IBM Ponder This: November Edition

is it 3?


is number divisible by 2
a. Y - 8,4,6,2 ( any number which is a multiple of these numbers will have least divisor as 2)
answer = 2
b. N- 3,5,7,9 ( if not by two then they can have any of these numbers as divisors)
b.1) is number divisible by 3
Y - answer = 3
b.2) is the number divisbile by 5
Y - answer = 5
N - answer = 7

if none of above is correct, then number is prime so smallest number divisor apart from 1 is number it self.

addition:
its 4

after all the above questions : one more question as:
is number divisible by 11 😀

I asked my friend to suggest a number and she said 121! pop! it doesnot satify any of the above questions so yeah, its 4

Actually I didnt understand the question !!

Durga, Can you explain it a bit clearly. 😔

ok.
what i understood is this

you choose a number x between 2 and 169.

now I ask you n number of questions for which you answer yes or no and I have to deduce the minimum divisor what can divide the number based n your 'yes' or 'no'

since we are talking about least divisor, i started with 2 and since any number divisible by 4,6,8 can be divided by 2 we dont peoceed further and decide that its divisible by 2.

i f not divisible by 2 next number u proceed to consider is 3 , and any number which is divisible by 9 will be diviisble by 3 hence you rule out 9 as well.

now left with 5,7 if the number is divisible by 5, then thats the minimum divisor aif not then 7

hence i said in total 3 questison

but later while i was testing it out, i realised that we have a prime number square as well which is 121 and hence fourth question was added.

For exmaple consider number 49
Q1: is number divisible by 2 - no
Q2: is number divisible by 3 - no
Q3: is the number divisible by 5 - no
hence number is divisible by 7

I am not sure if this is the answer, but this is what i deduced when i read the question.

i