Number theory discussion

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Jomsup

Put the theorems, problems, homework or anything else related to Number theory here. We're here to help if we can.

Jomsup

Position 1, can choose a book in 50 different ways.

position 2, can choose a book in 49 different ways.

position 3, can choose a book in 48 different ways.

...

position 50, can choose a book in 1 different ways.

By multiplication rule, you can arrange the books by 50! or about 3.04×10⁶⁴ ways

Jomsup
TheCosmos999 wrote:

In how many ways can i arrange the 50 books i have

This has to do with combinatorial. (Education on counting) I'll create a new topic.

Jomsup

Let me start with the problem:

If p is a prime number greater than or equal to 5. Prove that "24 | p²-1".

 

Jomsup

Absolutely correct, you did it, great!

Jomsup

Problem 2:

For all integer x prove that (3x+2)/(4x+3) is irreducible fraction.

Jomsup

Let n be an odd number, there will be some k ∈ Z such that n=2k+1

Then  n(n-1)(n+1) = n³-n = (2k+1)³-(2k+1) = 8k³+12k²+6k+1-2k-1 = 8k³+12k²+4k = 4k(2k²+3k+1) = 4k(k+1)(2k+1) ...[*]

Since k ∈ Z, Remainder from dividing k by 3, there are 3 ways: remainders 0, 1, or 2. So I'll divide the cases as follows.


Case 1:  k=3q ; q ∈ Z -> [*] = 4k(k+1)(2k+1) = 12q(3q+1)(6q+1) ...[1] 

Since q ∈ Z, then q can be an even or odd number.

case 1.1:  q=2r ; r ∈ Z -> [1] = 24r(3q+1)(6q+1) ; notice r(3q+1)(6q+1) ∈ Z. So 24 | [1] 

case 1.2:  q=2r+1 ; r ∈ Z -> [1] = 12q(6r+3+1)(12q+1) = 24q(3r+2)(12q+1) ; notice q(3r+2)(12q+1) ∈ Z. So 24 | [1]

From the two subcase, therefore 24| [*]


Case 2:  k=3q+1 ; q ∈ Z -> [*] = 4k(k+1)(2k+1) = 4(3q+1)(3q+2)(6q+3) = 12(3q+1)(3q+2)(2q+1) ...[2]

Since q ∈ Z, then q can be an even or odd number.

case 2.1:  q=2r ; r ∈ Z -> [2] = 12(3q+1)(6r+2)(2q+1) = 24(3q+1)(3r+1)(2q+1) ; notice (3q+1)(3r+1)(2q+1) ∈ Z. So 24 | [2]

case 2.2:  q=2r+1 ; r ∈ Z -> [2] = 12(6r+3+1)(3q+2)(2q+1) = 24(3r+2)(3q+2)(2q+1) ; notice (3r+2)(3q+2)(2q+1) ∈ Z. So 24 | [2]

From the two subcase, therefore 24| [*]


Case 3:  k=3q+2 ; q ∈ Z -> [*] = 4k(k+1)(2k+1) = 4(3q+2)(3q+3)(6q+5) = 12(3q+2)(q+1)(6q+5) ...[3]

Since q ∈ Z, then q can be an even or odd number.

case 3.1:  q=2r ; r ∈ Z -> [3] = 12(6r+2)(q+1)(6q+5) = 24(3r+1)(q+1)(6q+5) ; notice (3r+1)(q+1)(6q+5) ∈ Z. So 24 | [3]

case 3.2:  q=2r+1 ; r ∈ Z -> [3] = 12(3q+2)(2r+1+1)(6q+5) = 24(3q+2)(r+1)(6q+5) ; notice (3q+2)(r+1)(6q+5) ∈ Z. So 24 | [3]

From the two subcase, therefore 24 | [*]


From all 3 case, it can be concluded that 24 | n(n-1)(n+1) for all n ∈ Z.

Jomsup

Yes, this property still true when n≠0 and divisible by 8.

Jomsup
TheCosmos999 wrote:

No it only works for odds  it doesnt work for 4 for example

I defined n=2k+1 ; k∈Z from the first line. That means n is an odd number.

Jomsup
JomsupVora2020 wrote:
TheCosmos999 wrote:

No it only works for odds  it doesnt work for 4 for example

I defined n=2k+1 ; k∈Z from the first line. That means n is an odd number.

Oh sorry, my conclusion in the last line was wrong. Is only for all n is an odd number.

Jomsup

PROVE BY INDUCTION

Let p(n) represent “1+3+5+7+...+(2n-1) = n²” where n=k.

Base case: for k=1; 1=1² so p(1) is true.

induction step: assume p(k) is true, we will prove p(k+1) is also true.

Since 1+3+5+...+(2k-1) = k². we will get 1+3+5+...+(2k-1)+(2k+1) = k²+(2k+1) = (k+1)²

That mean 1+3+5+...+(2(k+1)-1) = (k+1)². So p(k+1) is also true.

