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I am trying to derive by myself $$ \gcd(ga, gb) = g\gcd(a,b), $$
but I am stuck proving it fully. Note, that I avoided reading the relevant proof as I am trying to improve my intuition on the process and the proof, so I want to understand if my approach is a dead end or what am I missing to complete it.

My approach is the following:

$GCD(a, b) \implies GCD(a, b) | a \equiv x\cdot GCD(a, b) = a$
similarly
$GCD(a, b) \implies GCD(a, b) | b \equiv y\cdot GCD(a, b) = b$

But
$GCD(a, b) | a \implies GCD(a, b) | ga$
similarly
$GCD(a, b) | b \implies GCD(a, b) | gb$

So it has been proven so far that $GCD(a, b)$ is a common divisor of $ga$ and $gb$. Additionally it is implied that the $GCD(g\cdot a, g\cdot b)$ is a multiple of $GCD(a, b)$ because:

$x\cdot GCD(a,b) = a \equiv g\cdot x\cdot GCD(a,b) = g\cdot a \implies g\cdot a = x \cdot (g \cdot GCD(a,b))$

$y\cdot GCD(a,b) = b \equiv g\cdot y\cdot GCD(a,b) = g\cdot b \implies g\cdot b = y \cdot (g\cdot GCD(a,b))$

Combining the above we can see that $g\cdot GCD(a,b)$ is a common divisor of $ga$ and of $gb$.
But I am stuck here on what step am I missing to prove that it is also the greatest common divisor.

Update
Based on the comment of @user2661923 I thought of the following:

$GCD(a, b) \implies GCD(a, b) | a \equiv x\cdot GCD(a, b) = a$
similarly
$GCD(a, b) \implies GCD(a, b) | b \equiv y\cdot GCD(a, b) = b$

Now for any $d$ where $d |a \And d|b$ i.e. $d$ is a common divisor this implies that $d | GCD(a,b)$ by definition.

Now since:
$d \mid a \Leftrightarrow g\cdot d \mid g\cdot a$
and
$d \mid b \Leftrightarrow g\cdot d \mid g\cdot b$
and
$d \mid GCD(a,b) \Leftrightarrow g\cdot d \mid g\cdot GCD(a,b)$

this proves that $g\cdot GCD$ is also the $GCD$ of $g\cdot a, g\cdot b$

Is this proof correct? I kind of think that I am proving it starting with what I am trying to prove ($d \mid a \Leftrightarrow g\cdot d \mid g\cdot a$)

Jim
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    $d ~| ~a ~\iff ~(gd) ~| ~(ga).$ – user2661923 Jun 12 '21 at 17:23
  • @user2661923: So the last 2 steps are pretty much useless? – Jim Jun 12 '21 at 17:24
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    Unsure. It can be more difficult to construct a purely intuitional argument than to construct a formal proof, because it depends on what your intuition tells you. One other critical result is (assuming that $a,b,g, \in \Bbb{Z^+}$), the largest common divisor of $a,b$ also happens to be such that it is a multiple of all other common divisors. I suggest using the two ideas that I have broached to re-consider how to stretch your intuition. – user2661923 Jun 12 '21 at 17:29
  • @user2661923: I got confused. It seems to me that your hint $d|a \equiv (gd) | (ga)$ is what I am trying to prove. Isn't it? This is what the last $2$ lines prove no? $ga = g \cdot x\cdot GCD(a,b)$ – Jim Jun 12 '21 at 20:32
  • $d|a \iff (gd)|(ga)$ is a stepping stone towards what you are originally trying to prove. This stepping stone is easily achieved by noting that by definition, for $d,r \in \Bbb{Z^+}, ~d|r \iff \exists s \in \Bbb{Z^+}$ such that $(d\times s) = r.~$ Clearly, $(d \times s) = a \iff (gd \times s) = ga.$ – user2661923 Jun 12 '21 at 20:42
  • @user2661923: I have updated the post too. What do you think? – Jim Jun 12 '21 at 20:48
  • @user2661923: (×)=⟺(×)= isn't this what my last $2$ statements show in the post (before the update)? – Jim Jun 12 '21 at 20:54
  • I am in the process of providing a formal proof. I will flag you when it is ready. Then, you can consider how you might adapt it into an intuitive proof, which really signifies, which portion of the formalities that you are willing to take for granted. – user2661923 Jun 12 '21 at 20:55
  • @user2661923: the part that is a blocker for me is that to me it looks like the premise that |⟺()|() is essentially what I am trying to prove i.e. circular reasoning – Jim Jun 12 '21 at 21:01
  • I think that the most intuitive way to prove the statement is considering the factorizations of $ga$ and $gb$ in prime numbers. – Furbini Jun 12 '21 at 21:03
  • See my answer.. – user2661923 Jun 12 '21 at 21:21
  • It's simple, $g$ divides both numbers, and anything that divides the remaining factors of both, divides both ... – Roddy MacPhee Jun 13 '21 at 01:48
  • @RoddyMacPhee: $g$ divides both numbers, which numbers are you talking about? $a$ and $b$? – Jim Jun 13 '21 at 09:33
  • $ga,gb$ actually – Roddy MacPhee Jun 13 '21 at 10:11

