Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) Practice Test

Which mathematical topic emphasizes the importance of whole numbers that divide evenly into given numbers?

1. Divisibility

2. Fractions

3. Statistics

4. Geometry

The correct answer is: Divisibility

The mathematical topic that emphasizes whole numbers that divide evenly into given numbers is divisibility. This concept focuses on understanding which numbers can be multiplied together to yield a product without any remainder when dividing. For example, if you take the number 12, the whole numbers that divide it evenly are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12 itself, as each of these numbers can be multiplied by another whole number to result in 12 without any remainder. Divisibility rules help simplify various mathematical problems, particularly in number theory and understanding factors and multiples. This foundational concept is crucial for further studies in mathematics and for solving problems related to fractions, ratios, and algebra. In contrast, fractions deal with parts of a whole rather than the whole numbers that divide evenly into other numbers. Statistics focuses on data analysis and interpretation, while geometry pertains to the properties and relations of points, lines, surfaces, and solids, which do not directly involve the concept of divisibility. Thus, the clear alignment of whole number functionality and their properties is what categorically places divisibility as the answer.