Math 300 Homework 7 Graded Problems

Worksheet Q3 Problem. Use the Euclidean algorithm to nd the greatest common divisor of 45823 and 6409. Then, nd x and y so that gcd(45823, 6409) = 45823x + 6409y . Solution 42823 6409 4369 2040 289 Therefore, gcd(42823, 6409) = 17 and we have 17 = = = = = = = 2040 (289)(7) 2040 (4369 (2040)(2))(7) (2040)(15) (4369)(7) (6409 4369)(15) (4369)(7) (6409)(15) (4369)(22) (6409)(15) (42823 (6409)(6))(22) (6409)(147) (42823)(22). = = = = = (6409)(6) + 4369 (4369)(1) + 2040 (2040)(2) + 289 (289)(7) + 17 (17)(17).

Comment. 6.4 Q3

It is a simple computation problem, and all of you did well. a. Problem. Prove that 6 is irrational. Solution For sake of contradiction, suppose 6 is rational. Then there are integers a, b, with b = 0, m + s.t. 6 = a 6)}. Since b . Consider the set {n Z : m Z( n = 6= a a = , b b

and one of b, b is positive (since b = 0), S is non-empty. By Well-Ordering Principle, there is a smallest 0 element in S . Call it n0 . By denition, there is m0 Z s.t. 6 = m n0 . Multiply both sides by n0 and square both sides, we have 2 m2 0 = 6n0 .
2 Since 3n2 0 is an integer, 2 divides m0 . By Example 3.4.2 in the book or Q17a below, we have 2 | m0 . Let m1 Z s.t. m0 = 2m1 . Then, 2 2 2 6n2 2m2 0 = m0 = 4m1 , 1 = 3n0 .

2 2 Since m2 1 is an integer, we have 2 | 3n0 . By Q17a below, we have 2 | 3 or 2 | n0 . Clearly 2 | 3 is false, so 2 2 | n0 . Apply Example 3.4.2 or Q17a again, we have 2 | n0 . Let n1 Z s.t. n0 = 2n1 . Since n0 > 0, we 1 have 0 < n1 = 2 n0 < n0 . Also, 1 m0 m0 m1 = = 2 = 6, 1 n1 n0 2 n0 so n1 S by denition, which contradicts that n0 is the smallest element in S . Therefore, 6 is irrational.

Alternative Solution We rst prove a lemma Lemma 1. Suppose d1 , d2 are integers s.t. gcd(d1 , d2 ) = 1. If d1 | n and d2 | n for some integer n, then d1 d2 | n. Proof Suppose d1 | n and d2 | n for some integer n. By denition, there are integers k, l s.t. n = kd1 = ld2 . Since gcd(d1 , d2 ) = 1, there exist integers x, y s.t. d1 x + d2 y = 1. Multiply both sides by n = kd1 , we have n = kd1 = kd2 1 x + kd1 d2 y = d1 (ld2 x + kd2 y ) = d1 d2 (lx + ky ). Since lx + ky is an integer, n is divisible by d1 d2 .

Now we can prove that 6 is irrational. For sake of contradiction, suppose 6 is rational. Then there m + exists a, b Z, b = 0 s.t. 6 = a 6)}. Since b . Consider the set {n Z : m Z( n = 6= a a = , b b

and one of b, b is positive (since b = 0), S is non-empty. By Well-Ordering Principle, there is a smallest 0 element in S . Call it n0 . By denition, there is m0 Z s.t. 6 = m n0 . Multiply both sides by n0 and square both sides, we have 2 m2 (1) 0 = 6n0 ,
2 so 6 divides m2 0 , i.e. 2 and 3 both divide m0 = (m0 )(m0 ). Since 2 is a prime, by Problem 17a below we have 2 | m0 . Similarly, 3 | m0 . Since 2,3 are relatively prime, by Lemma 1 we have 6 | m0 . Thus, there exist an integer m1 s.t. m0 = 6m1 . Hence we have

(6m1 )2 = 6n2 0,

2 6m2 1 = n0 .

By similar arguments, n0 is divisible by 6, so there is an integer n1 s.t. n0 = 6n1 . Since n0 > 0, we have 5 n0 n1 = 6 n0 > 0, so 0 < n1 < n0 . Note that m1 = n1
1 6 m0 1 6 n0

m0 = 6, n0 6 is irrational.

so n1 S and n1 < n0 , contradicting that n0 is the smallest element in S . Therefore,

b. Problem. Prove that 2 + 3 is irrational. Solution For sake of contradiction,suppose 2 + 3 is rational. Then there is a, b Z, b = 0 s.t. 2 2 5b2 2+ 3= a +2 6= a 6= a2 . Since a2 5b2 and 2b2 are 2 b . Square both sides, we have 5 b2 , and b integers, with 2b2 = 0, this contradicts that 6 is irrational. Therefore, 2 + 3 is irrational.