So p(n) is true for all n∈N.

Jomsup

Yes.

1+3+5+...+2n-1 = (1+2+3+...+2n) - (2+4+6+...+2n) = [2n(2n+1)/2] - 2[n(n+1)/2] = n(2n+1)-n(n+1) = n²

Jomsup

I can prove that 1+2+3+...+n = n(n+1)/2 without induction.

Case 1: n is even

1+2+3+...+n = (n+1)+(n-1+2)+(n-2+3)+... [n/2 term] = n(n+1)/2

Case 2: n is odd

1+2+...+(n+1)/2+...+n = (n+1)+(n-1+2)+... [(n-1)/2 term] + (n+1)/2 = (n-1)(n+1)/2 + (n+1)/2 = n(n+1)/2

Jomsup
TheCosmos999 wrote:

Induction is kijd of the weapon of a lazy mathematician, yes i use it many times but it doesnt give you much insight into the problem, isnt it, is there a deductive way?

I think induct is a good method. To represent some property of all counting numbers. Its effectiveness is better in proving recurrence relation.

Jomsup

Problem 3:

Find the positive integer m,n that satisfy the following conditions.

  •  m > n > 15
  •  gcd(m,n) = 15
  •  lcm(m,n) = 360
Jomsup
TheCosmos999 wrote:

M is 360 and N is 15

Almost yes, but with the condition n>15

Jomsup

This is known as Wilson's theorem. "p is prime if and only if, (p-1)! ≡ -1 (mod p)"


Proved to be necessery conditions(->)

p=2 ; (2-1)! = 1 ≡ -1 (mod 2)

p=3 ; (3-1)! = 2 ≡ -1 (mod 3)

for p ≥ 3 ; Since p is a prime number Therefore, all elements in S = {1,2,3,...,p-1} are relative primes to p. So for a∈S there is another b that ab ≡ 1 (mod p)* [ a≡b (mod c) means that c | a-b ]

*Prove: Since the theoretical diophantic equation ab+py = 1, where y is any number, there is always answer b in modulo p, because g.c.d.(a,p) = 1 and there is no more than 1 solution for b for each a. Otherwise, if b₁,b₂ < p such that ab₁ ≡ ab₂ ≡ 1 (mod p), then ab₁-ab₂ = a(b₁-b₂) is evenly divisible by p, which is not possible. There is a conflict, so we can match all a,b (p-1)/2 different pairs from S such that ab ≡ 1 (mod p).

However, if a=b only occurs when a=1 or p-1, we find that 1² ≡ (p-1)² ≡ p²-2p+1 ≡ 1 (mod p) where a∈S-{1,p -1} is a≠b because assuming a=b then a²≡1 (mod p), that is a²-1 = (a-1)(a+1) divisible by p, so a-1 or a+1 Divisible by p is not possible.

Then we can be grouped into pairs whose product thus making (2)(3)(4)...(p-2) ≡ 1 (mod p)

So (p-1)! = 1(p-1)×(2)(3)(4)...(p-2) ≡ (p-1)×1 ≡ p-1 ≡ -1 (mod p) that is p | (p-1)!+1


Proved to be a sufficient condition (<-)

I will first prove that n | (n-1)! when n is a composite number greater than 4.

Prove: in case n is not an absolute square, then n can be written in the form n=a×b where 1 < a≠b < n. We see that a,b ∈ {1,2,3,...,n-1} so a×b = n is a factor of (n-1)!

If n is an absolute square, then assume n=k². When k is a positive integer greater than 2, then 2k < k² = n, so k,2k ∈ {1,2,3,...,n-1} So 2k² and k² are factors of (n-1)!

Returning to the main theory, given p | (p-1)!+1, we assume that p is composite, so p | (p-1)! Therefore there is a conflict, so p must be prime only. as proved.

Jomsup
JomsupVora2020 wrote:

Find the positive integer m,n that satisfy the following conditions.

  •  m > n > 15
  •  gcd(m,n) = 15
  •  lcm(m,n) = 360

Answer: m=120, n=45

Solution: Since gcd(m,n) = 15, then there will be p,q ∈ N such that m=15p, n=15q where the greatest common factor of p and q equals 1 (otherwise gcd(m, n) > 15)

From lcm(m,n) = 360 we get lcm(15p, 15q) = 15pq = 360 so pq=24.

With the condition gcd(p,q)=1, it means that only p=8 and q=3 (if q=1 then n=15 is still inconsistent), then m=15(8)=120, n=15(3)=45.

Jomsup

Problem 4:

Find all the absolute squares in the sequence.

1, 11, 111, 1111, 11111, ... , (10ⁿ-1)/9, ...

Jomsup

Sorry I mean absolute square number. Is a number can write in form square of an integer. Such as 1,4,9,16,25,36,49,...