DIRECTIONSfor the question:Solve the following question and mark the b...
The first thing we note is that 1 + 2 + ... + 9 = 45 and as the sum of the digits is divisible by 9 then any arrangement of those digits will produce a number that is divisible by 9. So our challenge reduces to finding the smallest number that is divisible by 11.
To test if a number is divisible by 11 we find a, the sum of digits in the odd positions, and b, the sum of digits in the even positions. If a – b is divisible by 11 then so too is the number; for example, 95953: 9 + 9 + 3 = 21, 5 + 5 = 10, and as 21 – 10 = 11 then we know that 95953 is divisible by 11.
Let us begin with the smallest 9-digit number using each of the digits 1 through 9: 123456789. The first set, {1, 3, 5, 7, 9}, has sum 25 and the second set, {2, 4, 6, 8}, has sum 20. As the difference is 5 we know that the number is not divisible by 11.
However, for the difference to increase from 5 to 11 we need to increase the sum of the first set by 3 and decrease the sum of the second set by 3. This can be achieved by swapping 1 and 4, 3 and 6, or 5 and 8.
Swapping 1 and 4 gives the two sets {4, 3, 5, 7, 9} and {2, 1, 6, 8}. But before we merge these numbers we must place them in ascending order to keep the number as small as possible: {3, 4, 5, 7, 9} and {1, 2, 6, 8}. This produces the number 314256789.
By swapping 3 and 6 we get {1, 5, 6, 7, 9} and {2, 3, 4, 8}, producing the number 125364789.
Finally by swapping 5 and 8 we get {1, 3, 7, 8, 9} and {2, 4, 5, 6}, producing the number 123475869.
Hence the smallest number using the digits 1 through 9 which is divisible by 99 is 123475869.