Lesson 5 – Divisibility I
Should a number 𝑛 be divisible by any other number, it will not leave a remainder. Follow
these rules to determine divisibility:
Divisibility Rule of 3 and 9
Take the sum of digits of 𝑛. If it is divisible by 3, then 𝑛 is divisible by 3.
Divisibility Rule of 4 and 8
Observe the last 2 digits of 𝑛. If it is divisible by 4, then 𝑛 is divisible by 4.
Observe the last 3 digits of 𝑛. If it is divisible by 8, then 𝑛 is divisible by 8.
Divisibility Rule of 7
Take the last digit of 𝑛, double it, then substract the answer from the rest of 𝑛. If a
multiple of 7 is derived, then 𝑛 is divisible by 7. This can be repeated multiple times.
Separate the last 3 digits of 𝑛 from the rest of 𝑛. If their difference is divisible by 7, then 𝑛
is divisible by 7.
If the difference between the first and last 3 digits in every block of 6 digits is 0, then 𝑛 is
divisible by 7.
Divisibility Rule of 13
Separate the last 3 digits of 𝑛 from the rest of 𝑛. If their difference is divisible by 13, then
𝑛 is divisible by 13.
If the difference between the first and last 3 digits in every block of 6 digits is 0, then 𝑛 is
divisible by 13.
Divisibility Rule of 11
Take the alternating sum of digits of 𝑛. If it is divisible by 11, then 𝑛 is divisible by 11.
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Example 1
̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅ is divisible
Find the possible digits represented by 𝑎 and 𝑏, so the 5-digit number 15𝑎8𝑏
by 3 and 5.
Practice
̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅ is
1. Find the possible digits represented by 𝑎 and 𝑏, so the 5-digit number 25𝑎4𝑏
divisible by 3 and 5.
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2. Find the sum of all numbers smaller than 100 that are divisible by both 2 and 3.
3. A 4-digit number is formed by selecting 4 digits from 0, 1, 4, 7 and 9. The numbers
that are divisible by 3 are then arranged in ascending order. Find the 10th number.
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Example 2
̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅, such that it is divisible by 36.
Find the smallest possible 6-digit number 15𝑎𝑏𝑐6
Practice
̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅ is divisible by 36. Find the largest possible value of this 6-
4. A 6-digit number 15𝑎𝑏𝑐6
digit number.
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5. A 5-digit number ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
𝑚679𝑛 is divisible by 72. Find its largest possible value.
6. What is the smallest possible value of ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
937𝑎𝑏𝑐, so that it can be divided by 3, 4 and 5?
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7. ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
7𝑚36𝑛 is divisible by 5 and 9. Find its smallest possible value.
Example 3
Find the smallest value of such that the expression below is divisible by 7.
666 … 6444
⏟ ⏟ …4
49 𝑑𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑠 49 𝑑𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑠
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Practice
8. Find the smallest value of 𝑛 in ⏟
666 … 6 such that it is divisible by 63.
𝑛 𝑑𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑠
9. Find the smallest value of such that the expression below is divisible by 7.
888 … 8333
⏟ ⏟ …3
49 𝑑𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑠 49 𝑑𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑠
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10. Let 𝑁 = ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
𝑎𝑏𝑐𝑑 be a 4-digit perfect square that satisfies ̅̅̅
𝑎𝑏 = 3 ⋅ ̅̅̅
𝑐𝑑 + 1, find ̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
𝑎𝑏𝑐𝑑 for
40 ≤ 𝑁 ≤ 60.
11. A shop sell donuts in packs of 6 or 13 (a baker’s dozen). So it is impossible to purchase
exactly 14 donuts from this shop, since 14 cannot be written as an integral
combination of 6 and 13. Find the largest number of donuts that cannot be purchased
from the shop.
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