Divisibility Rule of 3: Rule, Examples

Divisibility Rule of 3

A number is divisible by 3 if the sum of its digits is a multiple of 3 (like 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, etc.).

If the sum is divisible by 3, then the whole number is also divisible by 3.

Steps to Check Divisibility by 3

1. Write down the number.

2. Add up all the digits.

3. Check if the sum is a multiple of 3.

4. If yes, the number is divisible by 3.

Examples

Example 1: Is 273 divisible by 3?

1. Number: 273

2. Add the digits: 2 + 7 + 3 = 12

3. 12 is a multiple of 3 (12 ÷ 3 = 4)

273 is divisible by 3.

Example 2: Is 458 divisible by 3?

1. Number: 458

2. Add the digits: 4 + 5 + 8 = 17

3. 17 is not a multiple of 3.

458 is not divisible by 3.

Know the divisibility rule of 4 here.

Try It Yourself:

Are they divisible by 3?
1. 792
2. 145
3. 906

FAQs

1. What is the divisibility rule of 3 with example?

Divisibility rule for 3 states that a number is completely divisible by 3 if the sum of its digits is divisible by 3. Consider a number, 308. To check whether 308 is divisible by 3 or not, take the sum of the digits (i.e. 3+0+8= 11).

2. Is 129857 divisible by 3?

Since 32 is not divisible by 3, so using the divisibility test for 3, we conclude that 129857 is not divisible by 3.

3. What is an example of a divisible by 3?

Numbers that are divisible by 3 can be split into equal parts of 3 with no remainder, like 12 in the earlier example. Other numbers divisible by 3 include 9, 15, 18, 21, and so on.