IES VIRREY MORCILLO.

VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

UNIT 1. INTEGERS.
DIVISIBILITY

1 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

INDEX
1. SET OF NUMBERS.
1.1. NATURAL NUMBERS. THE SET N.
1.2. INTEGERS. THE SET Z.
2. GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF INTEGERS.
3. ABSOLUTE VALUE OF AN INTEGER.
4. THE ADDITION OF INTEGERS.
4.1. THE SIGNS ARE THE SAME.
4.2. THE SIGNS ARE DIFFERENT.
5. OPPOSITIVE OF A NUMBER.
6. THE SUBTRACTION OF INTEGERS.
7. THE MULTIPLICATION OF INTEGERS.
8. THE DIVISION OF INTEGERS.
9. COMBINED OPERATIONS.
10. MULTIPLES AND FACTORS.
11. TEST OF DIVISIBILITY.
12. PRIME NUMBERS. ERATOSTHENES.
13. DECOMPOSITION OF NUMBER IN PRIME.
14. COMMON MULTIPLES. LOWEST COMMON MULTIPLE (LCM).
15. COMMON FACTORS. HIGHEST COMMON FACTOR (HCF).
16. EXERCISES AND PROBLEMS.
17. VIRTUAL SELF-EVALUATION.

2 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

1. SET OF NUMBERS.
1.1.NATURAL NUMBERS. THE SET N.
The concept of number is understood as the expression of a value, the
quantification of a magnitude.

N={1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, …}

1.2.INTEGERS. THE SET Z.

There are many situations in which you need to use numbers below nought, one of
these is temperature, others are money that you can deposit (positive) or withdraw
(negative) from a bank, steps that you can take forwards (positive) or backwards
(negative).
Integers are the set of whole numbers and their opposites.

Z={…, -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …}

Examples:
➢ -12 is an integer. Example: It could stand for a temperature of 12 degrees below
nought.

➢ 15 is an integer. Example: It could stand for 15 € in your pocket.

➢ -103 is an integer. It could stand for a debt of 103 €.
➢ -40 is an integer. 40 metres under (below) sea level. So, -40 metres.

3 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

2. GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF INTEGERS.

The number line is a line labeled with the integers in increasing order from left
to right, that extends in both directions.

Examples:
➢ 9 > 4. It is read: nine is greater than four
➢ -7 < 9. It is read: minus seven is lower than nine.

3. ABSOLUTE VALUE OF AN INTEGER.

The absolute value of any number is the distance between that number and zero
on the number line. The absolute value is always positive.

• If the number is positive, the absolute value is the same number.

• If the number is negative, the absolute value is the opposite.

The absolute value of a number is always a positive number (or nought). We

specify the absolute value of a number n by writing n in between two vertical bars: |n|.
Examples:
a) |6| = 6
b) |-10| = 10
c) |0| = 0
d) |123| = 123
e) |-3404| = 3404

4 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

4. THE ADDITION OF INTEGERS.

4.1. THE SIGNS ARE THE SAME.
a) If both integers are positive, add the two integers. The answer is positive.
Examples:
• 16 + 45 Solution: 16 + 45 = 61
• 12 + 9 Solution: 12 + 9 = 21

b) If both integers are negative, add the absolute values of the integers. The answer
will be negative.
Examples:
• (-17) + (-3) Solution: Add 17 + 3, keep the negative sign. (-17) + (-3) = -20.
• (-9) + (-14) Solution: Add 9 + 14, keep the negative sign. (-9) + (-14) = -23.

4.2. THE SIGNS ARE DIFFERENT.

If the integers have different signs, the difference (subtract) will be found. Keep
the sign of the “larger”.

