Question

If 2015+a=b for positive integers a and b, both of which are palindromes, what is the smallest possible value of a?

a) 45
b) 55
c) 65
d) 75

Answer 1

The smallest possible value of a that satisfies the conditions is 45.

Step-by-step explanation:

We can solve this problem by systematically testing different values of a and determining if the corresponding value of b is a palindrome. If we start by assuming a = 1, we find that b = 2016, which is not a palindrome. Testing a = 2, we find that b = 2017, which is also not a palindrome. Continuing this process, we find that a = 6 is the smallest positive integer for which b is a palindrome. Therefore, the answer is a) 45.