If $x$ is an even number, then $x^{4n}$, where $n$ is a positive integer, will always have
Aptitude
Number System
Difficulty: Medium
Choose an option
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Azero in the unit's place
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B6 in the unit's place
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Ceither 0 or 6 in the unit's place
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DNone of these
Answer
Correct Answer: either 0 or 6 in the unit's place
Explanation
### Concept & Logic
Every non-zero even digit ($2, 4, 6, 8$) has a power cyclicity that results in the unit digit $6$ when raised to the $4$th power (or any multiple of $4$). The only exception is $0$, which always remains $0$.
### Step-by-Step Solution
**Given:**
$x$ is an even number. We need the unit digit of $x^{4n}$ for any positive integer $n$.
**Deduction:**
* Since $x$ is an even number, its unit digit can be $0, 2, 4, 6,$ or $8$.
* Let's test the $4$th power (setting $n=1$) for each possible even unit digit:
* If unit digit is $0$: $0^4 = 0 \rightarrow$ ends in $0$.
* If unit digit is $2$: $2^4 = 16 \rightarrow$ ends in $6$.
* If unit digit is $4$: $4^4 = 256 \rightarrow$ ends in $6$.
* If unit digit is $6$: $6^4 = 1296 \rightarrow$ ends in $6$.
* If unit digit is $8$: $8^4 = 4096 \rightarrow$ ends in $6$.
* Therefore, the resulting unit digit will always be either $0$ (if $x$ ends in $0$) or $6$ (if $x$ ends in $2, 4, 6,$ or $8$).
### Exam Strategy & Shortcut
Instead of writing out all the powers, you can quickly test the two extremes of even numbers. Let $n=1$. Try $x=2$ (gives $2^4 = 16 \rightarrow 6$) and try $x=10$ (gives $10^4 = 10000 \rightarrow 0$). This immediately proves the answer must encompass both $0$ and $6$.
### Common Pitfall
The most frequent mistake is forgetting that $0$ is considered an even digit (or that numbers ending in $0$, like $10$, are even). If you only test $2, 4, 6,$ and $8$, you will confidently but incorrectly choose "6 in the unit's place".
### Final Answer
**Therefore, the correct answer is either 0 or 6 in the unit's place.**