MATH135: Algebra Fall 2022

Assignment 3 Due Friday, September 30, 2022 at 5:00PM EDT

Instructions
• There are six submission slots on Crowdmark: Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5 and Q6. Please upload
your solutions into the appropriate slots.

• This assignment covers sections 3.2 - 3.5 (inclusive).

Problems
An integer p > 1 is prime when its only positive divisors are 1 and p. Otherwise, we say that p is
composite. Equivalently, p > 1 is composite if it can be written as a product of two integers, both
of which are greater than 1.

Q1. Prove that for all a, b, c 2 Z, if a | b and a | c, then a | (b + c)2

Q2. Let a, b, c 2 Z. Consider the implication S(a, b, c): If a - 3b and a | (b + 12c), then a - 9c.

(a) State the negation of S(a, b, c). Do not use the word “not” or the negation symbol.
(b) State the converse of S(a, b, c).
(c) State the contrapositive of S(a, b, c).
(d) Prove 8a, b, c 2 Z, S(a, b, c).

Q3. Prove or disprove the following statements. Be sure to clearly indicate whether the statement
is true or false.

(a) For all x, y 2 R, if 2x + 5y 0, then x y < 0 or 2x2 + 7xy 5y 2 0.

(b) For all x, y 2 R, if x y < 0 or 2x2 + 7xy 5y 2 0, then 2x + 5y 0.

Q4. Prove that for all a 2 N, if for all b 2 Z, a | (6b + 8), then a = 1 or a = 2.

Q5. Prove that there exists an integer k such that for every natural number x,

x3k+15 + x2 kx + 5

is a composite integer.
Hint: Consider values of k that simplify the term x3k+15 .

Q6. Let a and b be natural numbers, not both 1. Prove that if a4 + 4b is prime, then a is odd and
b is even.
Hint: Note that x4 + 4y 4 = [(x y)2 + y 2 ][(x + y)2 + y 2 ].