1 Answers1

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To prove:

$\text{gcd}(ga,gb) = g \times \text{gcd}(a,b)$.


Given:
By definition, $d = \text{gcd}(a,b) \iff$:

  1. $d|a, d|b$
  2. For any common divisor $e$ such that $e|a, e|b$, you have that $e|d$.

By definition, for $d,r \in \Bbb{Z^+}, ~d|r \iff \exists s \in \Bbb{Z^+}$ such that $(d \times s) = r.$


Lemma 1
For $d,r,g \in \Bbb{Z^+}, d|r \iff (gd) | (gr).$

Proof

$\implies:$
$d|r \implies \exists s$ such that $ds = r \implies gds = gr \implies gd | gr.$

$\impliedby:$
$gd|gr \implies \exists s$ such that $gds = gr \implies ds = r \implies d | r.$


Let $p = \text{gcd}(ga,gb),~~$ and let $~~q = \text{gcd}(a,b).$

Using the definitions and the Lemma, you have that $q|a, q|b.$

This implies that $gq|ga$ and that $gq | gb$. Thus, $(gq)$ is a common divisor to $(ga)$ and $(gb)$. Thus, by definition $(gq) ~| ~\text{gcd}(ga,gb) = p.$

Suppose that $(gq) \neq p$.
Then:

  1. $(gq) < p$.
  2. $g | p \implies \exists s$ such that $gs = p.$

Therefore, since $gs = p > gq$, you have that $s > q$.

Further, since $p|ga$ and $p | gb$, you have that
$gs | ga$ and $gs | gb$.

Therefore:

  1. $s|a$ and $s|b$.
  2. $s > q$.

This yields a contradiction, because, by definition, since $q$ is the $\text{gcd}(a,b)$ then any other common divisor (namely $s$) must be a divisor of $q$. This is impossible, since $s > q$.

Therefore, the assumption that $gq \neq p$ led to a contradiction.

Therefore, $gq = p$.
Therefore $g \times \text{gcd}(a,b) = \text{gcd}(ga,gb)$.

