NUMBER THEORY - LECTURE 3

May 10, 2020

1 Divisibility

We say that 10 | 500 as 50010 = 50 is an integer.

10 | 503 is false statement 503
10 = 50.3 is not an integer.
For an integer m and a nonzero integer n, we say that m is divisible by n
or n divides m if there is an integer k such that m = kn; that is, m n = k is
an integer. We denote this by n|m. If m is divisible by n, then m is called a
multiple of n; and n is called a divisor (or factor) of m.
Because 0 = 0 · n, it follows that n|0 for all integers n. For a fixed integer n,
the multiples of n are 0, ±n, ±2n, .... Hence it is not difficult to see that there
is a multiple of n among every n consecutive integers. If m is not divisible by
n, then we write n - m. (Note that 0 - m for all nonzero integers m, since
m = 0 = k · 0 for all integers k.)
If possible m 6= 0 is divisible by 0 , m
0 =k , m=k·0=0
Division by 0 is not welldefined.
If n | m , then m = kn
Definition: |x| is absolute value | −7 |= 7 , | −2.3 |= 2.3 etc
| 8.999 |= 8.999

Properties:
Let x, y, and z be integers. We have the following basic properties:
(a) x|x (reflexivity property); xx = 1 ∈ Z
(b) If x|y and y|z, then x|z (transitivity property);
y = kx , z = py , z = pkx so x | z
(c) If x|y and x|z, then x|αy + βz for any integers α and β; ie if x|y, then,
x|αy for any integers α .
y = kx so αy = αkx so x | αy and z = px, αy + βz = αkx + βpx = x(αk + βp)
x|αy + βz
(d) If x|y and x|y + z, then x|z;
HW
(e) If x|y and y 6= 0, then |x| ≤ |y|;
−5 | 10 , 5 | (−10) , x = 5,y=-10 but | x |= 5 <| −10 |= 10

(f) If x|y and y|x, then |x| = |y|; ie, x = ±y

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|x| ≤ |y|; and |y| ≤ |x|;

(g) If x|y and y 6= 0, then xy |y;

y = kx , xy = k so xy = k|y;
(h) For z 6= 0, x|y if and only if xz|yz.
y = kx so yz = kxz
10 | 100 then 10 · 6 | 100 · 6
(i) All the divisors of y appear in pairs, namely, x and xy (observe that x 6= xy
if y is not a perfect square). Hence the number of divisors of n are odd iff n is
a perfect square.
12 = 1 · 12 = 2 · 6 = 3 · 4
25 = 5 · 5
36 = 1 · 36 = 2 · 18 = 3 · 12 = 4 · 9 = 6 · 6 τ (36) = 9
d1 = 1, d2 = 2, d3 = 3, d4 = 4, d5 = 6, d6 = 9, d7 = 12, d8 = 18, d9 = 36.
d1 · d9 = d2 · d8 = d3 · d7 = d4 · d6 = d5 · d5 = 36

Applications 1
1. Factorial n! = 1 · 2 · 3 · · · n . for n ∈ N and 0! = 1.
1! = 1 , 2! = 1 · 2 = 2 , 3! = 1 · 2 · 3 = 6, 4! = 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 = 24
Prove that (n + 1)! + 1 has no prime factor less than n.
Does this mean that (n + 1)! + 1 is prime ∀n ∈ N ? (∀-for all)

sol:
F or n = 2 , (n + 1)! + 1 = 3! + 1 = 7 is a prime.
F or n = 3 , (n + 1)! + 1 = 4! + 1 = 25 = 52
F or n = 4 , (n + 1)! + 1 = 5! + 1 = 121 = 1 · 121 = 112 .
F or n = 5 , (n + 1)! + 1 = 6! + 1 = 721 is not a perfect square.
121 doesnot have a prime factor less than 4 but it may have a factor
greater than 4.
Proof: (n + 1)! = 1 · 2 · 3 · · · (n + 1)
So all of these k = 2, 3, · · ·(n + 1) are factors of (n + 1)! .
So any of these k will give remainder 1 when it divides (n + 1)! + 1 .
Hence it can not have a factor less than n except 1.
2. List n consecutive composite integers.
We know that (n + 1)! = 1 · 2 · 3 · · · (n + 1)
So all of these k = 2, 3, · · ·(n + 1) are factors of (n + 1)! .
2 | (n + 1)! + 2 , (n + 1)! + 2 is a composite number.
3 | (n + 1)! + 3 , (n + 1)! + 3 is a composite number.
4 | (n + 1)! + 4 , (n + 1)! + 4 is a composite number.
so on till
(n + 1) | (n + 1)! + (n + 1) , (n + 1)! + (n + 1) is a composite number.
So (n + 1)! + 2, (n + 1)! + 3, (n + 1)! + 4, · · ·, (n + 1)! + (n + 1) are all

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 composite. These are n consecutive composite integers.

