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MIT6_042JF10_assn03

The document is a problem set for the course 6.042/18.062J Mathematics for Computer Science, dated September 21, 2010, authored by Tom Leighton and Marten van Dijk. It includes various mathematical problems related to number theory, modular arithmetic, and properties of prime numbers, with specific tasks requiring proofs and derivations. The problems cover topics such as finding inverses, proving divisibility properties, and demonstrating the infinitude of certain prime numbers.

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Aamir Ali
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4 views4 pages

MIT6_042JF10_assn03

The document is a problem set for the course 6.042/18.062J Mathematics for Computer Science, dated September 21, 2010, authored by Tom Leighton and Marten van Dijk. It includes various mathematical problems related to number theory, modular arithmetic, and properties of prime numbers, with specific tasks requiring proofs and derivations. The problems cover topics such as finding inverses, proving divisibility properties, and demonstrating the infinitude of certain prime numbers.

Uploaded by

Aamir Ali
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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6.042/18.

062J Mathematics for Computer Science September 21, 2010


Tom Leighton and Marten van Dijk

Problem Set 3

Problem 1. [16 points] Warmup Exercises


For the following parts, a correct numerical answer will only earn credit if accompanied by
it’s derivation. Show your work.

(a) [4 pts] Use the Pulverizer to find integers s and t such that 135s + 59t = gcd(135, 59).

(b) [4 pts] Use the previous part to find the inverse of 59 modulo 135 in the range {1, . . . , 134}.

(c) [4 pts] Use Euler’s theorem to find the inverse of 17 modulo 31 in the range {1, . . . , 30}.

(d) [4 pts] Find the remainder of 3482248 divided by 83. (Hint: Euler’s theorem.)

Problem 2. [16 points]


Prove the following statements, assuming all numbers are positive integers.

(a) [4 pts] If a | b, then ∀c, a | bc

(b) [4 pts] If a | b and a | c, then a | sb + tc.

(c) [4 pts] ∀c, a | b ⇔ ca | cb

(d) [4 pts] gcd(ka, kb) = k gcd(a, b)

Problem 3. [20 points] In this problem, we will investigate numbers which are squares
modulo a prime number p.

(a) [5 pts] An integer n is a square modulo p if there exists another integer x such that
n ≡ x2 (mod p). Prove that x2 ≡ y 2 (mod p) if and only if x ≡ y (mod p) or x ≡ −y
(mod p). (Hint: x2 − y 2 = (x + y)(x − y))

(b) [5 pts] There is a simple test we can perform to see if a number n is a square modulo
p. It states that

Theorem 1 (Euler’s Criterion). :


2 Problem Set 3
p−1
1. If n is a square modulo p then n 2 ≡ 1 (mod p).
p−1
2. If n is not a square modulo p then n 2 ≡ −1 (mod p).

Prove the first part of Euler’s Criterion. (Hint: Use Fermat’s theorem.)

(c) [10 pts] Assume that p ≡ 3 (mod 4) and n ≡ x2 (mod p). Given n and p, find one
possible value of x. (Hint: Write p as p = 4k + 3 and use Euler’s Criterion. You might have
to multiply two sides of an equation by n at one point.)

Problem 4. [10 points] Prove that for any prime, p, and integer, k ≥ 1,

φ(pk ) = pk − pk−1 ,

where φ is Euler’s function. (Hint: Which numbers between 0 and pk − 1 are divisible by p?
How many are there?)
Problem 5. [18 points] Here is a very, very fun game. We start with two distinct, positive
integers written on a blackboard. Call them x and y. You and I now take turns. (I’ll let you
decide who goes first.) On each player’s turn, he or she must write a new positive integer on
the board that is a common divisor of two numbers that are already there. If a player can
not play, then he or she loses.
For example, suppose that 12 and 15 are on the board initially. Your first play can be 3 or
1. Then I play 3 or 1, whichever one you did not play. Then you can not play, so you lose.

(a) [6 pts] Show that every number on the board at the end of the game is either x, y, or
a positive divisor of gcd(x, y).

(b) [6 pts] Show that every positive divisor of gcd(x, y) is on the board at the end of the
game.

(c) [6 pts] Describe a strategy that lets you win this game every time.

Problem 6. [20 points] In one of the previous problems, you calculated square roots of
numbers modulo primes equivalent to 3 modulo 4. In this problem you will prove that there
are an infinite number of such primes!

(a) [6 pts] As a warm-up, prove that there are an infinite number of prime numbers.
(Hint: Suppose that the set F of all prime numbers is finite, that is F = {p1 , p2 , . . . , pk } and
define n = p1 p2 . . . pk + 1.)

(b) [2 pts] Prove that if p is an odd prime, then p ≡ 1 (mod 4) or p ≡ 3 (mod 4).

(c) [6 pts] Prove that if n ≡ 3 (mod 4), then n has a prime factor p ≡ 3 (mod 4).
Problem Set 3 3

(d) [8 pts] Let F be the set of all primes p such that p ≡ 3 (mod 4). Prove by contradiction
that F has an infinte number of primes.
(Hint: Suppose that F is finite, that is F = {p1 , p2 , . . . , pk } and define n = 4p1 p2 . . . pk − 1.
Prove that there exists a prime pi ∈ F such that pi |n.)
MIT OpenCourseWare
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6.042J / 18.062J Mathematics for Computer Science


Fall 2010

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