discrete_mathematics_with_a.../chapter_4/notes.md
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Page 184

Assumptions

  • In this text we assume familiarity with the laws of basic algebra, which are listed in Appendix A.

  • We also use the three properties of equality: For all objects A, B, and C, (1) A = A, (2) if A = B, then B = 1, and (3) if A = B and B = C, then A = C.

  • And we use the principle of substitution: For all objects A and B, if A = B, then we may substitute B whenever we have A.

  • In addition, we assume that there is no integer between 0 and 1 and that the set of all integers is closed under addition, subtraction, and multiplication. This means that sums, differences, and products of integers are integers.


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Definitions

An integer n is even if, and only if, n equals twice some integer. An integer n is odd if, and only if, n equals twice some integer plus 1.

Symbolically, for any integer n

 n \text{ is even} \Leftrightarrow n = 2k \text{ for some integer } k 
 n \text{ is odd} \Leftrightarrow n = 2k + 1 \text{ for some integer } k 

Page 186

Definition

An integer n is prime if, and only if, n > 1 and for all positive integers r and s, if n = rs, then either r or s equals n. An integer n is composite if, and only if, n > 1 and n = rs for some integers r and s with 1 < r < n and 1 < s < n.

In symbols: For each integer n with n > 1,

 n \text{ is prime} \Leftrightarrow \forall \text{ positive integers } r \text{ and } s, \text{ if } n = rs \text{ then either } r = 1 \text{ and } s = n \text{ or } r = n \text{ and } s = 1 
 n \text{ is composite} \Leftrightarrow \exists \text{ positive integers } r \text{ and } s \text{ such that } n = rs \text{ and } 1 < r < n \text{ and } 1 < s < n 

Page 188

Disproof by Counterexample

To disprove a statement of the form "\forall x \in D, \text{ if } P(x) \text{ then } Q(x)," find a value of x in D for which the hypothesis P(x) is true and the conclusion Q(x) is false. Such an x is called a counterexample.


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Generalizing from the Generic Particular

To show that every element of a set satisfies a certain property, suppose x is a particular but arbitrarily chosen element of the set, and show that x satisfies the property.


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Existential Instantiation

If the existence of a certain kind of object is assumed or has been deduce, then it can be given a name, as long as that name is not currently being used to refer to something else in the same discussion.


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Theorem 4.1.1

The sum of any two even integers is even.

Proof: Suppose m and n are any [particular but arbitrarily chosen] even integers. [We must show that m + n is even.] By definition of even, m = 2r and n = 2s for some integers r and s. Then

 m + n = 2r + 2s \quad \text{ by substitution} 
 \quad = 2(r + s) \quad \text{ by factoring out a 2} 

Let t = r + s. Note that t is an integer because it is a sum of integers. Hence

 m + n = 2r \quad \text{where } t \text{ is an integer} 

It follows by definition of even that m + n is even. [This is what we needed to show.]


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Personal Note: The entirety of 4.2 is extremely helpful in breaking down in exactly how to write proofs (for beginners). I'd advise revisiting this entire section frequently.


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Definition

A real number r is rational if, and only if, it can be expressed as a quotient of two integers with a nonzero denominator. A real number that is not rational is irrational. More formally, if r is a real number, then

 r \text{ is rational } \Leftrightarrow \exists \text{ integers } a \text{ and } b \text{ such that } r = \frac{a}{b} \text{ and } b \neq 0 

Page 207

Zero Product Property

If neither of two real numbers is zero, then their product is also not zero.


Page 208

Theorem 4.3.1

Every integer is a rational number.


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Theorem 4.3.2

The sum of any two rational numbers is rational.

Proof:

Suppose r and s are any rational numbers. [We must show that r + s is rational.] Then, by definition of rational, r = \dfrac{a}{b} and s = \dfrac{c}{d} for some integers a, b, c, and d with b \neq 0 and d \neq 0. Thus

 r + s = \frac{a}{b} + \frac{c}{d} \quad \text{ by substitution} 
 \quad = \frac{ad + bc}{bd} \quad \text{ by basic algebra} 

Let p = ad + bc and q = bd. Then p and q are integers because products and sums of integers are integers and because a, b, c, and d are integers. Also q \neq 0 by the zero product property. Thus

 r + s = \frac{p}{q} \text{ where } p \text{ and } q \text{ are integers and } q \neq 0 

Therefore, r + s is rational by the definition of a rational number [as was to be shown].


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Corollary 4.2.3

The double of a rational number is rational.


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Definition

If n and d are integers then

n is divisible by d if, and only if, n equals d times some integer and d \neq 0.

Instead of "n is divisible by d," we can say that

n is a multiple of d, or

d is a factor of n, or

d is a divisor of n, or

d divides n.

The notation d \mid n is read "d divides n." Symbolically, if n and d are integers:

 d \mid n \Leftrightarrow \exists \text{ an integer, say } k, \text{ such that } n = dk \text{ and } d \neq 0 

The notation d \nmid n is read "d does not divide n."


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Theorem 4.4.1 A Positive Divisor of a Positive Integer

For all integers a and b, if a and b are positive and a divides b then a \leq b.

