Divisibility rules of whole numbers are very useful because they help us to quickly determine

if a number can be divided by 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 10 without doing long division.

Divisibility means that you are able to divide a number evenly

For instance, 8 can be divided evenly by 4 because 8/4 = 2. However, 8 cannot be divided
evenly by 3.

To illustrate the concept, let's say you have a cake and your cake has 8 slices, you can
share that cake between you and 3 more people evenly. Each person will get 2 slices.

However,if you are trying to share those 8 slices between you and 2 more people, there is no
way you can do this evenly. One person will end up with less cake

In general, a whole number x divides another whole number y if and only if you can find a
whole number n such that

x times n = y

For instance, 12 can be divided by 3 because 3 times 4 = 12

When the numbers are large, use the following divisibility rules:

Rule #1: divisibility by 2

A number is divisible by 2 if it's last digit is 0,2,4,6,or 8.

For instance, 8596742 is divisible by 2 because the las t digit is 2.

Rule # 2: divisibility by 3:

A number is divisible by 3 if the sum of its digits is divisible by 3

For instance, 3141 is divisible by 3 because 3+1+4+1 = 9 and 9 is divisible by 3.

Rule # 3: divisibility by 4

A number is divisible by 4 if the number represented by its last two digits is divisible by 4.

For instance, 8920 is divisible by 4 because 20 is divisible by 4.

Rule #4: divisibility by 5

A number is divisible by 5 if its last digit is 0 ot 5.

For instance, 9564655 is divisible by 5 because the last digit is 5.

Rule # 5: divisibility by 6

A number is divisible by 6 if it is divisible by 2 and 3. Be careful! it is not one or the other. The
number must be divisible by both 2 and 3 before you can conclude that it is divisible by 6.

Rule # 6: divisibility by 7

To ckeck divisibility rules for 7, study carefully the following two examples:

Is 348 divisible by 7?

Remove the last digit, which is 8. The number becomes 34. Then, Double 8 to get 16 and
subtract 16 from 34.

34 16 = 18 and 18 is not divisible by 7. Therefore, 348 is not divisible by 7

Is 37961 divisible by 7?

Remove the last digit, which is 1. The number becomes 3796. Then, Double 1 to get 2 and
subtract 2 from 3796.

3796 2 = 3794, so still too big? Thus repeat the process.

Remove the last digit, which is 4. The number becomes 379. Then, Double 4 to get 8 and
subtract 8 from 379.

379 8 = 371, so still too big? Thus repeat the process.

Remove the last digit, which is 1. The number becomes 37. Then, Double 1 to get 2 and
subtract 2 from 37.

37 2 = 35 and 35 is divisible by 7. Therefore, 37961 is divisible by 7.

Rule #7:divisibility by 8

A number is divisible by 8 if the number represented by its last three digits is divisible by 8.

For instance, 587320 is divisible by 8 because 320 is divisible by 8.

Rule #8: divisibility by 9

A number is divisible by 9 if the sum of its digits is divisible by 9.

For instance, 3141 is divisible by 9 because the sum of its digits is divisible by 9.

Rule # 9: divisibility by 10

A number is divisible by 10 if its last digits is 0

For instance, 522480 is divisible by 10 because the last digit is 0.

ule A number passes the test for 11 if the difference of the sums of
alternating digits is divisible by 11.(This abstract and confusing
sounding rule is much clearer with a few examples)
Use the divisibility calculator below to determine if any number is
divisible by eleven. Type in any number that you want, and the
calculator will explain whether or not it's divisible by 11 based on this
rule.
See if the following number: is evenly divisible by eleven
Examples of numbers that satisfy this rule
946 (9+6) - 4 = 11 which is, of course, evenly divided by 11
so 946 passes this divisibility test
10,813 (1+8+3) - (0+1) = 12-1 =11. Yes, this satisfies the
rule for 11!
25, 784 = (2+ 7 + 4) - (5+8) = 13 - 13 =0 . Yes, this does
indeed work. In case you found this last bit confusing, remember
that any number evenly divides 0. Think about it, how many
11's are there in 0? None, right. Well that means that 11
divideszero, zero times!
119,777,658 (1+ 9 + 7 + 6 + 8) - (1+ 7 + 7 +5) = 31 - 20 =
11
Examples of numbers that are do not pass this divisibility
test
947 (9+7) - 4 = 12 which is not divisible by 11
10,823 (1+8+3) - (0+2) = 12- 2 =10. No, no good. This one
fails!
35, 784 = (3 + 7 + 4) - (5+8) = 14 - 13 = 1. No, does not
satisfy the rule for 11!
12,347, 496, 132 = (1+3+7+9+3) - (2 + 4 +4 + 6 + 3)= 23-
19 = 4

Rule A number is divisible by 9 if the sum of the digits are evenly
divisible 9.
Use the divisibility calculator below to determine if any number is
divisible by nine. Type in any number that you want, and the
calculator will explain whether or not it's divisible by nine based on this
rule.
See if the following number: is evenly divisible by nine
Examples of numbers that satisfy this rule and are divisible by
9
4,518 4+5+1+8=18 and since 18 9 = 2 , the whole number,
4,518, is divisible by 9
7,209 7+2+0+9 = 18, and by the same logic of the prior
example, 7,209 passes this divisibility test.
6,993 ,6993 is divisible by 9(6+9+9+3 = 27 & 27 9 = 3) so
6,993 satisfies the rule for 9.

