Units Digit of a Power
A value is chosen uniformly at random from , and independently an exponent is chosen uniformly at random from . Find the probability that ends in the digit .
Work it out, then compare with the answer.
Answer
SolutionShow the worked solution
Only the units digit of matters, so we may replace the set with . Each of the five values is equally likely.
The set contains consecutive integers. Since is divisible by , each residue of modulo occurs exactly times. So is uniform on and independent of .
Now look at the units digits of successive powers of each digit:
- : always . Then ends in for every , with probability .
- : the cycle is . The units digit is exactly when , with probability .
- : always , with probability .
- : the cycle is . The units digit is exactly when , with probability .
- : the cycle is . The units digit is exactly when is even, with probability .
Averaging over the five equally likely values of gives
Key idea. Units digits of powers repeat with period dividing . Because the range of covers whole periods, only the residue matters, and it is uniform.