user2661923
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  • Why do you start the proof with $2. g \mid p$ instead of $q \mid p$ since $q$ has to be a divisor of $gcd(ga, gb)$? – Jim Jun 12 '21 at 22:04
  • @Jim Unsure if the following is what you are referring to. If it is not, please advise. Since $(gq) | p$, you must have that $g|p$. That is, $\exists z$ such that $(gq)z = p \implies g(qz) = p \implies g|p$. I focused on $g|p$ in order to establish the existence of $s > r$ such that $(gs)|p$. This led to the contradiction. – user2661923 Jun 12 '21 at 22:09
  • Yes that was the part I was referring. So basically it was convenient to use $g \mid p$ to establish the proof, but it is also clear that $q \mid p$ since $q$ is a common divisor of $a$ and $ga$ as well as $b$ and $gb$. So how can we establish a proof by not taking the part that is actually known as true i.e. $g \mid p$ and use $g \mid p$ which is not known as true? – Jim Jun 12 '21 at 22:27
  • @Jim Why would you want to? Is there a flaw in my proof? If not, then you have a formal proof. You can convert it into an intuitive proof, simply by asking yourself, which portions of the formal proof are intuitively obvious. – user2661923 Jun 12 '21 at 22:32
  • Please strive not to add more dupe answers to dupes of FAQs, cf. recent site policy announcement here. – Bill Dubuque Jun 12 '21 at 23:59
  • @user2661923: I am just trying to understand how we approach constructing proofs. I am not saying there is something wrong. So I thought that since we know that $(gq) \mid p$ and we also know that $q \mid p$ those are the premises we can use to move forward for a proof. Now here it is said: "Suppose that $(gq) \neq p$ then $g \mid |p \implies ...$. But we don't know that $g \mid p$ do we? – Jim Jun 13 '21 at 09:31
  • @BillDubuque: Why is the answer or the post duplicates? My question is about my own approach for a proof and how to construct it and the thought process and that is what the answer is also about. – Jim Jun 13 '21 at 09:32
  • @Jim Your own approach (if correct) will almost surely be a duplicate of the well-known standard proofs. Please search for answers before posting questions. – Bill Dubuque Jun 13 '21 at 09:36
  • The last comment that you addressed to me, raises a subtle point. As indicated in the comment of Furbini, following your original posting, one approach is to focus on prime factorizations. I wanted to avoid that approach because I disagree with Furbini; that is, I have a hard time seeing how a formal proof that involves prime factorizations can be modified to be less formal and more intuitive. Therefore, I had to find some way of demonstrating that $gq = p$, after I deduced that $(gq)|p$. Since $(gq)|p, |gq| \leq p$. ...see next comment – user2661923 Jun 13 '21 at 09:53
  • Therefore, if $(gq) \neq p$, then $|gq| < p$. Further, as I indicated in one of my earlier comments following this answer, $(gq)|p \implies g|p$. This led me to define $s = \frac{p}{g}$, conclude that $s > q$, and then demonstrate that a contradiction ensued. This was my roundabout way of avoiding dealing with prime factorizations. As I stated in my last comment, I was striving to present a formal proof that you could modify into an intuitive proof. Note that I made strong use of the idea that if $j$ is a common divisor of $(x,y)$ and $k = $gcd$(x,y)$ then $j | k$. – user2661923 Jun 13 '21 at 10:00
  • @Jim - see the last two comments + this one. Re the end of my last comment, the idea that I quoted allowed me to do avoid dealing with prime factorizations. – user2661923 Jun 13 '21 at 10:02
  • @user2661923: thank you very much for the analysis, your description is very clear. The part that is not obvious to me in the construction of the proof is the following: The core of your proof is the following: $(gq) \mid p \implies g \mid p$ but we know we know that $(gq) \mid p$ in the first place because we know that $q \mid p$ and hence $(gq) \mid p$. So does it mean we assume both $g$ and $q$ are divisors of $p$? I can't grasp that implication readily – Jim Jun 13 '21 at 16:51
  • @Jim Since $q$ is a common divisor of $a,b, ~(gq)~$ is a common divisor of $(ga, gb)$. Hence $(gq)|p.$ Anytime that you have three positive integers $x_1, x_2, x_3$ such that $(x_1x_2) | x_3$ this automatically implies both that $x_1 | x_3$, and $x_2 | x_3$. This is because, in general, for $y,z \in \Bbb{Z^+}, ~y | z \iff \exists k \in \Bbb{Z^+}~$ such that $yk = z.$ – user2661923 Jun 13 '21 at 20:35
  • @Jim continuing the thought of the previous comment, $(gq)|p \implies \exists k$ such that $(gq)k = p.$ Therefore, $(g)qk = p$, which implies that $g|p$. Further, $q(gk) = p$ which implies that $q|p$. – user2661923 Jun 13 '21 at 20:39
  • @user2661923:ah got you, I lost track of that fact completely during the proof and I think that is also how my proof went off track – Jim Jun 14 '21 at 15:56