10,006,470 Well, maybe you were wondering if this divisibility
trick was really helpful or not. Once you get a giant number like
10,006,470, you start to realize what a nice trick this is to have
up your sleeve! All you have to do is add the digits (1+ 6+4+7 =
18) to quickly see that the entire number is divisible by 9 (189
= 2).
Examples of numbers that are do not pass this divisibility
test
29 2+9 =11. Since 11 is not divisible by 9, 29 is not either.
6,992 Nope, no good. 6+9+9+2 =26 which is not evenly
divided by 9 so the whole number fails the test!

Rule A number passes the test for 8 if the last three digits form a
number is divisible 8.
Use the divisibility calculator below to determine if any number is
divisible by eight. Type in any number that you want, and the
calculator will use the rule for divisibility by 8 to explain the result.
See what the rule for divisibility by eight has to say about the following number:

Examples of numbers that satisfy this rule and are divisible by
8
9,640 640 8 = 80 so the whole number, 9,640, is divisible
by 8
77, 184 184 8 = 23 so 77,184 passes this divisibility test.
67, 536 536 is divisible by 8 ( 536 8 = 67) so 67,536, is
also.
-30 640 8 = 80 so the whole number, 9640, passes this
test.
20,233,322,496 Well, maybe you were wondering if this
divisibility rule was really helpful or not. Once you get a giant
number like 20,233,322,496, you start to realize what a nice
trick this is to have up your sleeve! All you have to do
is divide 496 by 8 to learn that the entire number is divisible by
8.
- 316,145,664 664 passes this divisibility test.
Examples of numbers that are do not pass this divisibility
test
9,801 since 801 is not divisible by 8, 9,801 is not.
234,516 Nope, no good. 516 is not evenly divided by 8 so
the whole number fails the test!
-32,344,588 588 does not work, so -32,344,588 does not
satisfy the rule for 8!
Since 6 is a multiple of 2 and 3, the rules for divisibility by 6 are a
combination of the rule for 2 and the rule for 3. In other words, a
number passes this divisibility test only if it passes the test for
2 and test for 3.


Use the divisibility calculator below to determine if any number is
divisible by six. Type in any number that you want, and the calculator
will use the rule for divisibility by 6 to explain the result.
See if the following number: is evenly divisible by six
Rule A number is divisible by 6 if it is even and if the sum of
its digits is divisible by 3.
Examples of numbers that are divisible by 6
12 satisfies both conditions:
o 1) 12 is even
o 2) the sum of its digits (1+2 =3) is divisible by 3.
Therefore, 12 passes this test.
114 satisfies both conditions
o 1) 1+1+4 = 6 which is divisible by 3
o 2) 114 is even
241,122 This passes the test because it's even and the sum of
its digits can beevenly divided by 3.
Examples of numbers that are do not pass this divisibility
test
207 Fails the test since it's not even. We don't even have to
see whether the second condition is satisfied since both
conditions must be satisfied to pass this test. If only one of the
two conditions (divisible by 2 and by 3) are not met, then the
number does not satisfy the rule for 6.
241,124 Although this number is even, the sum of
its digits are not evenly divided by 6 so this fails the test.
Rule: A number is divisible by 4 if the number's last two digits are
divisible by 4.
Use the divisibility calculator below to determine if any number is
divisible by four. Type in any number that you want, and the calculator
will use the rule for divisibility by 4 to explain the result.
See if the following number: is evenly divisible by four
Examples of numbers that are divisible by 4
112 since the last two digits, 12, are divisible by 4, the
number 112 is satisfies this rule and is also divisible by 4.
10,948 the last two digits, 48, are divisible by 4. Therefore,
the whole number is also.
100,002,088 = 88. Yep, this satisfies rule because 88 is divisible
by 4!
-12,036 = 36 and 36 is evenly divided by 4, so -12,036 passes
the test!
Examples of numbers that are do not pass this divisibility
test
113 since the last two digits, 13, are not divisible by 4, the
whole number does not pass this divisibility test.
10,941 the last two digits, 41, are not de visible by 4.
Therefore, the whole number does not satisfy the rule for 4.
100,002,014 = 14 and 14 is no good, does not work.
-1,011 = 11 so 1,011 fails this test .
Ever wonder why these rules work. The test for 4 makes sense if you
just break down the numbers. Think about what this rule says: "All
that matters is whether or not the last twodigits are divisible by 4."
Let's look at why this rule is true.
Examine some three digit numbers
124 is the same as 100 + 24, and we know that 100 is divisible
by 4 so all that matters here is whether or not 24, or the last
two digits, are divisible by 4. The same could be said for any
three digit number 224 = 200 + 24, and we know that 200 is
divisible by 4 so again all that we're worried about are these last
two digits.
o Any multiple of 100 is divisible by four! Whether you're
talking about 300, 700, 1000, 1100, 123,00-- All of
these multiples of 100 are divisible by 4, which means
that all that we ever have to worry about is the last two
digits!
ule: A number is divisible by 3 if the sum of its digits is divisible by
3.


Examples of numbers that are divisible by 3
121 + 2 = 3 And 3 is divisible by 3 so the number 12 is also
divisible by 3.
363 + 6 = 9 And 9 is divisible by 3 which means that 36 is
also.
1021 + 0 + 2 = 3
100,002,000 = 1 +0 +0 +0 +0 +2 +0 + 0 +0 = 3 so this very
large number passes this divisibility test.
36 = 3 + 6 = 9 and we all know that 9 3 = 1 so this number
satisfies the rule and is evenly divided by 3!
Examples of numbers that do not pass this test 14
1+4 = 5 and since 5 is not divisible by 3, so 14 is also not.
1241 + 2+ 4 = 7 which is no good, does not work.
100,002,001 = 1 +0 +0 +0 +0 +2 +0 + 0 + 1= 4 so this very
large also does not pass this divisibility test.