2.

7 Divisibility
Properties of numbers, a part of the Theory of Numbers, has
fascinated mathematicians throughout the centuries. And, divisibility
of numbers is a part of Number Theory which you have studied in
the lower grades. Let us review briefly the divisibility of numbers.

1. Numbers divisible by 2 – all even numbers are divisible by 2.

Some examples are: 48, 456, 7 890, 85 274.

2. Numbers divisible by 3 – 12, 27, 54, 675, 8 574 are all divisible
by 3. If we get the sum of the digits,
we find that it is divisible by 3.

Examples: 12 1 + 2 = 3; 27 2 + 7 = 9;
8 574 8 + 5 + 7 + 4 = 24

3. Numbers divisible by 5: All numbers ending in 0 or 5. Some

examples are: 15, 35, 100, 475, 500, 2 850.

4. Numbers divisible by 10: All numbers ending in 0 like 20, 50,

200, 3 000, 20 000

5. Numbers divisible by 4: All numbers whose last 2 digits form a

number divisible by 4. Some examples are 324, 548, 784, 9 356,
81 780.

6. Numbers divisible by 6: All numbers divisible by both 2 and 3,

that is even numbers the sum of whose digits is divisible by 3.
Some examples are 462, 1 374, 696 648.

7. Numbers divisible by 8: All numbers whose last 3 digits form a

number divisible by 8: Some examples are 3 128, 7 648, 96 728,
987 256.

8. Numbers divisible by 9: All numbers the sum of whose digits

is divisible by 9. Some examples are 819, 369, 5 175, 49 878,
50 688, 47 349.

9. Numbers divisible by 7: There is no similar easy way as for the

preceding numbers. To determine if a number is divisible by 7,
do the following:

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 Multiply the last digit by 2 and subtract the product from the
number that remains. Repeat until you get a 2-digit or 3-digit
number which you can determine by inspection if it is or is not
divisible by 7. If it is, the original number is divisible by 7.
Otherwise, it is not.

Consider 39 788: 3 978 – 16 = 3 962; 396 – 4 = 392;

39 – 4 = 35. Since 35 is divisible by 7, 39 788 is divisible by 7.

Consider 46 128: 4 612 – 16 = 4 596; 459 – 12 = 447;

44 – 14 = 30; since 30 is not divisible by 7, 46 128 is not
divisible by 7.

10. Numbers divisible by 11: 11 x 11 = 121, 48 x 11 = 528,

11 x 569 = 6 259, 11 x 7 339 = 80 729

All the underlined digits are said to be in the odd places in

the numbers where they belong and the digits not underlined are
in the even places. Add the digits in the odd places and those in
the even places. Get the difference between each pair of sums.

In 528, 5 + 8 – 2 = 11, in 6 259, 11 – 11 = 0, in 80 729,

24 – 2 = 22.

In each case, the difference is either 0 or a multiple of 11.

That gives the rule. Can you state it?

Examples: Determine which of the following are divisible by 11.

a. 979 b. 6 204 c. 8 270 d. 62 073

Solutions: a. 979 (9 + 9) – 7 = 11

b. 6 204 (6 + 0) – (2 + 4) = 6 – 6 = 0

c. 8 270 (8 + 7) – (2 + 0) = 13

d. 62 073 (6 + 0 + 3) – (2 + 7) = 0

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 The results show that a, b, and d are divisible by 11 while c is
not since the difference of the sums is not 0 or divisible by 11. Note
0 is also divisible by 11 but it is given separately for emphasis.

Exercise 2.7

A. Which numbers are divisible by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11? For

each answer, give the rule that helped you find the answer.

1. 3 150 4. 2 772 7. 8 316 10. 83 160

2. 3 672 5. 5 544 8. 12 600 11. 40 040
3. 8 824 6. 2 520 9. 69 300 12. 94 248

B. What digit(s) can you place on each blank so that the number formed
is divisible by a. 3 b. 9? Write all on the blanks under 3 or 9.

By 3 By 9 By 3 By 9

1. 472 5 4. 83 78

2. 89 57 5. 67 534

3. 5 816 6. 345 89

C. Challenge!

1. What digits can be placed on the blanks to make

a. 47 6 b. 47 34 c. 49 78 divisible by 6?

2. What digit(s) can be placed on the blank to make each number

divisible by 15?

a. 458 70 c. 93 35

b. 872 55 d. 8 4595

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