Math 324

(nm) = (n)(m) if gcd(n, m) = 1

Suppose that m and n are positive integers which are relatively prime. We shall show that (mn) = (m)(n). Let r1 , r2 , . . . , r(m) be a reduced residue system modulo m, and let s1 , s2 , . . . , s(n) be a reduced residue system modulo n. e.g. m = 6, {r1 , r2 } = {1, 5}, For each ri and sj , nd a solution to x ri (mod m), x sj (mod n). n = 5, {s1 , . . . s4 } = {1, 2, 3, 4}.

We can do this by the Chinese Remainder Theorem. Denote this solution by xij . We shall show that the set {xij | 1 i (m), 1 j (n)} is a reduced residue system modulo mn. (Then it will follow that (mn) = (m)(n).) In the example, for i = 1, j = 1 we solve x 1 (mod 6), x 1 (mod 5), so x = 1, and x11 = 1. For i = 1, j = 2, solve x 1 (mod 6), x 2 (mod 5), so x12 = 7. We see that x1 3 = 13, x1 4 = 19. For i = 5, j = 1, solve x 5 (mod 6), x 1 (mod 5), so x21 = 11. We see that the ordered list x11 , x12 , x13 , x14 , x21 , x22 , x23 , x24 is precisely 1, 7, 13, 19, 11, 17, 23, 29. First, we must show that each xij is relatively prime to mn. If p is a prime which divides some xij and also mn, then p must divide m or n, say m, so m = pk for some k . xij ri (mod m) then xij = ri + mt = ri + pkt. Thus since p divides xij then p must divide ri . But then p divides both ri and m, which is impossible since ri and m are relatively prime, since ri belongs to a reduced residue system mod m. Second, we must show that all the xij are incongruent modulo mn. Suppose that for some i, k between 1 and (m) and j, l between 1 and (n) we have xij xkl (mod mn). Then xij xkl (mod m) so ri rj (mod m), so i = j (since the ri s are all incongruent mod m.) Similarly xij xkl (mod n) so sk sl (mod n), so k = l. Last, suppose that y is some number relatively prime to mn. Then it must be relatively prime to each of m and n, so y ri (mod m) and y sj (mod n) for some i and j , and then y xij (mod mn) by the uniqueness part of the Chinese Remainder Theorem.