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I am not sure how to proceed with the proof. That is, I’m trying to prove the contapostive, but I don’t know how to prove that a composite number greater than 3 will not be in either set. Insight would be appreciated.

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    $\begingroup$ Prove that $[0]_6, [2]_6,[3]_6, [4]_6$ can't contain any primes greater than $3$. $\endgroup$
    – fleablood
    Dec 2, 2018 at 0:32
  • $\begingroup$ Apply the division algorithm. $\endgroup$
    – user271754
    Dec 2, 2018 at 0:34
  • $\begingroup$ "but I don’t know how to prove that a composositve number greater than 3 will not be in either set" That is not the contrapositive and it is false. ( $35\in [6]_6$ and $25\in [1]_6$)$ The contrapositive is that the other sets don't have any primes greater than $3$. $\endgroup$
    – fleablood
    Dec 2, 2018 at 0:34

2 Answers 2

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" I don’t know how to prove that a composite number greater than 3 will not be in either set. "

That isn't the contrapositive and it isn't true.

The contra positive of: If $p$ is prime and $p > 3$ $\implies$ $p\in[1]_6$ or $p\in [5]_6$. then the contra positive is

$p\not \in [1]_6$ and $p\not \in [5]_6$ $\implies$ $p$ is not prime or $p \le 3$.

So prove that if $p\in [0]_6, [2]_6, [3]_6, [4]_6$ then eithe $p$ is composite of $p \le 3$.

.....

Might be worth noting. If $m \in [k]_6$ then $\gcd(k,6)|m$. Do you see why that would be true?

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  • $\begingroup$ I’m still not sure how to proceed with the proof. Would you mind walking me through it a bit? $\endgroup$
    – darylnak
    Dec 2, 2018 at 1:23
  • $\begingroup$ What prime numbers, if any, are in $[0]_6$? Why or why not. $\endgroup$
    – fleablood
    Dec 2, 2018 at 3:19
  • $\begingroup$ What sort of numbers are in $[0]_6$? Why can't they be prime? What sort of munbers are in $[2]_6$? Why is $2$ the only prime in it. What about $[3]_6$? Why is $3$ the only prime in it. $\endgroup$
    – fleablood
    Dec 2, 2018 at 3:22
  • $\begingroup$ I’ve seen the light $\endgroup$
    – darylnak
    Dec 2, 2018 at 3:31
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Well:

$$6 | 6n$$ $$2|(6n+2)$$ $$3|(6n+3)$$ $$2|(6n+4)$$

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    $\begingroup$ I don’t understand this. Could you please explain? $\endgroup$
    – darylnak
    Dec 2, 2018 at 1:03
  • $\begingroup$ Any integer is of one of the following forms: $6n, 6n+1, 6n+2, 6n+3, 6n+4, 6n+5$. My answer shows that four of those forms are composite, so the other two are the only ones primes can fall into. The $a|b$ notation means a divides b, in other words, $b$ is a multiple of $a$. In the case of $6n+2$, for example, we have $$6n+2=2(3n+1)$$ $\endgroup$ Dec 2, 2018 at 1:08

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