 .
   
   A good way to see that these are different statements is to consider the following two (very similar) statements:
3. if a whole number is a squared number, then it is positive or zero,
   and
4. if a whole number is positive or zero, then it is a squared number.

Obviously, (3) is true and (4) is false so that these two forms of a statement must be different. Returning to consider the statements (1) and (2), we recall that we have proved (2) in the last article; we shall now prove (1). Note that when combined together, (1) and (2) describe exactly those numbers which will eventually arrive at 0.

To show that (1) is true, let us consider any whole number N that is a multiple of 101; we want to show that this eventually reaches 0. We can write N = 101 P, say, where P is a whole number, and we can always write P in the form P=10 M+ R, where R is the remainder of P when we divide P by 10. This means that

N = 101P = 101(10M + R) = 1010M + 100R + R = 10 X (101M + 10R) + R

so that R is also the remainder of N. Applying the rule to N, we see that N goes to N', where N' = 10 R - (101 M+10 R) = -101 M. This shows, for example, that multiples of 101 always go to multiples of 101 (and we also know from last time that they can only come from multiples of 101), so clearly the number 101 plays an important role here!

Let us look at what we have just proved a little more closely. In fact, we have just seen that if N = 101(10 M+ R) then N' = 101 x (-M), and roughly speaking, this says that when we apply the rule we just `drop' the units figure and change the sign). This shows, for example, that

101 x 38792		101 x (-3879)
		101 x 387
		101 x (-38)
		101 x 3 = 303
		0

A similar argument works with 38792 replaced by any integer and this shows that if a whole number N is a multiple of 101, then it eventually reaches 0.

Let us look again at the problem posed at the end of the last article. We asked there whether or not the number 123456 ends up at 0 or in a cycle of four numbers? Using a calculator, we see that 123456 is not a multiple of 101 so that (by what we have just shown) it cannot end up at 0.

What about the number 12345678987654321? This number is too big to put on a calculator so we need to find another approach for it would clearly be a very long task indeed to keep on applying the rule to this number! How do we handle this number?

We want to decide whether or not the number 12345678987654321 is a multiple of 101. Of course if a whole number X is a multiple of 101 then the number 12345678987654321 - X is also a multiple of 101 and conversely, and using this we see that it is enough to subtract multiples of 101 from 12345678987654321 and then check whether or not the answer is a multiple of 101. Better still, if P is any whole number then

10000P = 9999P + P = (99 x 101)P + P

so that 10000 P is a multiple of 101 plus P. Thus,

12345678987654321 = (1234567898765 x 10000) + 4321 = 1234567898765 + 101Q + 4321

for some whole number Q. Applying this again, we get

1234567898765 = (123456789 x 10000) + 8765 = 123456789 + 101S + 8765

for some whole number S, and again,

123456789 = (12345 x 10000) + 6789 = 12345 + 101T + 6789

for some whole number T.

Putting all these together, we find that the two numbers 12345678987654321 and ( 4321 + 8765 + 6789 + 12345) differ by a multiple of 101. It is enough, therefore, to check whether (4321+8765+6789+12345) is, or is not, a multiple of 101, and we have now reduced the problem to one that we can do on a calculator.

You can now answer the question : does 12345678987654321 eventually reach 0 or not ?

A final question : does 8765432123456789 eventually reach 0 or not?

Whole Number Dynamics I
Whole Number Dynamics II
Whole Number Dynamics III
Whole Number Dynamics IV.