Divisor 1489

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

The "Christopher Test" for Divisibility by 1489

To determine if any number is divisible by 1489, apply the "Christopher Test":

  1. If your number ("X") has 8 digits or more, separate the last (smallest) 7 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 8 digits, L = 0 and therefore R = X.
  2. Multiply L by 124 and subtract this from R.
  3. Take that result and cross off its final digit (units). Take this new number and add 149 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 1489. That is, your original number is divisible by 1489 if (and only if) Y is. Now that it's much smaller, with basic knowledge of your 1489-times tables, it should be easy to visually see if Y is divisible by 1489. If the Y is still much larger than 1489, the above process can be repeated until it does reduce to within small multiples of 1489.

Easy!