Proof:

Suppose a and b are positive integers such that a divides b. [We must show that a \leq b.] By definition of divisibility, there exists an integer k so that b = ak. By property T25 of Appendix A, k must be positive because both a and b are positive. It follows that

 1 \leq k 

because every positive integer is greater than or equal to 1. Multiplying both sides by a gives

 a \leq ka = b 

because multiplying both sides of an inequality by a positive number preserves the inequality by property T20 of Appendix A. Thus a \leq b [as was to be shown].


Page 214

Theorem 4.4.2 Divisors of 1

The only divisors of 1 are 1 and -1.

Proof:

Since 1 \cdot 1 = 1 and (-1)(-1) = 1, both 1 and -1 are divisors of 1. Now suppose m is any integer that divides 1. Then there exists an integer n such that 1 = mn. By Theorem T25 in Appendix A, either both m and n are positive or both m and n are negative. If both m and n are positive, then m is a positive integer divisor of 1. By Theorem 4.4.1, m \leq 1, and, since the only positive integer that is less than or equal to 1 is 1 itself, it follows that m = 1. On the other hand, if both m and n are negative, then by Theorem T12 in Appendix A, (-m)(-n) = mn = 1. In this case -m is a positive integer divisor of 1, and so, by the same reasoning, -m = 1 and thus m = -1. Therefore there are only two possibilities: either m = 1 or m = -1. So the only divisors of 1 are 1 and -1.


Page 215

For all integers n and d, d \nmid n \Leftrightarrow \frac{n}{d} is not an integer.


Page 216

Theorem 4.4.3 Transitivity of Divisibility

For all integers a, b, and c, if a divides b and b divides c, then a divides c.

Proof:

Suppose a, b, and c are any [particular but arbitrarily chosen] integers such that a divides b and b divides c. [We must show that a divides c.] By definition of divisibility,

 b = ar \text{ and } c = bs \quad \text{ for some integers } r \text{ and } s 

By substitution

 c = bs 
 \quad = (ar)s 
 \quad = a(rs) \quad \text{ by basic algebra} 

Let k = rs. Then k is an integer since it is a product of integers, and therefore

 c = ak \quad \text{ where } k \text{ is an integer} 

Thus a divides c by definition of divisibility. [This is what was to be shown.]


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Theorem 4.4.4 Divisibility by a Prime

Any integer n > 1 is divisible by a prime number.

Proof:

Suppose n is a _[particular but arbitrarily chosen] integer that is greater than 1. [We must show that there is a prime number that divides n.] If n is prime, then n is divisible by a prime number (namely itself), and we are done. If n is not prime, the as discussed in Example 4.1.2b,

n = r_0s_0 where r_0 and s_0 are integers and 1 < r_0 < n and 1 < s_0 < n.

It follows by definition of divisibility that r_0 \mid n.

If r_0 is prime, then r_0 is a prime number that divides n, and we are done. If r_0 is not prime, then

r_0 = r_1s_1 where r_1 and s_1 are integers and 1 < r_1 < r_0 and 1 < s_1 < r_0.

It follows by the definition of divisibility that r_q \mid r_0. But we already know that r_0 \mid n. Consequently, by transitivity of divisibility, r_1 \mid n.

If r_1 is prime, then r_1 is a prime number that divides n, and we are done. If r_1 is not prime, then

r_1 = r_2s_2 where r_2 and s_2 are integers and 1 < r_2 < r_1 and 1 < s_2 < r_1.

It follows by the definition of divisibility that r_2 \mid r_1. But we already know that r_1 \mid n. Consequently, by transitivity of divisibility, r_2 \mid n.

If r_2 is prime, then r_2 is a prime number that divides n, and we are done. If r_2 is not prime, then we may repeat the previous process by factoring r_2 as r_3s_3.

We may continue in this way, factoring successive factors of n until we find a prime factor. We must succeed in a finite number of steps because each new factor is both less than the previous one (which is less than n) and greater than 1, and there are fewer than n integers strictly between 1 and n. Thus we obtain a sequence

 r_0, r_1, r_2, \dots, r_k 

where k \geq 0, 1 < r_k < r_{k - 1} < \dots < r_2 < r_1 < r_0 < n, and r_i \mid n for each i = 0, 1, 2, \dots, k. The condition for termination is that r_k should be prime. Hence r_k is a prime number that divides n. [This is what we were to show.]


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Proposed Divisibility Property: For all integers a and b, if a \mid b and b \mid a then a = b.

Counterexample: Let a = 2 and b = -2. Then -2 = (-1) \cdot 2 and 2 = (-1) \cdot (-2), and thus

 a \mid b \text{ and } b \mid a, \text{ but } a \neq b \text{ because } 2 \neq -2 

Therefore, the statement is false.


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Theorem 4.4.5 Unique Factorization of Integers Theorem (Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic)

Given any integer n > 1, there exist a positive integer k, distinct prime numbers p_1, p_2, \dots, p_k, and positive integers e_1, e_2, \dots, e_k such that

 n = p_1^{e_1}p_2^{e^2}p_3^{e^3}\dots p_k^{e_k} 

and any other expression for n as a product of prime numbers is identical to this except, perhaps, for the order in which the factors are written.


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Definition

Given any integer n > 1, the standard factored form of n is an expression of the form

 n = p_1^{e_1}p_2^{e^2}p_3^{e^3}\dots p_k^{e_k} 

where n is a positive integer, p_1,p_2,\dots , p_k are prime numbers, e_1,e_2,\dots ,e_k are positive integers, and p_1 < p_2 < \dots < p_k.