Examples:
• 4 + (-18)
Solution: Minus 18 – 4 and keep the sign of the “larger”. So, the answer is -14
because 18 is larger than 4 and 18 is negative.
So, 4 + (-18) = -14
• (-48) + 22
Solution: Minus 48 – 22 and keep the sign of the “larger”. So, the answer is -26
because 48 is larger than 22 and 48 is negative.
So, (-48) + 22 = -26
• (-12) + 45
Solution: Minus 45 – 12 and keep the sign of the “larger”. So, the answer is 33
because 45 is larger and it is positive.
So, (-12) + 45 = 33

5 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

• 45 + (-6)
Solution: Minus 45 – 6 and keep the sign of the “larger”. So, the answer is 39,
because 45 is larger than 6 and it is positive.
So, 45 + (-6) = 39
Examples:
a) 3 – 5 – 9 + 7 + 1 – 10 = 11 – 24 = – 13
b) – 9 – 1 + 10 + 10 – 8 = – 18 + 20 = 2

5. OPPOSITE OF A NUMBER.

The opposite of a number is the number that, when added to a given number,
results in a sum is zero.

Each integer has its opposite. The opposite of a number has the same absolute
value, but with the opposite sign.
The opposite of the number 0 is 0.

For example:
• op(5) = -5
• op (-7) = 7
• op(+3) = -3

6. THE SUBTRACTION OF INTEGERS.

The addition and the subtraction are included in the same operation.

Subtracting a number is adding up its opposite.

6 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

Examples:
• (+7) – (+18) means (+7) + (-18) = -11.
• 9 – (- 25) means 9 + (+ 25) = 34.

• (-12) – (+15) means (-12) + (- 15) = -27.

7. THE MULTIPLICATION OF INTEGERS.

• The product of two numbers with the same symbol is a positive number.
• The product of two numbers with a different symbol is a negative number.

(+) · (+) = +
(+) · (-) = -
(-) · (+) = -
(-) · (-) = +
Examples:
• (-3) ∙ (+7) = -21
• 9 ∙ (-1) = -9
• (-3) ∙ (-4) = 12
• 5 ∙2 = 10

8. THE DIVISION OF INTEGERS.

Division is the inverse of multiplication.

The division of integers satisfies the same rule of signs as the multiplication of
integers.

(+) : (+) = +
(+) : (-) = -
(-) : (+) = -
(-) : (-) = +
Examples:
• (-21) : (+7) = -3
• 9 : (-1) = -9
• (-32) : (-4) = 8
• 18 : 2 ·(-3) =-27
• 3· (-4) : (-2) = -6

7 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

9. COMBINED OPERATIONS.

This is an expression formed by numbers in different operations and grouped in

different ways, by means of brackets (round brackets), [square brackets] and braces
{curly brackets}.

To solve combined operations we must master all the operations studied above.
Order of operations:
• Do all of the operations in brackets first.
• Then do multiplication and division in the order they appear, then do addition
and subtraction in the order they occur.

Easy way to remember them: (BEDMAS)

• Brackets.
• Exponents.
• Division.
• Multiplication.
• Addition.
• Subtraction.

Examples:
a) 32 + (-12) : 6 = 32 + (-2) = 30

b) (-18) : 6 + 5 ∙ (-10) = (-3) + (-50) = -53

c) (-8) ∙ (+9) – 15 ∙ (-3) = (-72) – (-45) = (-72) + (+45) = -27

d) [10+(-16)+(-24)]: 3 = [10+(-40)]: 3 = (-30) : 3= -10

e) (-2) – [12 – (8-4)] ∙ 2 = (-2) – [12 – (+4)] ∙ 2 = (-2) – [12 + (-4)] ∙ 2 =

(-2) – (+8) ∙ 2 = (-2) – (+16) = (-2) + (-16) = -18

f) 9 : (-3) + 8 ∙ (-5) + 36 = (-3) + (-40) + 36 = (-43) + 36 = -7

8 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

g) 15 – (-40) : 10 + 15 : (-5) ∙ 2 = 15 – (-4) + (-3) ∙2 = 15 – (-4) + (-6) =

15 + (+4) + (-6) = 19 + (-6) = 13

h) 23 : (42 – 23) + 100 ∙ 52 = 23 : (16 – 8) + 1 ∙ 52 = 8 : 8 + 1 ∙ 25 = 1 + 25 = 26

10. MULTIPLES AND FACTORS.

a) The products of a number by natural numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ... are called the

multiples of the number.

