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Title says it all. Any help would be appreciated!

Let $P(n)$ be the following implication: If $a, c, b_1, \ldots , b_n \in \Bbb Z$ such that gcd$(a, b_i) = 1$ for $i \in {1, . . . , n}$, and $$a|c \prod_{i=1}^{n} b_{i},$$ then $a|c$. Prove by induction that $P(n)$ is true for all $n \in \Bbb N$.

Kestrel
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1 Answers1

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First lets prove that for $n = 1$, the statement is true. To do this let's walk through few lemmas. Before anything I expect you to know the following theorem if $(a,b) = \alpha$, then there exist two integers $x$ and $y$, such that $ax + by = \alpha$.

Lemma: $(a,b)=1$ and $(a,c)=1$ then $(a,bc)=1$

Proof: by the above assumed theorem we have $ax_1+by_1=1$ and $ax_2+by_2=1$. multiplying the two sides we can reach at a form like this $ax_3+bcy_3=1$.For more

Lemma: If $a|bc$ and $(a,b) = 1$ then $a|c$

Proof: $(a,b)=1$ then $ax+by=1$ since $a|bc$ means, we have $ak = bc$, then

$ayk = byc$, then

$ayk = (1-ax)c$, where $by = (1-ax)$ then

$ayk = c-axc$, finally

$a(yk+xc) = c$

Therefore $a|c$

Now we are ready to prove for the case $n=1$

$a|cb_1$ and $(a,b_1)=1$ then $a|c$ is true because of the above lemma

Now assume that the preposition is true for the case $n=k$.

Then for $n=k+1$

$(cb_1...b_k)b_{k+1} = c(b_1...b_kb_{k+1})$

and by the first lemma we have

if $(a,b_1...b_k)=1$ and $(a,b_{k+1})=1$ implies $(a,b_1...b_kb_{k+1})=1$

Therefore $a|c \prod_{i=1}^{k+1} b_{i}$ implies $a|c \prod_{i=1}^{k} b_{i}$ because $(a,b_{k+1})=1$ and by the second lemma. Finally using our assumption we have $a|c \prod_{i=1}^{k} b_{i}$ implies $a|c$