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 »
Hello from Colorado
I love learning new things every week watching these lives.
It’s amazing how our music has a lot of depth in it. All thanks to being able to mimic what direction the sound is coming from. 😀 😀 😀 😀 🙂 🙂 😛
If you can’t take the math get out of the WEST!!! 😏
Hi I’m from Texas
I like these videos
thanks for the science live
Always a great live!
I learned something I had no idea about when they were talking about the records and how they got Stero and mono sound to work! That’s really neat!
the decade counter is so cool
Super cool! Hope everyone has a great rest of their week.
Very cool! I hope everyone had a great day 🙂
Dr. Roger Billings is so awsome!
Hello from Mississippi. And can you make it divide by 100
hi for sc
Hello from New Jeresy !
It’s so cool how the Potentiometer works.
Hi from Illinois
Hello from Ohio.
The greatest scientists in the world are the curious ones 🥼🔬🔭👩🏾🔬🧪🧬🌐
That’s so cool!
Hello from California!
so cool wanna do this some day
very interesting
i really love these lives they are very informative and interesting.. I look forward to watching these every week!!
always love these and look forward to it!
Congrats!
-Zoey
Evening from FL!!!!!!
Optic nerves are cool!
Hi from texas
this science live is very cool and good
I love seeing the proteges, they are so entertaining
Hello from Tennessee
I found this video and lesson super interesting in my personal opinion.
circuit boards are soo cool I love wacting them come to life.
Hello from MT
Alot of interesting stuff tonight
Hello! Really cool episode so far!
love this !!
Hello from New York
Amazing how just two ears give us a sense of space-audio innovation at its finest!
I can’t wait for next next week, episode 300!
thats very cool and interesting
Hello from New Mexico
How many different parts are there total?
Hello from MD, really loved the science life tonight
Hello from atl
loved the video
Hello from California. Looking forward to another week of science 🙂
Hi from Montana!!
Hello from Colorado
Hi from Georgia
Learning about the switches and wiring is very interesting!
Hello from Florida. 🤍💙❤️
I enjoy the talked about the sound in the movies and the optic nerve story.
the potentiometer is very cool given how simple it is
Hi from Northern Illinois. Some people are ambidextrous. This Science Live is really interesting.
my favorite part was learning about the optic nerve!
Interesting Circuitry, also Thanks For Making These Science Live’s Roger Billings And Pajet Monet! PS: Also thx To the Protégés for making funny vids during the live’s NOT Replacing R-51 🙂
Hello from Chicago
Hi from NC
I like how they included the clip of the boys being cowboys running away from the fractions.
The ten position switch looks like a spider.
Why are they called bread boards?
Hey from North Carolina!
hi from georgia
Hello from Virginia
The Proteges are awesome. I love their simple yet elaborate explanations of circuits and other things. Keep up the good work!
I feel like they should have their own class in acellus
cool!! one more till 300!!
Hello from Tennessee
Where would you buy the wires and transmitters to do this?
Mr. Billing where can you purchase all of these different items to make all of the different IC’s, also is there any places that you can buy them in person or do you have to order them online?
Hello from Mississippi! And can you make a circuit that can count to 100 and divide by 100?
Can I satisfy the requirement by viewing the recorded episode later in the week?
Where do we buy these to build one?
Hello from Houston and also I have a question how is project deep hole or super deep hole
Heyyy from Mississippi *
It’s crazy how high the circuit can get.
hi from new jersey
Really cool 😎
I loved learning about the stereo system! Thank you!
Hi from IL + I love the accents they do!
So glad they’re talking about stereo, it’s so cool!
Hello from North Carolina
HI from Georgia.
Hello from ATL
Hi from Tennessee
Seeing a cross section helps us understand how these transistors work.
hello from flordia
I love the western theme ! Yeehaw !
Hello from New York
Hello from fairmont. Awesome
Here from texas
This both amazing and hilarious!
Hi from New York!!
hi from Oklahoma
Do Decade counters get heavily used in code for everything?
I enjoyed watching the proteges explain IC’s and how they can make it divide by different numbers.
This live was very fun to watch!!
The optic nerve, how the brain unscrambles signals is quite interesting yet enjoyable to learn about. Adding onto that, being able to see how the brain figures out pictures that were supposed to be scrambled was quite attention drawing. I loved this live, looking forward for the next one. Thank you
I’ve always wondered why they couldn’t put the pins in numerical order
I love learning about coding. Very cool!
Beautiful live I love it! keep up the engaging and fun facts! I loved watching this! It taught me so much!
here watching from Missouri
The circuit board doing math is so cool!
Science Live is so much fun to watch!!
Honestly having cowboys specifically need to know how to do these circut systems in a very niche way makes me laugh
Hello from Illinois and I love science live!!!!!!!!!
Hi from CA! love these Science lives
Hello from Missouri *
The is good I am from Hawaii
That’s funny my cousins are from Missouri!!
-Zoey
Hello from Texas
i loved this video
I like the creative themes the proteges do each week and how it helps with understanding.
Hello from illinois
The Potentiometer looks really cool!
Amazing live.
Hey ya’ll I’m from Texas
love this !
Love the stream
I love the wild west thing
thats so cool
Happy Wednesday, Hope everyone is doing well! : ) Always look forward to these lives!
Potentiometer is quite a name for something as simple as a knob adjusted transistor
Hello from North Carolina!!
Hi glad to be here from New Mexico 🤩🤗
Great live today!
Hi from Montana
Beautiful show
Such a cool project!!
I liked learning about the optic nerve.
Hello I love science live
I CAN’T CHOOSE!!!!Both of the proteges are too good to be able to make a decision! Both of them together create the most perfect team. I would never miss their bit they get to do; They are soooo entertaining!
hi I’m from Florida
The protégé’s segment explains thing so well for me as a visual learner
hello from texas
Great video partner
Hello! from NC
Hi from nova scotia. love the protégé.
Hi love the science from Hawaii!!!
I wonder many flip flops can be used at once?
The inventioneers are the best
Great video, Love it!
I love how you guys explain stuff.
Hello from TN.
I love Acellus I learn so many cool things and I like rockets!!!!!!
Greetings from kentucky!
hello from NY~!
Hi from NC!!!!
hello from bangkok!
It looks so complicated but it actually seems very easy!
definitely an interesting live this week.
this video is so cool
I liked learning about circuits and I like watching the proteges, I learn so much from them.
Hi from Missouri!
loving this weeks live! hello from Louisiana!!!
I love the cinematography in the wild west chase! Science Live always puts in the most effort to make sure students have a fun time watching.
Hi from Nevada!
this is so cool
Good evening to everyone from Morocco.
Hello from Hawaii
Happy to be here.
Gallium metal is very very very cool
This is my first week! Loving the lessons so far
Great video this week! Watching from Georgia.
So am I!
Hello from the great alabama
Hello from Ohio I love the way y’all teach us!
Hello from Mississippi!
Hello from North Carolina!! What do the little holes in the circuit go to? Is it like an electrical outlet?
Hi from Rochester ny
*Hello from Missouri*
Hello from Texas. I learned a lot more from this video. I did a little bit of research related to this type of stuff a week ago, but this helped me learn a lot more.
The accents are hilarious!
wow such a great live video!!!
such a great video this week!!
Hi from Wisconsin
love today good work!!!
Hello from Florida!
Great video!
Greetings! From Houston.
This video was very interesting.
This is fascinating to learn about 😀
I like that segment!