For example: What are the multiples of 7?

7∙ 1 = 7
7∙ 2 = 14
7∙ 3 = 21
7∙ 4 = 28
………
So, the multiples of 7 are: 7, 14, 21, 28, and so on.

Write down the first ten multiples of 5.

Solution: The first ten multiples of 5 are 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50.

b) A whole number that divides exactly into another whole number is called a
factor of that number.

For example: 20 : 4 = 5 So, 4 is a factor of 20 as it divides exactly into 20.

We could also consider than 20:5 = 4 So, 5 is a factor of 20 as it divides exactly

into 20.

Exercise: Write down all the factors of 20.

20 : 1 = 20
20 : 2 = 10
20 : 4 = 5
20 : 5 = 4
20 : 10 = 2
20 : 20 = 1
All the factors of 20 = 1, 2, 4, 5, 10 and 20

9 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

Problem: Peter wants to put 18 tiles in rows to form a rectangular surface. How
many ways can he? Solution:

18 : 1 =18
18 : 2 = 9
18 : 3 = 6
18 : 4 = 4 and on 2.
18 : 5 = 3 and on 3.
18 : 6 = 3, is the same area as the third.
18 : 9 = 2, is the same area as the second.
18 :18 = 1, is the same area as the first.
There are six different forms.

11. TESTS OF DIVISIBILITY.

A number is divisible by:

* 2: If the last digit is 0 or is divisible by 2 (0, 2, 4, 6, 8).

* 3: If the sum of the digits is divisible by 3.

* 5: If the last digit is 0 or is divisible by 5 (0, 5).

* 6: If the number is divisible by 2 and 3.

* 10: If the last digit is 0.

* 11: If the sum of the digits in the even position minus the sum of the digits in
the uneven (odd) position is 0 or is divisible by 11.

Example: 53,475

• 53,475 is divisible by 3 and 5.

• 53,475 is not divisible by 2, because the last digit is 5.

• 53,475 is not divisible by 10, because the last digit is 5.

• 53,475 is not divisible by 11, because:

The sum of the digits in even position: 3 + 7 = 10

The sum of the digits in uneven position: 5 + 4 + 5 = 14

The subtraction: 14 – 10 = 4 is not divisible by 11.

10 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

12. PRIME NUMBERS. ERATOSTHENES.

If a number has only two different factors (1 and itself), the number is said a
prime number.
If a number has more than two factors, the number is said a composite number.

For example:
Factors of 7: 1, 7. Then 7 is prime number
Factors of 10: 1, 2, 5, 10. Then 10 is composite number.

SIEVE OF ERATOSTHENES
A Greek mathematician, Eratosthenes (276-195 BC), discovered the Sieve which
is known as the Sieve of Eratosthenes. It is a method to get prime numbers.

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

11 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

1. We start with a table of whole numbers, for example from 1 to 50 and cross out
the number 1, as it has been done above.
2. Circle the number 2 and then cross out all the multiples of 2, as shown above.
3. The next number that is not crossed out is 3. Circle it and then cross out all the
multiples of 3: 3, 6, 9, 12....
4. The next number that is not crossed out is 5. Circle it and then cross out all the
multiples of 5: 5, 10, 15, 20….
5. Continue this process until there is no number to be crossed.

13. DECOMPOSITION OF A NUMBER IN PRIME FACTORS.

The decomposition of a number in prime factors is the expression of the number as

a product of prime factors.

Examples:
126 2
63 3 126 = 2 ∙3 ∙ 3 ∙ 7 = 2 ∙ 32 ∙ 7
21 3
7 7
1

420 2

210 2

105 3 420 = 22 ∙ 3 ∙ 5 ∙ 7

35 5

7 7

Exercise: Break the following numbers down into their prime factors:

a) 123
b) 520
c) 4752

Solution: a) 123 = 3 ∙41 b) 420 = 22 ∙3 ∙5 ∙7 c) 4752 = 24 ∙33 ∙11

12 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

14. COMMON MULTIPLES. LOWEST COMMON MULTIPLE (LCM).

Multiples that are common to two or more numbers are said to be common
multiples.

