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I am already able to prove that $g \mid s$ assuming $x+y=s$ and $(x,y)=g$, but I am having some trouble showing that assuming $g \mid s$, there exists an $x$ and $y$ such that $x+y=s$ and $(x,y)=g$. So far, I've started with saying that $g \mid 0$ necessarily. Therefore we also know that $g \mid (0x+sy)$. I'd like to be able to set the values of $x$ and $y$ to something to show that there exist an $x$ and a $y$ that satisfy $x+y=s$ and $(x,y)=g$, but I'm not really sure where to go from here. Can anyone offer any help?

2 Answers 2

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HINT. $(gn,g) = g(n,1)=g$.

The converse follows because $a|b$ and $a|c$ implies $a|b+c$.

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    I'm not sure I understand what your hint is referring to. Can you offer a little more clarification please?2011-02-02
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    @user6548: $gn+g = g(n+1)$. If $g|s$, can you write $s$ as $g(n+1)$ for some $n$?2011-02-02
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    I'm very sorry, but I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around how this fits in. Does this eliminate the need to mention that g|0 and thus, the need to mention that g|(0x+sy)? If not, how do these follow one another?2011-02-02
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    @user6548: If $g|s$, then $s=gd$ for some $d$. Write $d=(d-1)+1$. Can you now write $s$ as the sum of $gn$ and $g$ for some $n$?2011-02-02
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    Ah, that clears things up perfectly. Thank you.2011-02-02
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$\rm\ \ g = (x,s-x) = (x,s)\ \iff\ 1 = (x/g,\:s/g)\:,\ $ so choose $\rm x/g\ $ coprime to $\rm s/g\:,\ $ e.g. $\rm\ s/g + 1$