8/17/2011 Proposition: If a and b are nonzero integers, then gcd(ma, mb) = m* gcd(a,b) for any positive integer m.

Corollary: If gcd(a,b) = d, then gcd(

)=1

EUCLIDEAN ALGORITHM Theorem (Euclidean Algorithm) Given integers a > 0 and b, we make a repeated application of the Division Algorithm to obtain a list of equations. (i) If a | b, then gcd(a,b) = a (ii) If a b, then b = aq1 + r1, 0 < r1 < a a = r1 q2 + r2, 0 < r2 < r1 r1 = r2 q3 + r3, 0 < r3 < r2 rj-2 = rj-1 qj + rj, 0< rj < rj-1 rj-1 = rj qj+1 for some j N. Then gcd(a,b) = rj, the last nonzero remainder in the division process. Note that we can still use Euclidean Algorithm even if a is negative since gcd(a,b)=gcd(|a|, |b|). Examples: Use the Euclidean Algorithm to find for the greatest common divisor of a and b. 1) a = 2009, b = 120 3) a = 70, b = 545 2) a = 4840, b = 1512 4) a = 24, b = 120 Problem 1) (PMO 2000-2001) For an n N, show that lowest terms. 8/22/2011 Find the gcd(3576, 6378) Solution: gcd(3576, 6378) = gcd(3576, 6378) 6378= 3576 (1) + 2802 3576 = 2802 (1) + 774 2802 = 774 (3) + 480 774 = 480(1) + 294 480 = 294(1) + 186 294 = 186(1) + 108 186 = 108(1) + 78 108 = 78(1) + 30 78 = 30(2) + 18 30 = 18(1) + 12 18 = 12(1) + 6 12 = 6(2) is a fraction in its

Consider the previous example and follow the following manipulation: 6 = 18 12(1) = 18 [30 18](1) = 18(1 + 1) 30(1) = [78 30(2)](2) 30 = 78(2) 30(4 + 1) = 78(2) (108 78)(5) = 78(2 + 5) 108(5) = (186 108)(7) 108(5) = 186(7) 108(7 +5) = 186(7) (294 186)(12) = 186(7+12) 294(12) = (480 294)(19) 294(12) = 480(19) 294(19 + 12) = 480(19) (774 480)(31) = 480(19 + 31) 774(31) = [2802 774(3)](50) 774(31) = 2802(50) 774[3(50) + 31] = 2802(50) (3576 2802)(181) = 2802(50 + 181) 3576(181) = (6378 -3576)(231) 3575(181) = 6378(231) + 3576(231 181) = 3576(412) 6378(231) This means that there exist integers xo and yo, for instance, xo = 412 and yo = 231, such that 3576 xo 6378 yo = gcd(3576, 6378).

8/30/2011 Bezouts Theorem: Let d = gcd(a,b). Then there exist xo, yo Z, such that axo + byo = d. Corollary 1: Two integers a and b are relatively prime (that is gcd(a,b) = 1) if and only if there exist integers x and y such that ax + by = 1. Corollary 2: Suppose gcd(a, b) = 1. Then ab| if and only if a|m and b|m. Note: Every triple of consecutive integers contains an even integer and an integer that is divisible by 3 Let a and b be nonzero integers. An integer l is called a common multiple of a and b if a|l and b|l. The least integer among all the positive multiples of a and b is called the least common multiple of a and b, and is denoted by lcm(a,b). In other words, a positive integer l is he least common multiple of a and b if and only if the following two conditions are satisfied: (i) a|l and b|l, and (ii) if n|m and b|m, the l|m Proposition 1: If m N, then lcm(ma, mb) = m*lcm(ab). Illustration: The following instances reveal an important observation that relates the gcd and the lcm of two nonzero integers. gcd(4,6) * lcm(4,6) = 2(12) = 4(6) gcd(20,15) * lcm(20,15) = 5(60) = 20(15) gcd(16, 10) * lcm(16, 10) = 2(80) = 16(10) Theorem: For any two nonzero integers a and b, we have gcd(a, b) * lcm(a, b) = |ab|.

Proof. Since gcd(a,b) = gcd(|a|, |b|) and lcm(a,b) = lcm(|a|, |b|), we may assume that a and b are positive. CASE 1. Suppose that gcd(a,b) = 1 and lcm(a,b) = ma = nb for some m, n N. It follows that b | ma. Since gcd(a,b) = 1, by Euclids Lemma, we have b | m. This means that b < m, and so ba = lcm(a, b). Since lcm(a,b) < ab, we have lcm(a,b) = ab. Thus, ab = lcm(a,b) * gcd(a,b). CASE 2. Suppose that gcd(a,b) = d > 1. Then gcd(( ) = 1 and, by CASE 1, lcm( ) = * . This gives d2*lcm(
|( ( )( |( ( )|

) = ab, or ab = d * lcm( =
)| )

) = d* lcm(a,b).

Illustrations: lcm(15, 32) =

lcm(4840, 1512) =

) )(

= 480 = = 914760

Problem 1) Three sisters, Jane, Jami, and Jean, visit their parents regularly. Jane visit them every ten days. Jami every sixteen days, and Jean every twenty days. Today, Saturday, the three of them simultaneously visit their parents. On what day will their next simultaneous visit be? Problem 2) If the product of two integers is 1176 and their greatest common divisor is 14, what is their least common multiple? Exercises: 1) Find gcd(a,b) and lcm(a,b). a) a = 801, b = 423 b) a = 1 050, b = 355 c) a = 5280, b = 3600 d) a = 1137, b = 419 e) a = 2100, b = 1002 f) a = 10!, b = 310 2) Prove that any two consecutive integers are relatively prime.

3) Prove that the product of any four consecutive integers is always divisible by 24. 4) Prove that gcd(a,c) = gcd(b,c) = 1 if and only if gcd(ab, c) = 1. 5) Find the smallest 5-digit positive integer n such that, when n is divided by 2, 3, 4, 9, the remainder is 1 in each divisible. 6) If gcd(a,b) =1 and c|(a+b), show that gcd(a,c) = gcd(b,c) =1. 7) Show that if k is a positive integer, then 3k + 2 and 5k + 3 are relatively prime. 8) Let d and n be integers such that d|(4n2 + 2n 1) and d|(2n 3). Find the largest value of d. 9) If a, b, c and d are all positive integers such that gcd(a,b) = gcd(c,d) = 1 and + is also an integer, show that b = d. 10) (Eotvos 1910) Let a, b, c, d, and u be integers such that each of the numbers ac, bc + ad, bd is a multiple of u. Show that bc and ad are multiples of u. 11) (Eotvos 1912) Prove that, for every positive integer n, the number A n = 5n + 2*3n-1 + 1 is a multiple of 8. 12) Show that N = 271958 108878 + 101528 is divisible by 26460. (Hint: For any positive integers m, e, and x with m|cx, the number (m + x) n (c + x)n + cn is divisible by m for all positive integers n.) 13) (IMO 1959) Prove that the fraction is irreducible for every natural number n.