Example: Find the common multiples of 10 and 15.

Solution:
• Multiples of 10 are: 10, 20, 30, 40 50, 60, 70, 80, 90,…
• Multiples of 15 are: 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, …
So, the common multiples of 10 and 15 are 30, 60, 90,…

The smallest common multiple of two or more numbers is called the lowest
common multiple (LCM).

LCM (10, 15) = 30

To find the lowest common multiple (LCM) of some numbers:
• Find the prime factor decomposition.
• Choose the non common factors and the common factors with the highest
exponents.

Example: 10 = 2·5; 15 = 3 ∙ 5 → LCM (10, 15) = 2 ∙ 3· 5 = 30

Exercise: Find the LCM of:

a) 150 and 350 b) 100 and 120 c) 120, 480 and 180
Solution:
a) LCM(150, 350) = 1050 b) LCM (100, 120) = 600 c) LCM (120, 480,180) = 1440

13 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

15. COMMON FACTORS. HIGHEST COMMON FACTOR. (HCF).

Factors that are common to two or more numbers are said to be common factors.

Example: Find the common factors of 10 and 15.

Solution:
• Factors of 10 are: 1, 2, 5, 10
• Factors of 15 are: 1, 3, 5, 15
So, the common factors of 4 and 6 are 1 and 5

The highest common factor of two or more numbers is called the highest
common factor (HCF).

HCF (10, 15) = 5

To find the highest common factor (HCF) of some numbers:

• Find the prime factor decomposition.
• Choose the common factors with the lowest exponent.

Example: 10 = 2·5; 15 = 3 ∙ 5 → HCF (10, 15) = 5

Exercise: Find the HCF of:

a) 150 and 350 b) 100 and 120 c) 120, 480 and 180

Solution:
a) HCF(150, 350) = 50 b) HCF (100, 120) = 20 c) HCF (120, 480,180) = 60

14 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

16. EXERCISES AND PROBLEMS.

1. Write in your notebook:

a) 10 > -9 Sol: Ten is greater than minus nine.
b) -2 > -4 Sol: Minus two is greater than minus four.
c) -19 < -2 Sol: Minus nineteen is less than minus two.

2. Add the following numbers:

a) 19+(-21)+6 = Sol: 4
b) (-12)+(-6)+(+5) = Sol: -13
c) (-4)+(-5)+(-4) = Sol: -13
d) (-16)+8+(-4) = Sol: -12
e) (+3)+(-30)+22 = Sol: -5
f) (-2)+5+(-6) = Sol: -3
g) (-9)+10+(-4)+6 = Sol: 3
h) 2+(-13)+(-4)+(-5) = Sol: -20

3. Remove brackets that are not needed, rewrite the subtraction sentence and solve.
a) (+1)-(+8) = Sol: -7
b) (-2)-(-3) = Sol: 1
c) (+3)-(+9) = Sol: -6
d) (+4)-(-2) = Sol: 6
e) (+5)+(-3)+(-6)-(+7)+(+6) = Sol: -5
f) (-6)-(+5)+(+7)+(-8 ) = Sol: -12

4. Operate:
a) (+3) : (-3) + (-12) : (+6) + (+5) = Sol: 2
b) 36: [(-10) + (-4) – (+4)] = Sol: -2
c) (−3) ∙ (−5) − (−24) : 6 + 15 : (−3) = Sol: 14
d) 10 : (−2) − (−7) ∙ (−4) + 4 = Sol: -29
e) 2+ [(− 10):(− 5)+ 2]− 35: (−7) = Sol: 11
f) – 6 − [7 + (−3) ∙ (−2)]+ (−72) : (−9) = Sol: -11

15 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

5. The temperature in Chicago was 5º C at two in the afternoon. If the temperature

dropped 8º C at midnight. What is the temperature now? Sol: -3 ºC.

