Given that x = 2^b – (8^34 + 16^5), which of the following values for b yields the lowest value for |x|? Answers:
A) 101
B) 102
C) 103
D) 104
E) 122
8^34 + 16^5 = 2^102 + 2^20   Compared to 2^102, the value of 2^20 is negligible.   2^102 - (2^102 +2^20) will minimize the value of |x|.   The answer is 102.
<result>B</result>
Given that x = 2^b – (8^34 + 16^5), which of the following values for b yields the lowest value for |x|?