Kevin G.

Rhoads –Version 1 page 1 4/5/2020

A discussion of 9s, 10s and 11s – starting with fractions n/9 and n/11

1/9 0.111111111111111
2/9 0.222222222222222
3/9 0.333333333333333
4/9 0.444444444444444
5/9 0.555555555555556
6/9 0.666666666666667
7/9 0.777777777777778
8/9 0.888888888888889

1/11 0.090909090909091
2/11 0.181818181818182
3/11 0.272727272727273
4/11 0.363636363636364
5/11 0.454545454545455
6/11 0.545454545454545
7/11 0.636363636363636
8/11 0.727272727272727
8/11 0.818181818181818
9/11 0.909090909090909

So why should anyone care? There are several reasons.

Some people just find it interesting. It is useful for rapid calculation without electronic aids. It
is useful for checking calculations, whether they were done with or without electronic aids. It
can help one understand numbers and arithmetic. Some of us find it fun.

First, as with multiplication tables, learning small integer divisor fractions aids with mental and
pen-and-paper arithmetic. If one has learned the multiplication tables, then the fractions are a
small step, because the patterns repeat. As one can see in the /11s, the base level is 09
repeating. So all the others are multiples of 09, just like the 9s in the multiplication table.

Second, for checking calculations, we have “casting out 9s” and the lesser known “casting out
11s”.

Casting out 9s – is a result of two things, first, positional notation and second, that the
positional base is 10. So if you take a digit at any position and move it to the next position you
have changed the number by a factor of 9. For example,
12 = 10 + 2
take 9 out of the 10 and 1 is let over, so
12 » 1 + 2 = 3
So take the 1 in the tens slot and add it to the 2 in the ones slot, and … 3. We have just cast out
a “9”.
Kevin G. Rhoads –Version 1 page 2 4/5/2020
But, wait, there’s more! The pattern continues as far up or down as one wants. For example,
starting with 142857, the process would proceed as:
142857 » (1+4)2857 = 52857 » (5+2)857 = 7857 » (7+8)57 = 1557 » (1+5)57 = 657
657 » (6+5)7 = 117 » (1+1)7 = 27 » 9

So 142857 -> 9 (≡0) when casting out 9s is complete.

So what? Well, for one thing, you can tell 142857 is divisible by 9 and thus also divisible by 3.

But the real strength of casting out 9s is checking long computations. You do the computation
twice. Once with the original numbers. The cast out 9s in the result. Then repeat the
computation with the cast out 9s numbers and the result should match the cast out 9s result. If
they do not match, you have an error. If they do match, there is a 8 out of 9 chance that your
calculation is correct. As an example:

Original 9s Cast
Number Out
142857 0
2857142 2
42857142 6
45857141 8
Now for the check, does (0+2+6) = 8 ??
Yes!

Another 9s
Original Cast
Number Out
871239413 2
64646464 4
123456781 1
1059342658 7

Does (2+4+1) = 7 ??
Yes!

Next, casting out 11s. Casting out 11s is a bit more interesting. But not significantly more
difficult.

In casting out 9s, when a digit was dropped from one position to the next lower, it was just
added. In casting out 11s, the sign is reversed. So, drop one level, and it is subtract. Drop two
levels, add. Three levels, subtract. Thus there are two strategies, drop one level each time,
always subtracting. Or, do two calculations, one for the odd numbered levels, all added, one for
the even numbered levels, all added, then subtract one of those from the other.

For example, starting with 142857, the first process would proceed as:
142857 » (-1+4)2857 = 32857 » (-3+2)857 = (-1)857 » (1+8)57 = 957 » (-9+5)7 = (-4)7
(-4)7 » (4+7) = 11 (≡0)
Kevin G. Rhoads –Version 1 page 3 4/5/2020

And an example for calculation checking

11s
Original Cast
Number Out
142857 0
2857142 2
42857142 9
45857141 0

Does (0+2+9) = 0? Yes, it = 11 and when casting out 11s, 11 ≡ 0.

The second example is similar

11s
Original Cast
Number Out
871239413 0
64646464 3
123456781 8
1059342658 0

Again, (0+3+8) = 11 and 11 ≡ 0

So, why both? Why casting out 9s and casting out 11s?
Casting out 9s has a 1/8 chance of giving a false reassurance. Casting out 11s has a 1/10 chance
of giving a false reassurance. But since 9 and 11 are relatively prime, if both reassure of a
correct result, the chance of an error that slips past both is 1 in 98.

For checking, start with casting out 9s. If you get an error detected, you go and find it. If not,
you can choose, is 1/8 chance of being wrong acceptable? If not, proceed to casting out 11s.

Casting out 9s or 11s and modular arithmetic. Both operations are another implementation
of modular arithmetic. Casting out 9s is arithmetic modulo 9. Casting out 11s is arithmetic
modulo 11.