Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

UNIT 2: DIVISIBILITY.

Divisibility in Natural Numbers:

In a division of natural numbers, we can find four elements: D=dividend, d=divisor, q=quotient and
r=remainder.
Dividend (D) divisor (d)
remainder (r) quotient (q)

A division is exact, if its remainder is zero. In this case, D=d·q is verified.

A division isn't exact, if its remainder isn't zero. In this case, D=d·q+r is verified.

When the division between two numbers is exact, we say there is a relation of divisibility between
them.

D d D is divisible by d.
0 q

Examples: The division 78:6 is exact:

78 6 The division is exact, because the remainder is zero.

18 13 D=d·q ⇒78=6⋅13
0 78 is divisible by 6.
There is a relation of divisibility between 78 and 6.

Is 250 divisible by any numbers of these?

a) 2 d) 10

b) 3 e) 20

c) 5 f) 250

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Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

Multiples of a number:

A number b is a multiple of another number a if the division b:a is exact.

Examples: 36 is a multiple of 4 but it isn't a multiple of 5:

36 4 36 5
0 9 1 7
The division is exact The division isn't exact

The multiple of a number is the product generated when that number is multiplied by a natural
number.
The first multiples of a number are obtained by mulyipling the number by each of the natural
numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, …

Multiples of a: a·1, a·2, a·3, a·4, a·5, …

And we write it like this:

ȧ={a ·1, a · 2, a · 3, a · 4, a · 5, ...}

Every numbers is a multiple of itself and of 1 ( a⋅1=a ).

Example: 5̇={5,10, 15, 20, 25, 30,35, 40 ...}

Calculate the multiples of 4:

Multiples of 4 → 4̇=¿

Demostrate that 4 is multiple of itself and of the unit.

All numbers are multiples of themselves and of the unit.

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Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

Factors of a number:

A number a is a factor of another number b if the division b:a is exact.

Examples: 6 is a factor of 48, but 7 isn't a factor of 48:

48 6 48 7
0 8 6 6
The division is exact The division isn't exact

If a number can be expresed as a product of two natural numbers, then the natural numbers are
factors of the first number.

Examples: 6=6⋅1=3⋅2 . So, the factors of 6 are 1, 2, 3 and 6.

A factors is any number that will divide into another number exactly (with no part left over): 8 can
be divide by 2 (the factor in this example) 4 times. However, in the total number 8 has several
factors: 1, 2, 4 and 8.

Examples: Factors of 24: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24

Factors of 27: 1, 3, 9 and 27
Factors of 56: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 14, 28 and 54.
Factors of 61: 1 and 61.

Numbers that are greater than 1 and have only two factors, 1 and itself are called prime numbers.

Find all factors of the following numbers:

Factors of 15:
Factors of 17:
Factors of 30:
Factors of 32:

It's the same to say:

15 is a multiple of 3 = 3 is a factor of 15 = 15 is divisible by 3

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Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

Prime and composite numbers:

A prime number (or a prime) is a natural number wich has exactly two distint natural numbers
divisors: 1 and itself.
If a numbers has more than two divisors, it is called composite number.
The number 1 is by definition not a prime number.

“Ilustration showing 11 is a prime number while 12 is not”.

A simple ancient algorithm for finding all prime numbers up to a specified natural number, n ( we
are going to do it with n=100), is the Sieve of Erastosthenes:
1. Write down the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, … , n. (Remember n=100 for us). We will eliminate
composites by marking them: Inicially all numbers are unmarked.
2. Mark the number 1 as special (it is neither prime nor composite).
3. Cross out all numbers >2 wich are divisible by 2 (every even number).
4. Find the smallest remainder number >2. It is 3. So cross out all numbers >3 wich are
divisible by 3.
5. Find the smallest remainder number >3. It is 5. So cross out all numbers >5 wich are
divisible by 5.
Continue untill you have crossed out all number divisible by  n (in our case  100 ).

SIEVE OF ERASTOSTHENES.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60

61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70

81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90

91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

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Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

Prime numbers are: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61, 67, 71, 73, 79,
83, 89, 97, …

“The Sieve of Erastosthenes is a simple ancient algorithm for finding all prime numbers up to a
specified natural number. The Sieve of Erastosthenes was created in the 3rd century B. C. by
Erastosthenes, an ancient Greek mathematician.”

Test of divisibility:

Here are some quick and easy checks to see if one number will divide exactly:

Divisible by 2
A number is divisible by 2 if the last digit is 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8.

Example: 2 346 is divisible by 2 because the last digit is 6.

Divisible by 3
A number is divisible by 3 if the sum of the digits is divisible by 3.

Example: 23 457 is divisible by 3 because the sum of the digits is 21 (2+3+4+5+7=21), and 21 is
divisible by 3.

