Divisors and Common Divisors

Definition 2: Divisors

In An
symbol, a ≠can
integerwe 0 isstate
calledthe
a divisor or factor
definition of an integer b if there exists another integer c such
as follows:
that b = ac. The integer b is called an integral multiple of a.
If ≠ 0 ∈ Z , then a∨b (read as “a divides b”) iff ∃ c ∈ Z (read as “there is a c element of Z such that b =
Illustrations:

1. 2|6 (2 divides 6) since there is a 3 ∈ Z such that 6 = 2(3)

2. -4|12 since -3 ∈ Z and 12 = (-3)(-4).
3. For any a ∈ Z , a|0 since 0 = a.0. However, it is not the case that 0|a since there is no integer x such that
0.x = a, unless a is also zero and in which case x could be any integer, and, therefore, can’t be unique. Hence,
if a ≠ 0 then 0|a is meaningless. We say that a÷ 0 is undefined.

4. Show that 4 does not divide 10, i.e. 4| 10.

Suppose 4|10 (4 divides 10). Then, there must be x ∈ Z such that 4x = 10

Let us look for x if such integer exists.
Let x = 1, then 4(x) = 4(1) = 4
x = 2, then 4(x) = 4(2) = 8
x = 3, then 4(x) = 4(3) = 12
Now, we know that 10 is between 8 and 12 but there is no longer x between 2 and 3. Hence , there is no way
we can get 10 in 4(x). Therefore, it is not true that 4|10. Thus, 4| 10 (4 does not divide 10).

Exercise:
1. Prove that 6|18 (6 divides 18) but 6 does not divide 14.
2. Prove that 7|21 (7 divides 21) but 7 does not divide 30.

Remarks:

1) We shall consider only positive divisors of an integer.

2) An integer has a finite number of divisors.

3) Set of divisors of a and b is finite.

Some applications of the Definition of Divisor

1. Prove that the product of two even integers is even.

Proof:

Let m and n be two even integers, by definition of even integers m and n can be written as follows:
m = 2s, s ∈ Z
n = 2t, t ∈ Z
Consider the product of m and n,
mn = 2s(2t)
= 2(2st) by associative property on product of integers
mn = 2r , r = 2st, r ∈ Z
By the definition of divisor, 2 divides mn or mn is divisible by 2. This implies that mn is even.
Therefore, the product of any two positive integers is even.

Exercise: Prove the following:

1. The sum of two even integers is even.

2. The sum of two odd integers is even.
3. The product of two odd integer is odd

Divisibility Rules

Some Divisibility Rules

1. An integer N is divisible by 3 if and only if 3|∑ ai (3 divides the summation of a i' s ) where a i' s are digits of
the decimal expansion of N.

The polynomial form of an equation of an integer N:

2 3 n
N = a 0+ a1 (10)+a2 (10 )+a 3 (10 )+. . .+a n(10 )

Illustrations:
a. Let N = 123. Then a 0=3 , a 1=2 and a 2=1
∑ ai=1+2+3=6
Since 3|6, therefore, 3|N or 3|123

b. Let N = 5901. Then a 0=1 , a 1=0 and a 2=9, a 3=5

∑ ai=5+ 9+0+1=15 , 3|15, hence, 3|5901.
2. An integer N is divisible by 9 if and only if 9¿ ∑ a i (9 divides the summation of a i' s ) where a i' s are digits of
the decimal expansion of N.

Illustrations:
a. Consider N = 234. Then a 0=4 , a 1=3 and a 2=2
∑ ai=2+3+ 4=9. Note that 9|9, hence, 9|234.
b. N = 9288, a 0=8 , a 1=8 , a 2=2 and a 3=9
∑ ai=9+ 2+ 8+8=27. Since 9|27, therefore, 9|9288.
3. An integer N is divisible by 4 if and only if M is divisible by 4 where M is formed by the last 2 digits of N.

Illustration:
a. N = 3572, M=72. Clearly 4|72, and 4|3572 or 3572 is divisible by 4.

b. N = 41414, M= 14. In this case, 4 does not divide 14. Hence , 41414 is not divisible by 4.

4. An integer N is divisible by 8 if and only if M is divisible by 8 where M is formed by the last digits of N.

Illustrations:
a. Let N = 10016. Then M = 016 and is divisible by 8 where M is formed by the last 3 digits of N.
b. Suppose N = 50112, M = 112. Observe that 8|112. Therefore 50112 is divisible by 8.

5. An integer N is divisible by 11 if and only if M is divisible by 11, where M is the difference between the
sum of the digits of N in the even places and the sum of the digits of N in the odd places.

Illustrations:
a. Let N = 3157892
The sum of the digits of odd places = 3 + 5 + 8 + 2 = 18
The sum of the digits of even places = 1 + 7 + 9 = 17
Since the difference between 18 and 17 is 1 which is not divisible by 11, hence, 3157892 is not divisible by
11.

b. Let N = 3156802
The sum of the digits of odd places = 3 + 5 + 8 + 2 = 18
The sum of the digits of even places = 1 + 6 + 0 = 7
The difference between 18 and 7 is 11 and 11 is divisible by 11, hence, 3156802 is divisible by 11.

Divisibility by 7
A number is divisible by 7 if the difference between twice the units digit and the number formed by
the remaining digits after truncating the units digit is a multiple of 7.

Illustration:

1. Is 343 divisible by 7? Following the rule as follows:

a) Truncate the units digit, 3.
b) Twice the units digit is 2 x 3 = 6.
c) Subtracting 6 from the remaining digits 34 (after truncating the units digit, 3) gives 34 – 6 = 28 which is
divisible by 7.
Hence 343 is divisible by 7.

