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Number theory Difficulty 6.2 National Olympiad Prove it Hong Kong

Let s,ts, t be given nonzero integers, and let (x,y)(x, y) be any ordered pair of integers. A move changes (x,y)(x, y) to (x+t,ys)(x + t, y - s). The pair (x,y)(x, y) is 'good' if after some (maybe zero) number of moves it describes a pair of integers that are not relatively prime.

a. Determine if (s,t)(s, t) is a good pair.

b. Show that for any ss and tt there is a pair (x,y)(x, y) which is not good.

Solution

a. Yes. Since s,t0s, t \neq 0, s2+t22s^2 + t^2 \geq 2. Let pp be any prime divisor of s2+t2s^2 + t^2. If ptp \mid t, then psp \mid s, and so gcd(s,t)p\gcd(s, t) \geq p. This shows (s,t)(s, t) is good. If ptp \nmid t, then there exists kZ+k \in \mathbb{Z}^+ such that tks(modp)tk \equiv -s \pmod{p}. Then we have ps+ktp \mid s + kt. Also, we have
tks=t(t1s)s=t1(t2+s2)0(modp). t - ks = t - (-t^{-1}s)s = t^{-1}(t^2 + s^2) \equiv 0 \pmod{p}.
Thus, gcd(s+kt,tks)p\gcd(s+kt, t-ks) \geq p. This shows (s,t)(s, t) is a good pair as we can apply kk moves to (s,t)(s, t) to obtain (s+kt,tks)(s + kt, t - ks).

b. Let gcd(s,t)=d\gcd(s, t) = d. By Bézout's identity, there exist m,nZm, n \in \mathbb{Z} such that ms+nt=dms + nt = d. We claim that the pair (m,n)(m, n) is not good.
After kk moves, the pair becomes (m+kt,nks)(m + kt, n - ks). If there exists a prime pp dividing both m+ktm + kt and nksn - ks, then
p(m+kt)sd+(nks)td=ms+ntd=1. p \mid (m + kt) \frac{s}{d} + (n - ks) \frac{t}{d} = \frac{ms + nt}{d} = 1.
This is impossible. Therefore, gcd(m+kt,nks)=1\gcd(m + kt, n - ks) = 1 for any kk. This proves our claim.

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