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Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

Divisible by 4

A number is divisible by 4 if the number formed by the last two digits is either 00 or divisible by 4.

Example: 24 516 is divisible by 4 because 16 is divisible by 4.

Divisible by 5

A number is divisible by 5 if the last digit is either 0 or 5.

Example: 9 876 345 is divisible by 5 because the last digit is 5.

Divisible by 6

A number is divisible by 6 if it is divisible by 2 (the last digit is 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8) and it is also

divisible by 3 (the sum of the digits is divisible by 3)

Example: 534 is divisible by 6 because is divisible by 2 (the last digit is 4) and it is divisible by 3
(the sum of the digits 5+3+4=12 is divisible by 3)

Divisible by 10

A number is divisible by 10 if the last digit is 0.

Example: 12 345 890 is divisible by 10 because the last digit is 0.

Divisible by 11

To check if a number is divisible by 11, sum the digits in the odd positions counting from the left
(the first, the third, …) and then sum the remainder digits. If the difference between the sums is
either 0 or divisible by 11, then so is the original number.

Examples: 145 879 635 918 291

Digits in odd positions: 1+5+7+6+5=24 Digits in odd positions: 9+8+9=26
Digits in even positions: 4+8+9+3=24 Digits in even positions: 1+2+1=4
The diference is 24-24=0 The difference: 26-4=22
So 145 879 635 is divisible by 11. So 918 291 is divisible by 11.

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Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

The number 538 is divisible by:

a) 1 e) 5
b) 2 f) 6
c) 3 g) 10
d) 4 h) 11

Factoring numbers:

Prime factoring is to factor and then continue factoring a number untill you can no longer reduce
the factors into constituent factors any further.

Any number can be written as a product of prime numbers in a unique way (except for the order).

Examples:

To find the prime factoring of 60:

60 is divisible by 2 → 60:2=30 → 60=2·30

30 is divisible by 2 → 30:2=15 → 60=2·2·15
15 isn't divisible by 2,
but 15 is divisible by 3 → 15:3=5 → 60=2·2·3·5
5 isn't divisible by 5,
but 5 is divisible by 5 → 5:5=1 → 60=2·2·2·3·5·1

Finally you can write 60 as a product of prime factors: 60= 2·2·2·3·5·1. This can be further
simplified using exponents to 60=23⋅3⋅5 .
It will better for you to start working with the smallest prime number. We usually write this method
like this:
60 2
30 2
15 3
5 5
2
1 60=2 ⋅3⋅5
Let's see another example:

24 2 ← 24 is divisible by 2
12 2 ← 12 is divisible by 2
6 2 ← 6 is divisible by 2
3 3 ← 3 is divisible by 3
1
24=23⋅3

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Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

Find the prime factorization of the following numbers:

36 45 48 64 70

36= 45= 48= 64= 70=

88 96 98 134 144

88= 96= 98= 134= 144=

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Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

Greatest common factor (GCF):

There are different ways to find the GCF of numbers. Look at them and choose the one you prefer!

Method 1

First list all factors of each number, then list the common factors and choose the largest one:

Method 1: Find the GCF of 12 and 18.

The factors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12.

The factors of 18 are 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 18.

The common factors of 12 and 18 are 1, 2, 3 and 6.

Although the numbers in bold are all common factors of both 12 and 18, 6 is the greatest common
factor. We write GCF (12, 18)=6.

Find the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) of the numbers 24 and 36 with this method.

The factors of 24 are:

The factors of 36 are:

The common factors of 24 and 36 are:

So the greatest common factors of 24 and 36 is: GCF (24, 36)=

Method 2

To find the GCF of a set of numbers, you must factor each of the numbers into primes. Then for
each different prime number in all of the factorizations, do the following …

1. Count the number of times each prime number appears in all the factorizations.
2. For each prime number, take the lowest of these counts and write the result.
3. The greatest common factor is the product of all the prime numbers written down.

Example: GCF (4,6) = 2, because 4= 2 2 and 6=2·3, so GCF (4,6)=2.

If GCF(a,b) =1, it is said that a and b are relative primes (they don't have any common factors
except 1.

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Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

Method 2: Find GCF(72, 90, 120)

1. Determine the prime factorization of each number:

72 2 90 2 120 2
36 2 45 3 60 2
18 2 15 3 30 2
9 3 5 5 15 3
3 3 1 5 5
1 1
72=23⋅32 90=2⋅3 2⋅5 120=23⋅3⋅5

2. Take the prime numbers that appears in all the factorizations (Remember taking the lowest
number of times they appear).
Prime numbers selected: 2 and 3.

