QA – Any Prime Numbers
Finding divisibility rules for other prime numbers less than 50
For divisibility by 7
(A - 2B), where B is the units place digit and A is all the remaining digits.
Double the last digit and subtract it from the remaining leading truncated number. If the
result is divisible by 7, then so was the original number. Apply this rule over and over again
as necessary. Example: 826. Twice 6 is 12. So take 12 from the truncated 82. Now 82-12=70.
This is divisible by 7, so 826 is divisible by 7 also. Example Let us take the number 795. The
units digit is 5 and when it is doubled it, we get 10. The remaining part of the number (i.e..
the tens) is 79. If 10 is subtracted from 79 we get 69. Since this result is not divisible by 7,
the original number "95 is not divisible by 7.
For divisibility by 13
(A + 4B), where B is the units place digit and A is all the remaining digits.
Add four times the last digit to the remaining leading truncated number. If the result is
divisible by 13, then so was the first number. Apply this rule over and over again as
necessary.
Example: 50661--5066+4=5070--507+0=507--50+28=78 and 78 is 6*13, so 50661 is divisible
by 13.
Example :Checking the divisibility of 1404 by 13: Here, A=140 and B = 4, then A+4B=140 +4
4=156. 156 is divisible by 13, so 1404 will be divisible by 13.
For divisibility by 17
(A-5B) where B is the units place digit and A is all the remaining digits.
Subtract five times the last digit from the remaining leading truncated number. If the result
is divisible by 17, then so was the first number. Apply this rule over and over again as
necessary.
Example: 3978--397-5*8=357--35-5*7=0. So 3978 is divisible by 17.
For divisibility by 19:
( A + 2B), where B is the units place digit and A is all the remaining digits.
just split 19 into 1 and 9. Try to get a 19 (or a multiple of 19 or a zero) by operating on these
two digits 1 and 9. One way to get 19 is 1+2x9= 19. Hence, the rule is twice the unit's digt
plus the remaining part.
For example, let us take the number 665. The units digit is 5 and when it is doubled, we get
Proprietary and Confidential ABS Classes 1
QA – Any Prime Numbers
10. The remaining part of the number is 66. If 10 (which is the unit digit s added to 66 we
get 76. Since, 76 is divisible by 19, it means the original number 665 is also divisible by 19.
For divisibility by 23:
23 = 2 + 3x7. Hence the rule is 7 times unit's digit plus the remaining part.
There is practically no limit to finding the divisibility rules. And you can even get multiple
rules for the same number.
For divisibility by 29:
29 = 2+ 3x9. Add three times the last digit to the remaining leading truncated number. If the
result is divisible by 29, then so was the first number. Apply this rule over and over again as
necessary.
Example: 15689--1568+3*9=1595--159+3*5=174--17+3*4=29, so 15689 is also divisible by
29.
For divisibility by 31:
31:3-1x3 = 0. Subtract three times the last digit from the remaining leading truncated
number. If the result is divisible by 31, then so was the first number. Apply this rule over and
over again as necessary.
Example: 7998--799-3*8=775--77-3*5=62 which is twice 31, so 7998 is also divisible by 31.
For divisibility by 37:
37: 3-11x7= -74= 37x-2. Subtract eleven times the last digit from the remaining leading
truncated number. If the result is divisible by 37, then so was the first number. Apply this
rule over and over again as necessary.
Example: 23384--2338-11*4=2294--229-11*4=185 which is five times 37, so 23384 is also
divisible by 37.
For divisibility by 41:
41: 4- 1x4 = 0. Subtract four times the last digit from the remaining leading truncated
number. If the result is divisible by 41, then so was the first number. Apply this rule over and
over again as necessary.
Example: 30873--3087-4*3=3075--307-4*5=287--28-4*7=0, remainder is zero and so 30873
is also divisible by 41.
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QA – Any Prime Numbers
For divisibility by 43:
43=4 + 3x13. Add thirteen times the last digit to the remaining leading truncated number. If
the result is divisible by 43, then so was the first number. Apply this rule over and over again
as necessary.
Example: 3182--318+13*2=344--34+13*4=86 which is recognisably twice 43, and so 3182 is
also divisible by 43.
For divisibility by 47:
47: 4-7x14= -94= 47 x -2. Subtract fourteen times the last digit from the remaining leading
truncated number. If the result is divisible by 47, then so was the first number. Apply this
rule over and over again as necessary.
Example: 34827--3482-14*7=3384--338-14*4=282--28-14*2=0 , remainder is zero and so
34827 is divisible by 47.
General Process to find out the divisibility rule for any prime number
Process for the divisibility rule for P, a prime number is as follows:
Step 1 Find the multiple of P, closest to any multiple of 10. (This essentially will be of the
form 10K + 1 or 10K-1)
Step 2 If it is 10 K - 1, then the divisibility rule will be A + KB, and if it is 10K + 1, then the
divisibility rule will be A - KB, where B is the units place digit and A is all the remaining digits.
E.g., Finding out the divisibility rule of 23: Lowest Multiple of 23, which is closest to any
multiple of 10 =69 = 7x10-1
So 10K + 1= 10 x 7 + 1
Therefore K= 7
Therefore rule is A+7 B. (where B is the last digit and A is the rest of the number)
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