Definition:Digital Root
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Definition
Let $n \in \Z: n \ge 0$.
Let $n$ be expressed in base $b$ notation.
Let $n_1 = \map {s_b} n$ be the digit sum of $n$ to base $b$.
Then let $n_2 = \map {s_b} {n_1}$ be the digit sum of $n_1$ to base $b$.
Repeat the process, until $n_m$ has only one digit, that is, that $1 \le n_m < b$.
Then $n_m$ is the digital root of $n$ to the base $b$.
Examples
$34716$ Base $10$
In conventional base $10$ notation, we have:
- $\map {s_{10} } {34716} = 3 + 4 + 7 + 1 + 6 = 21$
and then:
- $\map {s_{10} } {21} = 2 + 1 = 3$.
So the digital root of $34716$ (base $10$) is $3$.
$10010111101$ Base $2$
In binary notation, we have:
\(\ds \map {s_2} {10010111101_2}\) | \(=\) | \(\ds 1 + 0 + 0 + 1 + 0 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 0 + 1\) | \(\ds = 7 = 111_2\) | |||||||||||
\(\ds \map {s_2} {111_2}\) | \(=\) | \(\ds 1 + 1 + 1\) | \(\ds = 3 = 11_2\) | |||||||||||
\(\ds \map {s_2} {11_2}\) | \(=\) | \(\ds 1 + 1\) | \(\ds = 2 = 10_2\) | |||||||||||
\(\ds \map {s_2} {10_2}\) | \(=\) | \(\ds 1 + 0\) | \(\ds = 1 = 1_2\) |
It is pretty obvious that the digital root of any non-zero number in base $2$ is always $1$.
Also see
- Results about digital roots can be found here.
Sources
- 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): casting out nines
- 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): digital root
- Weisstein, Eric W. "Digital Root." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource. https://mathworld.wolfram.com/DigitalRoot.html