# No positive integers $a,b$ exist such that $7ab = 17(a+b)$

I'm trying to prove the following:

No positive integers $a,b$ exist such that $7ab = 17(a+b)$

I've been struggling on this problem for the last hour and a half, and I keep running in circles. I've tried four or five different approaches, mostly revolving around divisibility / fundamental theorem of arithmetic, but I can't quite get the proof. I know that if this relationship held, then $ab = 17k$ and $a+b = 7k$ for some $k \in \mathbb{Z}^+$, but I can't seem to derive a contradiction from this. Can someone please help me finish this thing?

• Adding to @farruhota's answer: since $\gcd(7, 17)= 1$ then $17\mid ab$ and $7\mid a + b$. Now according to Euclid's Lemma, if a prime number $p$ divides the product $ab$ of two integers $a$ and $b$, then $p$ must divide one of those integers $a$ and $b$. Since $17$ is a prime number, let $p = 17$. Then, for some integer $k$, either $a$ or $b$ is equal to $17k$. Let $a = 17k$, then $\ldots$ – Mr Pie Feb 21 '18 at 8:28

Without loss of generality, assume $a=17k$, then: $$7\cdot 17k\cdot b=17(17k+b) \Rightarrow k=\frac{b}{7b-17} \Rightarrow b\ge 7b-17 > 0 \Rightarrow b\in \emptyset.$$

$$a=\dfrac{17b}{7b-17}$$

Now if integer $d$ divides both $17b,7b-17;$

$d$ must divide $7(17b)-17(7b-17)=17^2$

So, $7b-17$ must divide $17^2$ to keep $a$ an integer

So, $7b-17$ must be one of $0,\pm1,\pm17,\pm17^2$ which is untenable.

• "$d$ must divide $17^2$, so $7b-17$ must divide $17^2$ to keep $a$ an integer" --- Can you explain how you made this step? – Möbius Dickus Feb 21 '18 at 7:58
• @MöbiusDickus, GCD$(17b,7b-17)$ must divide $289$ right? $$\implies17b,7b-17$$ cannot have any other common factor which doesn't divide $289$ – lab bhattacharjee Feb 21 '18 at 8:48