Divisor 16447

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

The "Thomas Test" for Divisibility by 16447

To determine if any number is divisible by 16447, apply the "Thomas 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 224 and add to R.
  3. Take that result and cross off its final digit (units). Take this new number and subtract 4934 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 16447. That is, your original number is divisible by 16447 if (and only if) Y is. Now that it's much smaller, with basic knowledge of your 16447-times tables, it should be easy to visually see if Y is divisible by 16447. If the Y is still much larger than 16447, the above process can be repeated until it does reduce to within small multiples of 16447.

Easy!