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When dividing an integer $a$ by 3 and 7 both results in an integer answer, I intuitively feel that $a/A$ with $A=21$ would also be integer, which seems related to the fact that $3\times7=21$.

However, for an integer $b$ that divided by 4 and 6 would result in an integer answer it seems to be that $b/A$ with $A=12$ is integer as well.

My question is: is there a way to determine $A$ based on a multiplication of the two known integer divisions?

From the two examples that I gave I can think of this $A=\frac{x\times y}{gcd(x,y)}$, where $x$ and $y$ are the two numbers that result in integer answers. But I don't have a solid reason to believe this is generally true.

Michiel
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2 Answers2

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You're right. $A = \frac{a\times b}{gcd(a,b)}$

This is usually known as Least common multiple or lowest common multiple.

Guy
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By Bezout's Identity $ $ for the gcd: $\,\ ja+kb \ =\ (a,b)\,$ for some $\,j,k,\in\Bbb Z.\,$ Therefore

$\phantom{\rm or}\ \ \ a,b\mid c\,\Rightarrow\, ab\mid ac,bc\,\Rightarrow\, ab\mid jac+kbc=(a,b)c\,\Rightarrow\,ab/(a,b)\mid c $

${\rm or}\ \ \ a,b\mid c\,\Rightarrow\, ab\mid ac,bc\,\color{#c00}\Rightarrow\, ab\mid\ (ac,\,bc)\ =\ (a,b)c\,\Rightarrow\,ab/(a,b)\mid c $

Proof $\,2\,$ uses the GCD universal property $\,j\mid k,n\!\color{#c00}\iff\! j\mid (k,n),\,$ and, furthermore, it replaces the Bezout Identity by the GCD Distributive Law.

The arrows reverse, which shows $\ {\rm lcm}(a,b) = ab/\gcd(a,b)=\,$ least common multiple of $\,a,b.$

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Bill Dubuque
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