3. GCF (72, 90, 120) = 2·3 = 6

Find the GCF of the following set of numbers:

a) 18 and 56 b) 12 and 48 c) 22 and 33

18 56 12 48 22 33

18= 56= 12= 48= 22= 33=

GCF (18, 36) = GCF (12, 48) = GCF (22, 33) =

d) 120 and 252 e) 90, 180 and 225 f) 42, 60 and 100

120 252 90 180 225 42 60 100

120= 252= 90= 180= 225= 42= 60= 100=

GCF (120, 252) = GCF (90, 180, 225) = GCF (42, 60, 100) =

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Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

Least common multiple (LCM):

There are different ways to find the LCM of numbers. Look at them and choose the one you prefer!

Method 1

List the multiples of the larger number and stop when you find a multiple of the other number. This
is the LCM.

Method 1: Find the LCM of 6 and 9.

The multiples of 6 are: 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54 …
The multiples of 9 are: 9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 81 ...

The common multiples of 6 and 9 are: 18, 36, 54, …

So, LCM (6, 9) = 18

Find the Least Common Multiple (LCM) of the numbers 10 and 15 with this method.

The multiples of 10 are:

The multiples of 15 are:

The common multiples of 10 and 15 are:

So the least common multiple of 10 and 15 is: LCM (10,15)=

Method 2

To find the LCM of a set of numbers, you must factor each number into primes. Then for each
different prime number in all of the factorizations, do the following …

1. Count the number of times each number appears in each of the factorizations.
2. For each prime number, take the largest of these counts and write the result.
3. The least common multiple is the product of all the prime numbers written down.

Example: LCM (4,6) = 12, because 4= 2 2 and 6=2·3, so LCM (4,6)= 2 2⋅3=12 .

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Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

Method 2: Find LCM (16, 24, 40)

1. Determine the prime factorization of each number:

16 2 24 2 40 2
8 2 12 2 20 2
4 2 6 2 10 2
2 2 3 3 5 5
1 1 1
16=24 24=23⋅3 3
40=2 ⋅5

2. Take all the prime numbers that appears in all the factorizations (Remember taking the highest
number of times they appear).
Primes number selected: 2 4 , 3 and 5.

3. LCM (16, 24, 40) = 2 4⋅3⋅5=240

Find the LCM of the following set of numbers:

a) 12 and 24 b) 6 and 18 c) 24 and 36

12 24 6 18 24 36

12= 24= 6= 18= 24= 36=

LCM (12, 24) = LCM (6,18) = LCM (24, 36)=

d) 7 and 15 e) 30, 60 and 90 f) 28, 84 and 294

7 15 30 60 90 28 84 294

7= 15= 30= 60= 90= 28= 84= 294=

LCM (7, 15) = LCM (30, 60, 90) = LCM (28, 84, 294) =

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Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

Activities.

1. Calculate the Greatest Commom Factor of the following set of numbers:

a) 110, 132 and 198 b) 130, 260 and 325

c) 72, 120 and 180 d) 14, 26 and 39

2. Calculate the Least Common Multiple of the following set of numbers:

a) 30, 60 and 75 b) 24, 30 and 36

c) 10, 22 and 55 d) 9, 21 and 147

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Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

3. a) What numbers are the factors of 28?

b) What numbers are the factors of 42?

c) What numbers are the commom factors of 28 and 42?

d) Then, what is the GCF of 28 and 42?

4. a) Write the first multiples of 20:

b) Write down the first multiples of 50:

c) Write down the first common multiples of 20 and 50:

d) Then, what is the LCM of 20 and 50?

5. Paul has three pieces of rope with lengths of 140 cm, 168 cm and 210 cm. He wishes to cut
the three pieces of rope into smaller pieces of equal length with no remainders. What is the
greatest possible length of the smaller pieces of rope? How many of the smaller pieces of
rope of equal length can he get altogheter?

6. There are 100 senators and 435 representatives in the United States of America Congress.
How many identical groups could be formed from all senators and representatives (with the
same number of senators and representatives in each group)?

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Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

7. Carl has a soccer game every 4th day, Matt has one every 5th day. When will they have a
game on the same day again, if both have a game today?

8. There are fewer that 6 dozen eggs in a large basket. If you count 2, 3, 4 or 5 at a time, there
are none left over. How many egss are there in the basket?

9. A choir director of your school wants to divide the choir into smaller groups. There are 24
sopranos, 60 altos and 36 tenors. Each groups will have the same number of each type of
voice.
a) What is the greatest number of groups that can be formed?
b) How many sopranos, altos and tenors will be in each group?

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Unit 2: Divisibility. Mathematics 1st E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel Ángel Hernández Lorenzo.

10. Three clocks ring once at the same time. After that, the first clock rings after every 90
minutes, the second after every 30 minutes, and the third after every 60 minutes. After how
many minutes will they again ring toghether?

Mathematics Glossary
Write here new words you had learnt related with mathematics:

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