Divisor 8423

Prime Number:
Yes!
Divisibility test:
The "Al Test"
Test Discovered by:
Matt Parker
Date:
11/11/2024

The "Al Test" for Divisibility by 8423

To determine if any number is divisible by 8423, apply the "Al Test":

  1. If your number ("X") has 6 digits or more, separate the last (smallest) 5 digits from the rest. This makes two smaller numbers, call them Left and Right (note: don't add in trailing zeros to L). If there are fewer than 6 digits, L = 0 and therefore R = X.
  2. Multiply L by 1076 and subtract this from R.
  3. Take that result and cross off its final digit (units). Take this new number and add 2527 times the digit you just crossed off. Call this final result "Y".
  4. Y will be much smaller than X, but we have preserved divisibility by 8423. That is, your original number is divisible by 8423 if (and only if) Y is. Now that it's much smaller, with basic knowledge of your 8423-times tables, it should be easy to visually see if Y is divisible by 8423. If the Y is still much larger than 8423, the above process can be repeated until it does reduce to within small multiples of 8423.

Easy!