Divisor 5521

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

The "Phil Test" for Divisibility by 5521

To determine if any number is divisible by 5521, apply the "Phil 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 622 and add to R.
  3. Take that result and cross off its final digit (units). Take this new number and subtract 552 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 5521. That is, your original number is divisible by 5521 if (and only if) Y is. Now that it's much smaller, with basic knowledge of your 5521-times tables, it should be easy to visually see if Y is divisible by 5521. If the Y is still much larger than 5521, the above process can be repeated until it does reduce to within small multiples of 5521.

Easy!