2. Verify whether 8050 is divisible by 7. Following the rule we have,

a) Truncate the units digit, 0.
b) twice the units digit is 2 x 0 = 0
c) Subtracting 0 from the remaining digits 805 (after truncating the units digit 0) gives 805 – 0 = 805 is still a
big number.
d) Repeat the process, that is, truncate the units digit, 5.
e) Twice the units digit 2x5 = 10.
f) Subtracting 10 from the remaining digits 80 (after truncating 5) gives 70 which is a multiple of 7 (divisible
by 7) hence, 8043 is divisible by 7.

Note: The process may be repeated thereafter if the difference between the remaining digits and
twice the last digit is still a big number.

Exercise :
A. Without performing the division operation for the following integers together with corresponding divisor,
determine whether the divisibility holds true or not. If not explain why.

1. 207 by 3 6. 246600 by 9
2. 12016 by 4 7. 216910 by 3
3. 122345 by 6 8. 4010022 by 4
4. 123110 by 8 9. 2301200 by 8
5. 289905 by 11 10. 2505801 by 11

Division Algorithm

Theorem: The Division Algorithm

Given any two positive integers, a and b, there exist unique two integers q and r
(0≤ r ≤b∧0 ≤ q ), called respectively quotient and remainder, such that a=bq+ r .

Illustrations :
1. Consider a = 870 and b = 84. Now, if we divide 870 by 84, we get 10 and a remainder of 30, hence, 870 =
84(10) + 30 where q = 10 and r = 30.

2. Let a = 836 and b = 25. Dividing 836 by 25 gives 33 and a remainder of 11. Therefore, 839 = 25(33) + 11.

Exercise
Verify the Division Algorithm using the following values of a and b.

1. a = 329 and b = 16
2. a = 768 and b = 253
3. a = 480 and b = 60
4. a = 2905 and b = 117
5. a = 5237 and b = 125

Illustrations: Let a = 280 and b = 70, then 280 = 70(4) + 0.

In this case, 70 is an exact divisor of 280. Notice that if the remainder is 0, b divides a exactly but this
is not the case as we can see in illustration 1 and 2 if the remainder is not 0.

LINEAR COMBINATION

Definition 1: Linear Combination

If a,b, x, y ∈ Z , the integer ax + by is called a linear combination of a and b.

Illustration:

1. If a = 2, b = 5 and x, y ∈ Z , then the expression 2x + 5y is a linear combination of 2 & 5.

2. Let a = 3, b = 7 and x, y ∈ Z , then the expression 3x + 7y is a linear combination of 3 and 7.

Exercise:

1. If a = 3, b = 8 and x, y ∈ Z , then what is the expression for which a and b is a linear combination of 3 and
8?

2. If a = 5, b = -11 and x, y ∈ Z , then what is the expression for which a and b is a linear combination of 5 and
-11?
3. is x + 4y a linear combination of two integers? If yes, for what two integers will x + 4y a linear combination
of ______________ ?

4. How about 3x ? Is it a linear combination of two integers? If yes, what are the two integers?

5. How about -8y? Is it a linear combination of two integers? If yes, what are the two integers?

Note: The consequences of the above definition are the following properties:

Some Basic Properties of Divisors

1. If a|b, then a|bx ∀ x ∈ Z (multiple).

2. If a|b, b|c, then a|c. (transitive)
3. If a|b, a|c, then a|(bx + cy) ∀ x , y ∈ Z
4. If a|b, b|a, then a = ± b .

Illustrations: For property 3 : If a|b, a|c, then a|(bx + cy) for all x, y ∈ Z .

1. Since 2|6 and 2|8, then 2|(6x + 8y). This can be shown using definition 1.

Note that we can express 6x + 8y as

6x + 8y = 2(3x) + 2(4y) where x, y ∈ Z
= 2 (3x + 4y)
= 2 (s + t), s = 3x and t = 4y where s,t ∈ Z
= 2p, p = s + t and p ∈ Z
The above shows that 2|(6x + 8y).

Proof of property #3:

Given: c|a and c|b

Statement to be proven: c|(ax + by)

Since c|a and c|b, then there exist integers m and n such that a = mc and b = nc.
Then,
ax + by = mcx +ncy = c(mx + ny). This shows that c|(ax + by) by definition 1.

Corollary:
If a number c divides a sum of two numbers, and if it divides one of the two numbers, then it also
divides the other. In other words, if c|(m + n) where m, n ∈ Z and c|m, then c|n.

Illustration:

Suppose 3 divides the sum of x + 9, then since it divides 9, the corollary says that it must also divide x. Let us
verify this by few examples.

If x =1, x + 9 = 1 + 9 = 10. But 10 is not divisible by 3. Hence, we disregard x = 1.

If x = 2, x + 9 = 2 + 9 = 11. But 11 is not divisible by 3. Hence, disregard x = 2.

If x = 3, x + 9 = 3 + 9 = 12. Here 12 is divisible by 3 and so with x = 3.

If x = 4, x + 9 = 4 + 9 = 13. But 13 is not divisible by 3. Hence disregard x = 4.

If x = 5, x + 9 = 5 + 9 = 14. But 14 is not divisible by 3. Hence disregard x = 5.

If x = 6, x + 9 = 6 + 9 = 15. Here, 15 is divisible by 3 and so with x = 6.

We have noticed from the above examples that only for values of x which are divisible by 3 is the expression
x + 9 also divisible by 3.