NUMBER THEORY

LESSON 1.3: The Euclidean Algorithm and Diophantine Equation

The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic

Definition
An integer 𝑝 > 1 is called a prime number, or simply a
prime, if its only positive divisors are 1 and 𝑝. An integer
greater than 1 that is not a prime is termed composite.
The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic

Theorem
If 𝑝 is a prime and 𝑝|𝑎𝑏,then 𝑝|𝑎 or 𝑝|𝑏.
The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic

Corollary
If 𝑝 is a prime and 𝑝|𝑎1𝑎2 ··· 𝑎𝑛,then 𝑝|𝑎𝑘 for some 𝑘, where
1 ≤ 𝑘 ≤ 𝑛.
The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic

Corollary 2
If 𝑝, 𝑞𝑖, 𝑞2, … , 𝑞𝑛 are all primes and 𝑝|𝑞𝑖𝑞2 · · · 𝑞𝑛, then 𝑝 = 𝑞𝑘 for
some 𝑘, where 1 ≤ 𝑘 ≤ 𝑛.
The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic

Theorem 2
Every positive integer 𝑛 > 1 is either a prime or a product of
primes; this representation is unique, apart from the order in
which the factors occur.