6. A submarine was situated 2100 feet below sea level. If it ascends 1460 feet.
What is its new position? Sol: -640.

7. Eratosthenes was born in 276 B.C. and died in 195 B.C. How old was he when
he died? Sol: 81

8. Which numbers between 54 and 93 have a factor of 3? Sol: 54-57-60-63-66-69-

72-75-78-81-84-87-90-93.

9. Which of these is a multiple of 2? And of 3? And of 5? And of 10? And of 11?

124 – 26 – 32 – 408 – 636 – 349 – 10,800 – 143,220
Solution: Multiples of 2: 124 – 26 – 32 – 408 – 636 – 10,800 – 143,220
Multiples of 3: 408 – 636 – 10,800 – 143,220
Multiples of 5: 10,800 – 143,220
Multiples of 10: 10,800 – 143,220
Multiples of 11: 143,220

10. List all the factors of:

a) 40 Sol: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 20, 40
b) 35 Sol: 1, 5, 7, 35
c) 80 Sol: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 16, 20, 40, 80
d) 4,500 Sol: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 25, 30, 36, 45, 50, 60, 75, 90,
100, 125, 150, 180, 225, 250, 300, 375, 450, 500, 750, 900, 1125, 1500, 2250,
4500.

11. Find the prime factorization of both 268 and 450. What is the HCF of these
numbers? What is the LCM? Sol: 268=22·67; 450=2·52·32; HCF=2;
LCM=60300

16 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

12. Find the prime factorization of 140, 230 and 530. What is the HCF of these
numbers? What is the LCM? Sol: 140=22·5·7; 230=2·5·23; 530=2·5·53;
HCF=10; LCM=170660

13. In a bus station there is a bus leaving for London every 40 minutes and one
leaving for Brighton every 50 minutes. If a bus to London and a bus to
Brighton leave at the same time, how many minutes will it be before two buses
leave again at the same time? Sol: 200 minutes = 3 hours and 20 minutes.

14. Marta has 15 red, 35 green and 50 yellow marbles and she wants to put them in
boxes, as many as possible, all the boxes with the same amount of each colour
and with no marbles remaining. How many boxes will she have? How many
marbles of each colour are there in each box? Sol: 5 boxes, 3 red, 7 green, 10
yellow marbles.

15. A florist has 28 tulips and 18 carnations. If the florist wants to create identical
bouquets without any leftover flowers, what is the greatest number of bouquets
the florist can make? Sol: The florist can make 2 bouquets. There are 14 tulips
and 9 carnations in each them.

16. Six bells commence tolling together and toll at intervals of 2, 4, 6, 8 10 and 12
seconds respectively. In 30 minutes, how many times do they toll together?
Sol: 15 times. (LCM=120 s = 2 minutes)

17. Let N be the greatest number that will divide 1305, 4665 and 6905, leaving the
same remainder in each case. Then, what is sum of the digits in N? 5 (HCF)

18. A, B and C start at the same time in the same direction to run around a circular
stadium. A completes a round in 252 seconds, B in 308 seconds and c in 198
seconds, all starting at the same point. After what time will they again at the
starting point? Sol: 2772 s (46 minutes 12 seconds) (LCM)

17 APM
 IES VIRREY MORCILLO. VILLARROBLEDO (ALBACETE)
UNIT 1. INTEGERS. DIVISIBILITY.

19. Rafaela is a physical education teacher and has 25 girls and 35 boys in her
class. She wants to divide the class into teams of the same size, where each
team has the same number of girls and the same number of boys. If Rafaela
creates the greatest number of teams possible, how many boys will be on each
team? Sol: 7 boys (5 teams, 7 boys and 5 girls)

20. PROBLEM TO THINK, THINK AND THINK.

Find the smallest number which leaves the remainders 13, 41 and 29 at the end
when divided by 20, 48 and 36 respectively.

18 APM