# Let $p_1=2, p_2=3,…,p_n$ be the first $n$ primes. Prove that $a+b$ is divisible by a prime greater than $p_n$

Let $p_1=2, p_2=3,…,p_n$ be the first $n$ primes and suppose N=$p_1$$p_2$...$p_n$ If $N=ab$, prove that $a+b$ is divisible by a prime greater than $p_n$

Posted this question last week but I didn't know how to format the question well so I am reposting.

• Please do not use tags like proof-writing or formal-proofs if your question is just a usual math statement. These are for more specific purposes. – 6005 Sep 24 '16 at 18:25

Partition the primes into two (possibly empty) sets, $A$ and $B$, and let $a=\prod_{p_i\in A} p_i, b = \prod_{p_j\in B} p_j$, so that $N = a \cdot b$. We can always do this for any $a$ and $b$ if we let the empty product equal $1$. We will prove the statement by contradiction.
Suppose $a + b$ were not divisible by any prime greater than $p_n$. Then some prime $p_k$ in $A$ or $B$ divides $a + b$, hence $p_k$ divides both $a$ and $b$. But that contradicts the definition of prime; since both $a$ and $b$ consist solely of primes, and $p_k$ cannot be a factor of both, therefore it cannot be the case that any $p_k$ divides $a + b$. Hence, $a + b$ is divisible by a prime greater than $p_n$.