Problem Set 2.

3
Fall. 2004
Pat Rossi

Name

1. Find gcd (143, 227) , gcd (306, 657) and gcd (272, 1479)
(a) gcd (143, 227) :
227 = 1 143 + 84
143 = 1 84 + 59
84 = 1 59 + 25
59 = 2 25 + 9
25 = 2 9 + 7
9=17+2
7 = 3 2 + 1 gcd (143, 227) = last non-zero remainder = 1
2=21+0

(b) gcd (306, 657) :

657 = 2 306 + 45
306 = 6 45 + 36
45 = 1 36 + 9 gcd (306, 657) = last non-zero remainder = 9
36 = 4 9 + 0

(c) gcd (272, 1479) :

1479 = 5 272 + 119
272 = 2 119 + 34
119 = 3 34 + 17 gcd (272, 1479) = last non-zero remainder = 17
34 = 2 17 + 0

2. Use the Euclidean Algorithm to obtain integers, x and y satisfying the following:
(a) gcd (56, 72) = 56x + 72y
72 = 1 56 + 16
56 = 3 16 + 8 gcd (56, 72) = last non-zero remainder = 8
16 = 2 8 + 0
We want integers x and y such that 8 = 56x + 72y
Observe:
8 = 56 3 16
8 = 56 3 (72 56)
8 = 4 56 3 72
x = 4; y = 3

(b) gcd (24, 138) = 24x + 138y

138 = 5 24 + 18
24 = 1 18 + 6 gcd (24, 138) = last non-zero remainder = 6
18 = 3 6 + 0
We want integers x and y such that 6 = 24x + 138y
Observe:
6 = 24 18
6 = 24 (138 5 24)
6 = 6 24 138
x = 6; y = 1

(c) gcd (119, 272) = 119x + 272y

272 = 2 119 + 34
119 = 3 34 + 17 gcd (119, 272) = last non-zero remainder = 17
34 = 2 17 + 0
We want integers x and y such that 17 = 119x + 272y
Observe:
17 = 119 3 34
17 = 119 3 (272 2 119)
17 = 7 119 3 272
x = 7; y = 3

(d) gcd (1769, 2378) = 1769x + 2378y

2378 = 1 1769 + 609
1769 = 2 609 + 551
609 = 1 551 + 58
551 = 9 58 + 29 gcd (1769, 2378) = last non-zero remainder = 29
58 = 2 29 + 0
We want integers x and y such that 29 = 1769x + 2378y
Observe:
29 = 551 9 58
29 = 551 9 (609 551)
29 = 10 551 9 609
29 = 10 (1769 2 609) 9 609
29 = 10 1769 29 609
29 = 10 1769 29 (2378 1 1769)
29 = 39 1769 29 2378

3. Prove
a that
if d is a common divisor of a and b, then d = gcd (a, b) if and only if
b
gcd d , d = 1.

By Corollary 1 (p. 23), if gcd (a, b) = d, then gcd ad , db = 1.

It remains to show that if gcd ad , db = 1, then gcd (a, b) = d.

So. let gcd ad , db = 1.

b
a
a b
,
= gcd d , d
= gcd (a, b)
Observe: d = d 1 = d gcd
d d
d
d
{z
}
|
by Thm 2.7

i.e., gcd (a, b) = d

4. Assuming that gcd (a, b) = 1, prove the following:

(a) gcd (a + b, a b) = 1 or 2
Let d = gcd (a + b, a b) .
Then there exist integers r and s such that a + b = dr and a b = ds.
Observe: d|2a
To see this, note that 2a = (a + b) + (a b) = dr + ds = d (r + s)
i.e. 2a = d (r + s) , and hence, d|2a
Similarly, d|2b.
To see this, note that 2b = (a + b) (a b) = dr ds = d (r s) .
i.e. 2b = d (r s) , and hence, d|2b.
Since d|2a and d|2b, it follows that d gcd (2a, 2b) = 2 gcd (a, b) = 2 1.
{z
}
|
By Thm 2.7

i.e., d 2 d = gcd (a + b, a b) = 1 or 2

(b) gcd (2a + b, a + 2b) = 1 or 3.

Let d = gcd (2a + b, a + 2b) .
Then there exist integers r and s such that 2a + b = dr and a + 2b = ds.
Observe: 3a = 2 (2a + b) (a + 2b) = 2 (dr) ds = d (2r s)
i.e., d|3a
Also, d|3b
To see this, note that 3b = 2 (a + 2b) (2a + b) = 2ds dr = d (2s r)
i.e., d|3b
Since d|3a and d|3b, it follows that d gcd (3a, 3b) = 3 gcd (a, b) = 3 1.
{z
}
|
By Thm 2.7

i.e., d 3
So, at this point, we can say that either d = 1, 2, or 3.

But note that d cannot be equal to 2.

To see this, suppose that d WAS equal to 2. Then since d| (2a + b) , it must be
true that 2| (2a + b) .
2a + b = 2n, for some integer, n.
b = 2n 2a = 2 (n a) (i.e., 2|b)
Similarly, since d| (a + 2b) , it must be the case that 2| (a + 2b) .
a + 2b = 2m, for some integer, m.
a = 2m 2b = 2 (m b) . (i.e., 2|a)
Since 2|a and 2|b, this contradicts our original assumption that a and b are relatively prime.
Hence, d = 1, or 3.