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UPSC CSE CSAT 2017 · Paper II (CSAT) · Question 73 · Number system

एक 2-अंकीय संख्या को उत्क्रमित किया गया। उन दो संख्याओं में से बड़ी संख्या को छोटी संख्या से…

UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2017, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Question 73 — Number system.

CSAT 2017 · Q73

Number system Medium

एक 2-अंकीय संख्या को उत्क्रमित किया गया। उन दो संख्याओं में से बड़ी संख्या को छोटी संख्या से विभाजित किया गया। वृहत्तम संभव शेषफल क्या है?

Read this question in English

A 2-digit number is reversed. The larger of the two numbers is divided by the smaller one. What is the largest possible remainder?

(a) 9 · (b) 27 · (c) 36 · (d) 45

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (d) 45

A number and its reverse differ by 9 × (difference of the digits). When the larger is less than twice the smaller, the quotient is 1 and the remainder is that difference; the biggest such case is 94 ÷ 49, which leaves 45.

  1. Let the larger number be 10a + b and the smaller 10b + a, with a > b.
  2. Their difference is 9(a − b). If the larger is less than twice the smaller, the quotient is 1 and the remainder is exactly 9(a − b).
  3. Quotient 1 needs 10a + b < 2(10b + a), i.e. 8a < 19b. With a = 9 this needs b ≥ 4, so the best pair is 94 and 49: remainder 9 × 5 = 45.
  4. If the quotient is 2 or more, then 8a ≥ 19b forces b ≤ 3, so the smaller number is at most 39 and the remainder is less than 39.
  5. Largest possible remainder = 45 (94 = 1 × 49 + 45).

Remember · A number and its reverse differ by 9 × (difference of digits); when the quotient is 1, that difference is the remainder.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·

Cite this question: UPSC CSE CSAT 2017, Q73 — minimalistias.com/pyqs/csat/2017/q73

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