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How many three-digit numbers are divisible by 3 in arithmetic progression?

Published in Arithmetic Sequences 2 mins read

There are 300 three-digit numbers divisible by 3.


Detailed Explanation

The question asks for the number of three-digit numbers that are divisible by 3 and also form an arithmetic progression. A sequence of numbers is considered to be an arithmetic progression if the difference between consecutive terms is constant. Three-digit numbers range from 100 to 999. We need to determine how many of these are divisible by 3.


Determining the number of three-digit multiples of 3:

  • The smallest three-digit number divisible by 3 is 102 (3 x 34).
  • The largest three-digit number divisible by 3 is 999 (3 x 333).
  • All multiples of 3 form an arithmetic progression with a common difference of 3 (e.g., 102, 105, 108, ...).


Calculating the number of terms in the sequence:

As per the provided reference:

  • The number of three-digit numbers divisible by 3 is calculated as (999 - 102)/3 + 1.
  • (999 - 102)/3 = 897/3 = 299
  • 299 + 1 = 300

Therefore, there are 300 three-digit numbers that are divisible by 3.


Important Note: Since every number divisible by 3 is a multiple of 3, any sequence of multiples of 3 will inherently be an arithmetic progression, where the common difference is 3. Therefore, all 300 three-digit numbers that are multiples of 3 are in arithmetic progression.


Conclusion

There are 300 three-digit numbers that are divisible by 3, and they form an arithmetic progression.


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