3. Find least positive value of a + b where a, b are positive integers such that
11|a + 13b and 13|a + 11b
Symbol a | b means a divides b eg 5 | 55.
11 | a + 13b = (a + 2b) + 11b hence 11 | a + 2b
Hence a+2b
11 = k ∈ Z
Hence there exist some k ∈ Z such that a + 2b = 11k − − − − − (1)
13|a + 11b = a + 13b − 2b = (a − 2b) + 13b
∴ 13 | a − 2b so a−2b
13 = m ∈ Z
a − 2b = 13m − − − − − (2)
Adding
a + 2b = 11k
a − 2b = 13m − − − − − (2)
2a = 11k + 13m . So k, m are both even or both odd.
Subtracting we get
4b = 11k − 13m, Trail and error.k = m = 2
k = 3 and m = 1 , 4b = 33 − 13 = 20 , b = 5
2a = 33 + 13 = 46 , a = 23
The smallest value of a + b = 28

4. i) Consider two positive integers a and b such that

2000|aa bb .What is the least value of product ab.
ii) Consider two positive integers a and b such that 2000|ab ba .What is the
least value of product ab.
Sol: 2000 = 24 · 53 so a,b are powers of 2 and 5 .
a) a = 2, b = 5 then aa bb = 22 55 not useful
a = 4, b = 5 then aa bb = 44 55 = 28 55 is div by 2000 ab = 20
a = 10 , b = 1 then aa bb = 1010 · 1 = 210 510 is div by 2000 ab = 10
b) a = 2, b = 5 then ab ba = 25 52 not useful
a = 4, b = 5 then ab ba = 45 54 = 210 54 is div by 2000. ab = 20
a = 10 , b = 1 then ab ba = 10 · 110 = 10 not useful
5. (RMO) Find all 6 digit natural numbers a1 , a2 , a3 , a4 , a5 , a6 using digits
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 such that for each k = 1, ..., 6 we have k | a1 a2 ...ak .
That is 1 | a1 , 2 | a1 a2 ,3 | a1 a2 a3 , 4| a1 a2 · · · a4 , 5| a1 a2 · · · a5 , 6 | a1 a2 · · · a6
where a1 a2 ...ak denotes the number formed by the digits a1 a2 ...ak .

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 As 5 | a1 a2 · · · a5 , so a5 = 5
Also a2 , a4 , a6 ∈ {2, 4, 6}
a1 , a3 ∈ {1, 3}
Also 3 | a1 a2 a3 ie 3 | a1 + a2 + a3 = 4 + a2 hence a2 = 2
As 4| a1 a2 · · · a4 therefore 4| a3 a4 , a4 = 6 a6 = 4
a3 a4 a3 a4
1 12
1 16
3 32
3 36
a1 a2 a3 a4 a5 a6
1 2 3 6 5 4
Possible numbers 3 2 1 6 5 4

p
6. If a natural number n is the m-th power of a rational number q and m is
natural, then it is the m-th power of a natural number.

m
7. Find the number of pairs of natural numbers (m, n) such that a) 0 < n <1
b) gcd (m, n) = 1 c) mn = 25! (RMO 1994)

8. How many numbers , n not greater than 10000 are there such that 2n − n2
is divisible by 7 ?

NUMBER THEORY - LECTURE 4

2 Division Algorithm

Theorem :
For any positive integers a and b there exists a unique pair (q, r) of nonnegative
integers such that b = aq + r and 0 ≤ r < a. We say that q is the quotient and
r the remainder when b is divided by a.

Applications 3
1. If 36|n, then find the possible remainders when 48 divides 2n + 12

2. Show that if p > 3 is a prime, then p ≡ ±1(mod6).

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 3. Show that if p > 3 is a prime, then 24|(p2 − 1).

4. Prove that
(a) x − a | xn − an

(b) xm − am |xn − an iff m|n.

(b) am − bm |an − bn iff m|n for all integers a, b and m, n ∈ N.

5. (AHSME1976) Let r be the remainder when 1059,1417 and 2312 are di-
vided by d > 1. Find the value of d − r.

3 Decimal representation and divisibility tests

Let an an−1 ...a0 = an · 10n + an−1 · 10n−1 + ... + a0 be the decimal representation
of the number an an−1 ...a0 .
• an an−1 ...a0 ≡ an + an−1 + ... + a0 (mod 3)
• an an−1 ...a0 ≡ an + an−1 + ... + a0 (mod 9)
• an an−1 ...a0 ≡ a1 a0 ≡ 10a1 + a0 ≡ 2a1 + a0 (mod 4)
• an an−1 ...a0 ≡ a2 a1 a0 ≡ 100a2 + 10a1 + a0 ≡ 4a2 + 2a1 + a0 (mod 8)
• an an−1 ...a0 ≡ ak−1 ...a1 a0 (mod 2k )
• an an−1 ...a0 ≡ a0 − a1 + a2 − a3 ... + (−1)n an (mod 11)(alternating sum)
• an an−1 ...a0 ≡ ... + a5 a4 a3 − a5 a4 a3 + a2 a1 a0 (mod 7 or 11or 13)
• an an−1 ...a0 ≡ ... + a5 a4 a3 + a5 a4 a3 + a2 a1 a0 (mod 27 or 37)

Applications 2
1. The integer n is the smallest positive multiple of 15 such that every digit
of n is either 0 or 8. Find n.
2. Let N = an an−1 ...a0 , M =a0 + 4a1 + 4a2 · +... + 4an then, prove that 6|N
iff 6|M .
3. Let Q(n) be the digital sum of n. Show that Q(n) = Q(2n) ⇒ 9|n.

4. Find the smallest natural number n such that it’s decimal representation
has 6 as the last digit and if it’s last digit is shifted to front of the remain-
ing digits and the resulting number is four times the original number.

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5. Find the smallest natural number n such that it’s decimal representation
has 8 as the last digit and if it’s last digit is shifted to front of the remaining
digits and the resulting number is two times the original number.
6. Determine the number of five-digit positive integers abcde (a, b, c, d, and
e not necessarily distinct) such that the sum of the three-digit numberabc
and the two-digit number de is divisible
7. State and prove the divisibility tests for 2n and 5n .
8. Determine all 3 digit numbers N ,having the property that N is divisible
N
by 11 and 11 is equal to the sum of squares of the digits of N