Comment. To show that the existence of q1 contradicts that q0 is the smallest element in S , you must state that q1 > 0, since it is part of the denition of S . Also, note that p | n2 implies p | n is true for prime numbers (reason in Q17a), but not true for all positive integer p. In particular, 4 | 22 , but 4 2. Be sure that you know the reasoning behind each step you are making. 6.4 Q4 Problem. The Martian monetary system uses colored beads instead of coins. A blue bead is worth 3 Martian credits, and a red bead is worth 7 Martian credits. Prove that for all n 12, there is some combination of blue and red beads that is worth n credits. Solution We will prove it by strong induction. For n = 12, we have 12 = 3(4) + 7(0). For n = 13, we have 13 = 3(2) + 7(1). For n = 14, we have 14 = 3(0) + 7(2). Suppose n 15 and the claim is true for all positive integer k with 12 k < n. In particular, the claim is true for n 3 (note that 12 n 3 < n), so there exist natural a, b s.t. n 3 = 3a + 7b. Thus, n = 3(a + 1) + 7b, so the claim is true for n. By Strong Induction, the statement is true for all n 12.

Alternative Solution We will show by induction that for all integer n 12, there are natural numbers a, b, with a 2 or b 2, such that n = 3a + 7b. For base case, note that 12 = 3 4, so we can let a = 4 2, and b = 0. Thus the base case is true. Suppose the statement is true for some n 12. Then there exist natural a, b with a 2 or b 2 s.t. n = 3a + 7b. Note that n + 1 = 3a + 7b + 1 = 3(a 2) + 7(b + 1) = 3(a + 5) + 7(b 2). If a 2, then a 2 and b + 1 are natural. Note that if b = 0, then since n = 3a 12, we have a = 4 and a 2 2. If b 1, then b + 1 2, so the claim for n + 1 is true for a 2. If b 2, then a + 5 and b 2 are natural, with a + 5 5 2, so the claim is also true for this case. By Principle of Mathematical Induction, for all integer n 12 there are natural a, b with a 2 or b 2 s.t. n = 3a + 7b. In particular, there is some combination of blue and red beads that is worth n credits for all n 12.

Comment. Good performance in general. Remember to distingiush clearly between and <. For instance dont mix up 12 k < n and 12 k n. 6.4 Q17 a. Problem. Suppose a, b, p are some positive integers and p is prime. Prove that if p | ab then either p | a or p | b. Solution We will rst prove a lemma Lemma 2. If a, p are positive integers s.t. p a, then gcd(a, p) = 1. Proof Let d = gcd(a, p). By denition, d | a and d | p. Since p is a prime and d > 0, d = 1 or d = p. However, p a, so d = p. Therefore, d = 1, as desired.

Now we will prove the initial claim. If p | a, then we are done. Suppose p a. We will prove that p | b. Since p | ab, there exists k Z s.t. ab = pk . Since p a and p is a prime, we have gcd(a, p) = 1 by Lemma 2. Then there exists x, y Z s.t. ax + py = 1. Multiply both sides by b, we have b = abx + pby = pkx + pby = p(kx + by ). Since kx + by is an integer, b is divisible by p. 3

b. Problem. Suppose a1 , a2 , . . . , an is a sequence of positive integers and p is a prime number. Prove that if p | (a1 a2 an ), then p | ai for some 1 i n. Solution We will prove it by induction on n. For n = 1 it is trivial. Suppose the claim is true for some positive integer n. Suppose a1 , . . . , an+1 is a sequence of positive integers and p is a prime such that p | (a1 an+1 ) = [(a1 an )an+1 ]. Since a1 an is a positive integer, by 17a we have p | a1 an or p | an+1 . If the latter is true, then we are done by letting i = n + 1. If the former is true, then by induction assumption we have p | ai for some 1 i n, which also shows that the claim is true. Therefore, by Principle of Mathematical Induction, the claim is true for all positive integer n.

Comment. For 17a, remember that to prove a statement (A or B), you just have to suppose A is false, and prove B (please refer to Ch3 for more reference). For 17b, some of you try to prove it recursively. I would prefer a proof by induction on n, since it seems more persuasive.