Mark Boyd wrote:
>
> This is a simple math question from my 9 year olds homework.  Could someone
> with a mathematics background explain the reasoning behind the alleged
> correct answer for me? Because I just don't get it.
>
> The question:
>         What is the last digit in the number 346?
>
> She answered 6 and so did I.  The correct answer is apparently 3.  Why?
> I've already written a note to the teacher requesting an explanation, but I
> was hoping someone in the group could come up with something better than
> "Because the book says so".

Ah, but math books can disagree on the "last digit" usage:
from http://www1.saxonpub.com/products/pdf/math_54/lesson11_54.pdf
> Which one of these numbers is an even number?
> 463 285 456
> Solution We can tell if a number is even by looking at the last digit.
> A number is an even number if the last digit is even. The
> last digits of these numbers are 3, 5, and 6. Of these, the
> only even digit is 6, so the even number is 456.

Try explaining how to tell even from odd with the "other" meaning
of "last digit", maybe "look at the rightmost digit?"

Richard
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Richard L Gambrell, Senior Information Technology Consultant and
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