Divisor 13687

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

The "Gustav Örtenberg Test" for Divisibility by 13687

To determine if any number is divisible by 13687, apply the "Gustav Örtenberg Test":

  1. If your number ("X") has 10 digits or more, separate the last (smallest) 9 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 10 digits, L = 0 and therefore R = X.
  2. Multiply L by 406 and add to R.
  3. Take that result and cross off its final digit (units). Take this new number and subtract 4106 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 13687. That is, your original number is divisible by 13687 if (and only if) Y is. Now that it's much smaller, with basic knowledge of your 13687-times tables, it should be easy to visually see if Y is divisible by 13687. If the Y is still much larger than 13687, the above process can be repeated until it does reduce to within small multiples of 13687.

Easy!