MATH F231

LECTURE 3 9-8-2019
BITS Pilani Michael Alphonse
Hyderabad Campus
The topic to be covered

1. Division Algorithm
2. Div and mod operators
3. Divisibility Relation

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

The Division Algorithm

Let a be any integer and b a positive integer. Then there

exist unique integers q and r such that a = bq + r
Where 0≤r<b. a is called dividend, b divisor, q quotient and r
remainder.
Proof : Consider the set S = {a-bn: n∈Z and a-bn≥0}.
We will use well-ordering principle on S to prove this theorem.
In order to use well-ordering principle we must prove that’s
is non-empty. By well – ordering principle, S will have least
element r. This r will play the role of remainder.
Details of the proof will be done in class.

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
Examples

Find the quotient r and remainder r ?

(i) When 338 is divided by 21.
338 = 21 * 16 + 2
quotient = 16 and remainder 2.

(ii) When -338 is divisible by 21.

-338= 21*(-16) + (-2)
-338 = 21*(-17)+ 19
Quotient = 16 or 17 ?
Remainder = -2 or 19 ? Which one is correct ?

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

Division and Mod operator

The binary operators, div and mod are defined as follows :

a div b = quotient when a divided by b
A mod b = remainder when a is divided by b.
13 div 5 = 2 13 mod 5 = 3
-23 div 5 = -5 and -23 mod 5 = 2

Divisibility Relation : Let a be any integer and b a positive

integer. If the remainder r = 0 when we apply division
algorithm the we say that b divides a or a is divisible by b.
When b divides a we write b|a.

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus