Lesson 1.

2: Divisibility

Mentally identify whether the following numbers are prime, or composite:

a. 68,720,001,023
b. 3,221,422,077
c. 8,589,935,681
d. 1,311,407,365,081

How did you obtain the answers to the previous activity? What were mathematical
concepts involved in arriving at a correct conclusion?

Divisibility is the capacity of a number to become completely divided by a number,

leaving no remainder in their quotient.

We will now briefly take a recap on divisibility rules for few divisors. Familiarizing
the test for divisibility is a shorthand way of easily identifying whether a given
number is divisible (can be evenly divided) by a number (factor/denominator)
without having to use computing devices. It is also considered one of the basic
primality tests for a given number. I encourage you to think of examples that you
can make that satisfies each condition.

Divisibility Rules

Divisor Condition
1 Divides any integer.
2 Divides all even integers ending with the numbers 0, 2, 4, 6,
and 8
3 Divides all integers whose sum of its digit/s is divisible by
3.
4 Divides all integers whose last two digits is divisible by 4.
5 Divides all integers ending with 5 or 0
6 Divides all integers divisible by both 2 and 3.
7 The following process can be used:
● Remove the last digit of the given number
● Multiply the last digit by 2
● Subtract the product from the remaining digit/s of
the given number
● If the resulting difference is divisible by 7, then the
given number is also divisible by 7. Otherwise, the
number is not divisible by 7
● Continue the process until the remaining difference
is understandable to be divisible to 7 or not.
8 Divides all integers whose last three digits are divisible by 8.
9 Divides all integers whose sum of its digits is divisible by 9.
10 Divides all integers ending with 0.

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 11 The following process can be used:
● Take each digit as a term.
● Assign each digit with the signs, + and – alternately.
Start making the first digit with the + sign, the next to
that digit to the right be assigned with – sign, and so
on, alternately.
● Combine the terms represented by the digits using
the operations involved in their respective sign.
● If the resulting value is divisible by 11, then the given
number is also divisible by 11.
12 Divides all integers divisible by 3 and 4.

The following are the terms used to describe the divisors of a number.
1. Proper divisor (aliquot divisor) – a divisor of an integer other than the
number itself.
2. Strong divisor –a divisor of a given integer greater than 1
3. Nontrivial divisor – a divisor of an integer other than 1 and itself
4. Trivial divisors – divisors of an integer that includes the values 1 and itself

We can also describe a given number based on an arithmetical function, the sum
of its proper divisors (aliquot sum) as follows:
1. Deficient (defective) number – if the sum of the proper divisor of a given
number is less than itself (𝜎(𝑛) < 2𝑛 𝑜𝑟 𝑠(𝑛) < 𝑛).
2. Abundant (excessive) number – if the sum of the proper divisor of a given
number is greater than itself (𝜎(𝑛) > 2𝑛 𝑜𝑟 𝑠(𝑛) > 𝑛).
3. Perfect number – if the sum of the proper divisor of a given positive integer
is less than itself (𝜎(𝑛) = 2𝑛 𝑜𝑟 𝑠(𝑛) = 𝑛).
A pair of whole numbers are amicable if the sum of the proper divisor of each is
equivalent to the other.

Euclid of Alexandria (300 BC) Leonhard Euler proved that

proved that 2𝑝 −1 (2𝑝 − 1) is will yield all 2𝑝 −1 (2𝑝 − 1)
an even perfect number even perfect numbers.
whenever 2𝑝 − 1 is prime.

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 In number theory, given the two integers 𝑎 and 𝑏 where 𝑎 ≠ 0, we use the notation
𝑎|𝑏 in which is read as “𝑎 divides 𝑏” to mean that 𝑏 is divisible by 𝑎 and that there
is an integer 𝑞 where 𝑏 = 𝑎𝑞. However, if 𝑏 is not divisible by 𝑎 or 𝑎 does not divide
𝑏, we express the idea with 𝑎 ∤ 𝑏.

Not in all cases will the quotient between any two integers result in an integer.

We expressed the previous equation into a form that does not contain a term
having a decimal part. This leads us to the idea of the Euclidean Algorithm.

Division Algorithm
Let 𝑎 and 𝑏 be integers were 𝑎 ≠ 0. Then there exist integers 𝑞 and 𝑟 such
that 𝑏 = 𝑎 ∙ 𝑞 + 𝑟 and 0 ≤ 𝑟 < |𝑎|.
The theorem also states that 𝑏 − 𝑎 ∙ 𝑞 = 𝑟.

Properties of Divisibility
A. 1|𝑎 and 𝑎|𝑎 for all 𝑎.
B. If 𝑎|𝑏, then 𝑎 ≤ 𝑏.
C. 𝑎|𝑏 if and only if 𝑎𝑐|𝑏𝑐 for all 𝑐 ≠ 0.
D. If 𝑎|𝑏 and 𝑐|𝑑, then 𝑎𝑐|𝑏𝑑.
E. If 𝑎𝑏|𝑐, then 𝑎|𝑐 and 𝑏|𝑐.
F. If 𝑎|𝑏 and 𝑎|𝑐, then 𝑎|(𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐𝑦) for all 𝑥 and 𝑦.
G. If 𝑎|𝑏 and 𝑏|𝑐, then 𝑎|𝑐.
H. If 𝑎|𝑏, then for any integer 𝑥, 𝑎|𝑏𝑥.
I. If 𝑎|𝑏 and 𝑎|𝑐, then 𝑎|(𝑏 + 𝑐) and 𝑎|(𝑏 − 𝑐).
J. If 𝑎|𝑏 and 𝑏 ≠ 0, then 𝑎 = 𝑏 or |𝑎| ≤ |𝑏|.
K. If 𝑎|𝑏 and 𝑏|𝑎, then |𝑎| = |𝑏|.
L. If 𝑎|1, then 𝑎 = ±1.
M. If 𝑎|𝑏 and 𝑎 ∤ 𝑐, then 𝑎 ∤ (𝑏 + 𝑐) and 𝑎 ∤ (𝑏 − 𝑐).

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Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation.
TP-IMD-03
Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge V0 07-15-2020
and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment. No. VT-CTEAS-DTE-
Math128-20-003