Nicholas Capasso

Math 201

Homework 3

1)

a) assuming a|b, then there exists an integer n where b = an. Then bc = anc = a(nc).
As nc is an integer, a|bc.

2)
By contrapositive, if 7n+4 is odd, then n is odd. By definition of odd, n = 2k+1.
7(2k+1)+4
14k + 7 + 4
14k + 10 + 1
2(7k+5)+1 = 2n + 1, which satisfies the definition of odd.

3)
By contrapositive, lets assume a is not divisible by 3.
a % 3 = {1,2}, which we will assign to n.
a+2 % 3 = (n + 2) % 3
a + 4 % 3 = (n+4) % 3

Case n = 1:
a+2 % 3 = 3%3 = 0
a+4 % 3 = 5 % 3 = 2
Therefore, a + 2 is divisible by 3 for this case while a + 4 is not.
Case n = 2:
a+2%3=4%3=1
a+4%3=6%3=0
Therefore, a + 4 is divisible by 3 for this case while a + 2 is not.

4a)
Using the definition of odd where n = 2x+1,
(2x+1)2 = 4x2+4x+1
4x2+4x+1=4(x2+x)+1
x2+x always returns an even value, which means that x2+x = 2k for some value of k.
Thus, n2=4(2k)+1, which means that n2=8k+1

4b)
Using algebra, we find that n(n2-1)(n+2) can become (n-1)n(n+1)(n+2).
As they are consecutive numbers, half of them must be even and half odd.
Case n = 2x:
n(n2-1)(n+2) = 2x(4x2-1)(2x+2) = (2x(4x2-1))(2(x+1)) = 4x, which is divisible by 4.
Case n = 2x + 1:
n(n2-1)(n+2) = (2x+1)((2x+1)2-1)(2x+1+2) = (2x+1)((4x2+4x+1)-1)(2x+3) = 4x,
which is divisible by 4.
5)
Using the difference of squares formula, a2-b2 = (a+b)(a-b) shows us that
(2n+1)2 – (2m+1)2 = ((2n+1)+(2m+1))((2n+1)-(2m+1)) = (2n+2m+2)(2n -2m)
= 4(n+m+1)(n-m)
for the integers n and m, we see that n -m is even if and only if n+m is even. Therefore,
exactly one of n+m+1 is even and n-m is even, thus both must be odd.

6)
With the help of the quotient-remainder theorem, we know that every number can take the form of
6q, 6q + 1, 6q+2, 6q+3, 6q+4, or potentially 6q+5. If the number is prime, then it will be unable to be
divisible by 2 which rules out the possiblity of using 6q, 6q+2, or 6q+4. For it to not be divisible by 3,
then it cannot take the form 6q+3. Therefore through process of elimination we can conclude that 6q+1
and 6q+5 are the only two viable forms.

7)
Let us assume that √5 is rational. Then, using some integers p and q with no common factor other
than 1, we can state that:
p/q = √5
p2/q2 = 5
p2 = 5q2
This implies that p is divisible by 5, therefore p = 5n for some non-zero integer n. However, q appears
to also have a common factor of 5, which is an impossibility. Therefore, √5 is not rational.