IC – Divide by 3
February 25, 2026 • EPISODE 299
How can tiny transistors do math? In this episode of Science LIVE with Roger Billings, discover how integrated circuits use logic gates and on-and-off transistors to multiply, divide, and process numbers. See how a simple “divide by 3” circuit is built—and how millions of these tiny switches working together make today’s powerful computers possible.
Roger Billings also talks about the engineering behind the Falcon 9 from SpaceX. In addition, learn how gallium could be used to generate hydrogen as a clean energy source, highlighting exciting possibilities for future energy innovation.
About DrB
Dr. Roger Billings is a visionary innovator whose work has touched the lives of millions of students and transformed the landscape of education. Widely known as “DrB” to the countless kids who benefit from his groundbreaking Acellus learning system, Dr. Billings has dedicated his life to advancing education through technology.
As part of DrB’s lifelong commitment to supporting education, Science LIVE was launched as a way to “give back” by mentoring students in conjunction with the Roger Billings Scholarship Program.
Read more about DrB »
About the Roger Billings Scholarship Program »
It was so cool to learn about IC-Divide by 3
I learned so much this lesson! The gallium thing is so cool! YAY!
I love these science lives! cant wait for this weeks one!
Shout out to the Proteges and the Inventioneers for learning how to be socional!
Loved this episode!
Gallium is a very interesting metal.
Science live is the greatest thing ever
The metal that melts in your hand is so cool! I like to watch that.
I loved the gallium idea! An almost useless metal turned into a hydrogen source?! Impressive.
Very interesting live, watching from montana.
Science is a revolutionary subject filled with amazing minds! I loved the learning aspects in the episode!
We saw the space x trail from South Carolina tonight!!
Gallium is fascinating ! Love science live.
I love how much you can learn from science live!
Hi from Montana! I love how much knowlage science live has given me!
gallium looks so weird but fascinating amazing science live episode
Science is cool
Best science live!!
science live is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The brain is so complex and so amazing to me. Watching from South Carolina
I got to go to 3 test flights of the SpaceX Starship, including flight 5 where they caught the booster, and made history.
I wish I could see this in person 🧍♀️😀
I was really intrigued by the metal that you can melt in you hands by rubbing it against your hand it’s weird that a metal melts just above room temperature
I loved Claudia! She is pretty. She is good at this stuff.
I love Acellus so much! The science live is the best part!
R51 is the best part of science live!
This weeks science live video was very funny and informational. Science live I a great way for kids to learn about things in science that would seem to be a lot more complicated. I also thought that making hydrogen from gallium was really cool and interesting.
Man, I love Science Live it’s my favorite part of the week! Another great episode as always.
I always like when Dr. Tobias speaks, he might be my favorite part of this live heh.
The brain is an amazing organ… love watching Science Live
My mom and I did a science project with gallium! It’s so cool.
It’s awsome how you help us achieve our goals for graduation and for our future for college. I also love how your videos lets us know how technology has evolved through out the years.
The pentiometer says the wild west duel was fun.
Hello from Texas! The brain is an amazing organ!
Thank you for making learning fun and easy to understand with science live.
Learning with Acellus makes me feel confident!
The gallium spoon was amazing!
Science Live is the BEST! I love watching it! It gives me cool facts that I didn’t know about! Who agrees with me?
I loved when Tobias talked about the movie theater sounds!!!😄
Hello from Minnesota!! watching the wild west math segment was cool!
I really enjoyed the science live today. Tuning in from France!
Us Texans loved that protege showdown!
I love learning with Acellus. It’s helped for over a year, thank you, Acellus.
I love watching r-51 he is always so cool 😎. Love r51.
Loved this episode
These videos are pure gold!
This Scienece Live was amazing,watching from alaska
cool!!!! now I’m wondering if there will be a kit or something similar to build those kind of circuits????
The potentiometer skit is genius 😂
This is awesome sauce WE love r-51.
The fact that the brain can correct messed-uped view is amazing!
