Divisor 20161

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

The "Heretofore Test" for Divisibility by 20161

To determine if any number is divisible by 20161, apply the "Heretofore 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 144 and add to R.
  3. Take that result and cross off its final digit (units). Take this new number and subtract 2016 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 20161. That is, your original number is divisible by 20161 if (and only if) Y is. Now that it's much smaller, with basic knowledge of your 20161-times tables, it should be easy to visually see if Y is divisible by 20161. If the Y is still much larger than 20161, the above process can be repeated until it does reduce to within small multiples of 20161.

Easy!