document.write( "Question 704229: In multiplying two positive integers a and b, Joey inadvertently reversed the digits of the two-digit number a. His erroneous product was 161. What is the value of (ab)^2? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #433990 by AnlytcPhil(1806) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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In multiplying two positive integers a and b, Joey inadvertently reversed the digits of the two-digit number a. His erroneous product was 161. What is the value of (ab)^2?
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document.write( "By dividing 161 by odd prime numbers, trying to find one that\r\n" );
document.write( "will give a whole number, when we come to dividing 161 by 7 \r\n" );
document.write( "we get the integer 23.  So\r\n" );
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document.write( "161 = 7×23\r\n" );
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document.write( "So the two-digit number \"a\" with the digits reversed was 23,\r\n" );
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document.write( "Therefore a = 32, and b = 7.\r\n" );
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document.write( "So (ab)² = (32×7)² = 224² = 50176\r\n" );
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document.write( "Edwin

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