I like to divide by 2, because that is a way you can share with a friend. I think r-51’s potential is 100% for sure.
Science Live is the best!
I love learning from Dr. Billings
Science Live was amazing!!! Watching here from Missouri
I thought it was cool that your ears can turn things down.
The story of the severed optic nerve is mind blowing.
When and where is the Acellus graduation ceremony?
In this case, can flip-flops divide by three or other numbers properly? I think it would be possible to force a reset with a certain combination, which would require a few of the flip-flops.
I ❤️ Science Live!!!
howdy from texas ! yeehaw !
I love Acellus!!!!!
I always love watching R51, he is hilarious!
hello from Alabama. loved the wild west math battle so funny
That’s so cool how you can divide with a circuit board!
The rockets are incredible – and I love that you mention actual students!
I like R 51, he is so funny!
2 is my favorite number R51 howdy from Oklahoma.
Our horses ears move to, when ever we are riding in the mountains or anywhere we watch if they hear anything cause they can alert us if there is someone coming from the trail or animal near us.
you some how make each episode better each time!
See I think its really interesting that the new rockets are smaller but more powerful and I’m wondering if a hydrogen powdered rocket can be real thing?
Omg it was hilarious. It was so funny and I actually learned a lot.
I liked when they did the cowboy scene, it was so cool! I love science live so much that I would love to learn more about IC – Divide by 3. I love you Dr. Roger Billings! I can’t wait to learn more about technology. Caleb and David are the one that can know how to be the ones that can make us laugh all the time when we watch science live.
Jackson from Louisiana and I love Acellus learning. Its so much fun.
Gallium is such a fun property! Its amazing how it looks like Mercury but It’s not.
I enjoyed how Dr. Joshua talked about the three steps of how to plan your graduation and goals after high school. I will definitely keep this in mind.
Science Live teaches me so many new things!
Thank you Acellus team! Learning about the ICs was so interesting, is that how calculators work?
As someone who has lost people to cancer I think its absolutely amazing that they are working to find a cure!
The Protégés were amazing 🤩!
Why is everyone so nice in Acellus.
The projection and movement of sound is really cool.
Hearing how intricately stereos are made makes me appreciate them so much more than I already do.
That’s awesome how they are treating cancer cells with special bacteria. I do remember hearing that Covid-19 is a human made virus so it is possible to make special bacteria like that. About gallium, you also can’t spill it on computers and phones because it can damage your device. The same thing applies to soda cans. I remember watching the good morning part from singing in the rain. Maybe I might watch Fantasia since I have Disney+. Did they find the hacker who did that? Wow!! they used a big rocket ship to get to the moon. I feel bad for R51 because he missed the scanner calling him a socional super star.
I wonder how long the Honors path is compared to the Standard path.
I had no idea that modern rocket ships can be reused!
Wow the human brain truly is one of the most complex organs in the body.
My great grandparents have a record player and some records. I just recently saw a cassette tape for the first time. Things have come a long way!
I LOVE Science Live!!!!!
Never fails to make me laugh!!! The math battle skit was too funny!!!
Love science live!! keep up the Great work you guys! This will never get old. I can’t wait for the next one, literally the highlight of my day!! (insert little dance)
Gotta love the Protégés and the Inventioneers, but I also enjoyed Tobias’ talk about stereo.
Thank you Dr. Billings for teaching us again.
How do you guys always learn so many things to teach us in just one week?!
New to Acellus Academy and my first time to watch Science Live. I love it!
The gallium spoon was very interesting
I like the new girl.
I have trouble saying potentiometer, just like R51
Science lives are a great way to learn interesting facts. Thank you for the hard work you guys put into them!
cowboy scene hilarious!!🤣
I love these episodes!! Thank you so much Acellus team for making it happen! Here from Connecticut!
Howdy, Acellus! I think this is my favorite episode of Science Live yet! Welcome, Claudia!!!
