Divisor 3929

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

The "M Test" for Divisibility by 3929

To determine if any number is divisible by 3929, apply the "M 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 695 and add to R.
  3. Take that result and cross off its final digit (units). Take this new number and add 393 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 3929. That is, your original number is divisible by 3929 if (and only if) Y is. Now that it's much smaller, with basic knowledge of your 3929-times tables, it should be easy to visually see if Y is divisible by 3929. If the Y is still much larger than 3929, the above process can be repeated until it does reduce to within small multiples of 3929.

Easy!