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4 votes

Prime Divisors of $x^2 + 1$

Another more elementary way to think about it is using Lagrange's Theorem. Let $p$ be an odd prime that divides $x^2+1$ ($p$ must be odd because $x^2+1$ is odd). This means that $$ x^2 \equiv -1 \pmod ...
dcz's user avatar
  • 51
1 vote

How did Euler know $X=6^{128} + 1$ is divisible by $Y=257$

$Y=257=2^8+1\mid(2^8+1)(2^8-1)(2^{16}+1)(2^{32}+1)(2^{64}+1)=2^{128}-1$, so $2^{128}\equiv1\pmod Y$, so $\left(\dfrac2{257}\right)=1$ by Euler's criterion. (Alternatively, $\left(\dfrac2{257}\right)=1$...
J. W. Tanner's user avatar
-1 votes

How to approach this divisibility problem on polynomial

Let the first polynomial be expressed as it's sum since it's in a geometric progression. i.e. x^9999 + x^8888 ... x^1111 + x = x^11110 - 1 / x^1111-1 similarly, let the second polynomial be expressed ...
Mitansh Makwana's user avatar
12 votes
Accepted

How did Euler know $X=6^{128} + 1$ is divisible by $Y=257$

Euler has given the answer himself via the Paper here : "Observations on a theorem of Fermat and others on looking at prime numbers" At the Conclusion , Euler claims : "Theorem V. $3^n +...
Prem's user avatar
  • 13.4k
1 vote

problem about $a^2+b^2=c^2+d^2$ and divisibility

This is part of an old result of Euler which shows that $\,n\,$ is composite if it has two essentially distinct representations as sums of squares (the proof constructs a proper factor of $\,n\,$ via ...
Bill Dubuque's user avatar
1 vote
Accepted

Let $p$ and $q$ be prime numbers such that a function is a multiple of $q$. Prove that $q>p$

We can use Fermat's Little Theorem to say that $a^{q-1} \equiv 1 \pmod q$. Now since $q$ is a prime that divides $2^p-1$, we can set $a$ equal to $2$ to obtain $2^{q-1} \equiv 1 \pmod q$. Now I claim ...
HLDN's user avatar
  • 64
4 votes
Accepted

Proving that a sum is a composite number

Assuming that the intended question is "is the long sum prime": We remark that $a\,|\,b$ implies that $(n^a-m^a)\,|\,(n^b-m^b)$. You used this remark in showing that $3^5-2^5$ divided $3^{...
lulu's user avatar
  • 72.5k
3 votes

Proving that a sum is a composite number

Each term in the second bracket is at least $1$, and there are at least two terms in the bracket. So, their sum cannot be $1$. Hence, the first bracket cannot be the full number on the right, and thus ...
ultralegend5385's user avatar
0 votes

Proving that a sum is a composite number

We need to think outside the box, and consider the definition of prime numbers rigorously. If $n$ is prime, $1$ and $n$ are the only factors of $n$. $1 \times n = n$. Consider $a \times m=n$ If $a=1$,...
Sze Yoong Low's user avatar
-1 votes

Find the highest natural number which is divisible by $30$ and has exactly $30$ different positive divisors.

Since the number is divisible by 30 the number (let it be $a$) will be of the form $a=2^{\alpha_1}3^{\alpha_{2}}5^{\alpha_{3}}$ The number of proper divisors of a number is given by $$\sigma(a) = \...
Hardik Deshmukh's user avatar
0 votes
Accepted

Proving $2^{\lfloor n/2 \rfloor}$ divides the permanent of any $n\times n$ $(1,-1)$ matrix by induction and Laplace expansion

This solution was inspired by @darij grinberg comment. The claim is clearly true for $n=1$ and $n=2$. Let $A\in \Omega_n$. By Laplace expansion, we have $$\operatorname*{per}(A) = \sum_{j = 1}^{n} a_{...
19021605's user avatar
  • 844
-1 votes

Find all integers n such that $2n-1 \mid n^3-3n^2+4$.

According to the hint from John Omielan's comment, if $2n-1$ divides $n^3-3n^2+4$, then $2n-1$ divides $8(n^3-3n^2+4)$. Using polynomial division, $8n^2-24n^2+32=(2n-1)(4n^2-10n-5)+27$. Thus $2n-1$ ...
J. W. Tanner's user avatar
0 votes

Determine the number of factors for extremely large numbers.

You can verify that a 1000 digit number is prime and therefore has two factors, of course proving a number is prime gives you the factorisation instantly. You can verify that a 1000 digit number is ...
gnasher729's user avatar
  • 10.3k
1 vote

Why is the sum of the digits in a multiple of 9 also a multiple of 9?

Every number can be written as follows: $$a = 10^n \cdot a_n + 10^{n-1} \cdot a_{n-1} + ... + 100 \cdot a_2 + 10 \cdot a_1 + a_0$$ (where $a_0$ is the last digit, $a_1$ the last but one, ... and $a_n$ ...
Dominique's user avatar
  • 2,868
1 vote

Why is the sum of the digits in a multiple of 9 also a multiple of 9?

It seems like this is a natural candidate for proof by induction. Suppose $n=9k$ is a multiple of $9$. Clearly the sum of the digits of $n$ are divisible by $9$ for $k=1$. Suppose that this holds for ...
nlmath's user avatar
  • 61
0 votes
Accepted

Is the proof of the theorem shown valid, and, if not, how might the proof be fixed?

You're correct the proof you've shown is flawed. In particular, with $i = p$ and $j = 0$ then, as you've stated, $r_p = r_0$ since the terms are $a + pk$ and $a$, respectively, with a difference of $...
John Omielan's user avatar
  • 50.5k
2 votes
Accepted

If $b=\gcd(a,b)q$ then $\gcd(a,q)=1$

This is not true. Take $b=4$ and $a=2$ and so $\gcd(2,4)=2$ and thus $q=b/(\gcd(a,b)) = 4/2=2$. Then $\gcd(a,q)=\gcd(2,2)=2$. To generalize: If for some prime $p$ and some integer $e \ge 2$, all three ...
Mike's user avatar
  • 21.5k
2 votes

A simple question on AP , only issue , answer does not match

You used inclusion-exclusion principle. However, intersection of multiples of $4$ and multiples of $6$ is multiples of $12$, not multiples of $24$. Multiples of $12$ in the set $[100, 300]$ is from $...
이상원's user avatar
  • 406

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