An IC Divide by 3 is an integrated circuit that reduces an input frequency to one-third of its original value. It is commonly used in digital electronics and timing applications where specific frequency control is needed, and of course the secret weapon was a girl. (in the cowboy scene on of the cowboys did the 67 hand gesture when the numbers six and seven were on the screen which was really funny)
Alan Blumlein’s story was so cool! learning about how he incorporated psychology to make his stereo sound was really interesting. We got introduced to the new inventioneer Claudia! She already seems pretty cool and I loved the whole cowboy segment in general it was so funny.
i love acellus lives!
I thought the binary decade counters were so cool to learn about because im super into computers
This science live was so captivating!
Science live is so cool!
Hi from Texas!
Hi from CA!
I and my family really enjoyed the show today! The bacteria eating cancer is really interesting! My grandfather passed away from cancer and my grandmother has had cancer twice so it really hits home. Dr. Billings – Area 51 makes me laugh. I love that you’re so fun.
Tuning in from GA! Cant wait to see what the next video will be about!
I love the cowboy part
Science live makes my week!!
I love learning new things its so interesting
This video is really great and informative, thank you so much.
I am from Bangladesh
thank you for the Wednesday video. Everyone’s talk was awesome, and I love learning all the new things they talk about.
science live is so cool
hello from nc
I look forward to these science lives every week! Super entertaining while also educational!
I like how you can do different ways to divide with the transister
i love science live
I’ve always found math really interesting.
i think if i had to pick science is my favorite subject
Science live is the best!!
Love this episode, like usual!
I can’t wait to hear more about what the scientists at Waterloo is doing.
This video was the best one yet!!!
Where were potatoes first found in?
So interesting! Hello from Nevada!
Hi from IL!
I think that’s really cool that SpaceX launched a rocket because I didn’t know that.
Science Live is awesome.
Science live is the best!
Great episode as always looking forward to next week!
Hi from Florida
hello from Alabama
I love our 51. He’s hilarious.
Thank you for this episode of Science Live!!!!!
I thought the binary decade counters were so cool to learn about!
So glad I get to watch these science lives, and learn even more and different things than in my science class.
These science lives are so fun to watch!!
these are so informative thank you!!
Hey, I’m new here and I enjoyed this live!
science live is soo good! here from mo
Science is so cool!! Watching from Texas.
man i love science im still in japan
The brain is amazing!
I love science live. thanks for all the heard work that you put it to it.
Hello from Tennessee!
Hello from Florida.
Science Live is the best! Loved the cowboy scene!
hi from nc
I enjoyed this episode but I cant wait for the 300th one!
i love science live.
Thank you for the Science Live!
Hi from Las Vegas, Nevada!
These lives are so fun! I love learning new things each Wednesday.
I love live science its very eye opening! Here from california
This was such a cool episode. I liked the cowboy part. I learn so much.
I’m really excited to see the cancer eating bacteria come to motion!
These videos are really informative and cool! I love watching science lives.
I love the cowboy part!
This was the first Science Live I’ve gotten to watch, I really enjoyed it. See you next week.
I love learning about how using the ‘count by 3s’ strategy makes it easier to find the quotient!
I always learn something new from these, love it.
Science is really interesting
Love tuning in! From TN ❤️
i love the science lives!
Another awesome science live week! Thanks!
The stereo segment I really liked and thought was interesting !!
Watching from Montana!
Super interesting video! love watching these
Hi from New Jersey!
Thank you for SL!
Thanks for another great science live.
Heyyyyyy from Nebraska!!!!!!
Another great science live! See you next week:)
Hi from tx!
Gallium is considered non toxic.
Loved the live! It really teaches me a lot!
Here from Wyoming!!
I love science! From California
Hi from Texas! This is great information, thank you.
Great science live, tunning in from kauai!
HIIII FROM TEXAS!!
Hi from Tx
science is so cool
Comment I always love the end of these lives they are so funny!!!
The cowboy part was hilarious.
this science live was more interesing