Divisor 2789

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

The "Matthew Petersen Test" for Divisibility by 2789

To determine if any number is divisible by 2789, apply the "Matthew Petersen 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 404 and subtract this from R.
  3. Take that result and cross off its final digit (units). Take this new number and add 279 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 2789. That is, your original number is divisible by 2789 if (and only if) Y is. Now that it's much smaller, with basic knowledge of your 2789-times tables, it should be easy to visually see if Y is divisible by 2789. If the Y is still much larger than 2789, the above process can be repeated until it does reduce to within small multiples of 2789.

Easy!