GeminiHeat wrote:
If integer C is randomly selected from 20 to 99, inclusive. What is the probability that C^3 - C is divisible by 12 ?
A. 1/2
B. 2/3
C. 3/4
D. 4/5
E. 1/3
\(C^3 - C\) is divisible by \(12\)
i.e. \(C(C^2 - 1) = (C - 1)(C)(C + 1)\) is divisible by \(12\)
Lets check some numbers;
C = 20
\((19)(20)(21)\) is divisible by \(12\) - YES
C = 21
\((20)(21)(22)\) is divisible by \(12\) - YES
C = 22
\((21)(22)(23)\) is divisible by \(12\) - NO
C = 23
\((22)(23)(24)\) is divisible by \(12\) - YES
C = 24
\((23)(24)(25)\) is divisible by \(12\) - YES
C = 25
\((24)(25)(26)\) is divisible by \(12\) - YES
C = 26
\((25)(26)(27)\) is divisible by \(12\) - NO
C = 27
\((26)(27)(28)\) is divisible by \(12\) - YES
We can clearly see a pattern here - out of every \(4\) values, \(3\) values are divisible and \(1\) value is not
Let's see how many terms we have, \(n = 99 - 20 + 1 = 80\)
Since \(80\) fits in our pattern of \(4\), Therefore \(60\) terms will be divisible by \(12\)
Required Probability \(= \frac{3}{4}\)
Hence, option C