Base plus one, the eleven principle

in math •  6 years ago 

An easy way to see if a number can be divided evenly by 11 is by following a few easy step. Choose a number. Add every other digit together. Then add the rest of the digits together. Subtract one of these numbers from the other. If the resulting number can be divided evenly by 11, then the original number can be divided by 11. Don't know if tye resulting number can divided evenly by 11? Repeat the step again and again until you get 0 or 11.

An example:
1212121416
+-+-+-+-+-+-
1+1+1+1+1=5
2+2+2+4+6=16

16-5=11. So 1212121416 can evenly divide by 11. When you divide by 11, the result is 110192856. Can we divide by 11 again?

1+0+9+8+6=24
1+1+2+5=9

24-5=19. So 110192856 does not divide evenly by 11. But there is more to this method than just decimal based numbers. This method works for all positive integer base 2 or greater, where we treat 11 as base+1!

11 in binary (base 2) is 3 in decimal (base 10). Applying this rule in base 2 will tell us if a number can be divided even by 3 in base 10. 10101 binary is 21 decimal.

1+1+1=11 in binary
0+0=0
11-0=11.
10101 divides evenly by 11 (binary)
21 divides evenly by 3 (decimal)

A14 base 12 is 1456 in decimal.
A+4=12
1=1
12-1=11. 1456 can divide by 13 evenly.

The 11 principle is one of my favorite discoveries, although I'm sure someone came across it before me. Thanks to whoever discovered this for decimal numbers, it helped me realize the rule works for other number bases too. :)

Authors get paid when people like you upvote their post.
If you enjoyed what you read here, create your account today and start earning FREE STEEM!
Sort Order:  

Merry Christmas!!! I've given you an upvote and left you this amazing automated comment!!!!


Vote for my witness nextgencrypto!!

Congratulations @altruismandcake! You received a personal award!

Happy Birthday! - You are on the Steem blockchain for 1 year!

Click here to view your Board

Do not miss the last post from @steemitboard:

Valentine challenge - Love is in the air!

Support SteemitBoard's project! Vote for its witness and get one more award!