Last digit of a large number (Ruby) how to deal with NaN? - ruby

Question

Here's my code:
def last_digit(n1, n2)
array = (n1.to_i ** n2.to_i).to_s.split("")
array[-1].to_i
end
TEST: The last decimal digit of (2^200)^(2^300), which has over 10^92 decimal digits, is 6
I'm trying to return the last digit of a last number and I'm sure this correct but when I run tests 2 return as failing.
I think it's due to the numbers being too large, how do I get this code to remain accurate no matter how large it gets.
And also how do I deal with NaN, I've searched and struggled to find anything useful.
Thanks for your help.

Answer 1

There's an effective algorithm which assumes that only the last digit of a number being powered matters. Please, try it out on your tests and feel free to correct any flaw in this implementation that you'll find by running them
def digit_of_power(digit, n)
digit = digit % 10
case digit
when 0, 1, 5, 6 then digit
else
digit_of_square = digit * digit
if n.even?
digit_of_power(digit_of_square, n / 2)
else
digit * digit_of_power(digit_of_square, (n - 1) / 2) % 10
end
end
end

Answer 2

This is my solution
def last_digit(n1, n2)
return 1 if n2 == 0
return 0 if n1 == 0
exp = (n2 % 4 == 0) ? 4 : n2 % 4
return (n1**exp) % 10
end
You might want to read this article (finding the last digit of a power) for a more detailed explanation of the solution to this math problem.
Take a look at the following table:
You can see that the maximum length for cycle repetition is 4.
For instance:
2 * 2 = 4
4 * 2 = 8
8 * 2 = 16
16 * 2 = 32
32 * 2 = 64
64 * 2 = 128
128 * 2 = 256
256 * 2 = 512
The last digit in 32 is 2 ( as it is in 512), meaning that after multiplying the digit by 4, it will repeat itself.
The algorithm follows this logic:
You reduce the exponent, knowing that if it is divisible by 4, its new value is 4 because multiplying it 4 times gives you the last digit according to the table above. Otherwise, its value is n2 % 4.
As a final step you do this n1^exp % 10 because you only need the last number.
Note:
I tested it successfully with large numbers.
n1 = 38710248912497124917933333333284108412048102948908149081409204712406
n2 = 226628148126342643123641923461846128214626
By the way, I realize I am late in responding to your question. I just think it might be helpful for someone else someday.

Answer 3

Code
ENDINGS = [[0,0,0,0], [1,1,1,1], [2,4,8,6], [3,9,7,1], [4,6,4,6],
[5,5,5,5], [6,6,6,6], [7,9,3,1], [8,4,2,6], [9,1,9,1]]
def last_digit_of_power(digit, power)
return 1 if power.zero?
ENDINGS[digit][(power-1) % 4]
end
Examples
Let's try it for power equal to 5 and then 6.
(5..6).each do |power|
puts "\npow = #{power}"
(0..9).each {|digit| puts "#{digit}: #{last_digit_of_power(digit, power)}"}
end
pow = 5
0: 0
1: 1
2: 2
3: 3
4: 4
5: 5
6: 6
7: 7
8: 8
9: 9
pow = 6
0: 0
1: 1
2: 4
3: 9
4: 6
5: 5
6: 6
7: 9
8: 4
9: 1
Explanation
This uses the same algorithm as employed by #Igor, but I've implemented it differently. It is known (and can be easily demonstrated) that the last digit of each digit 0-9 taken to increasing powers cycles among at most 4 digits. Consider the digit 3, for example. Since
[1,2,3,4,5].map { |power| 3**power }
#=> [3, 9, 27, 81, 243]
the last digits of 3 taken to each of those 5 powers is [3, 9, 7, 1, 3]. Since the last digit of 3**5 is the same as the last digit of 3**1, we infer than the last digit of 3**6 will be the same as the last digit of 3**(6-4) (3**2), which is 9, and so on.
Now suppose we wished to calculate the last digit of 3**15. We see that it will be the same as the last digit of 3**(15-4) (3**11), which in turn will equal the last digit of 3**7 and then the last digit 3**3, but we already know the last of these, which is 7. It follows that the last digit of 3**power is
[3, 9, 7, 1][(power-1) % 4]
ENDINGS provides the last digits for powers 1-4 for each of the digits 0-9. Note the cycle length is 1 for 0, 1, 5 and 6, is 2 for 4 and 9 and is 4 for 2, 3, 7 and 8. It's most convenient, however, to use a cycle length of 4 for all 10 digits.
ENDINGS[digit] equals the four endings of digit taken to the powers of 1, 2, 3 and 4. The last digit of the digit digit taken to the power power therefore equals
ENDINGS[digit][(power-1) % 4]