Proofs: A Long-Form Mathematics Textbook Jay Cummings

Chapter 2 Solutions to Selected Exercises

Notes:
• The questions are in a separate PDF on LongFormMath.com.
• For most problems there are many correct solutions, so the below are not the only correct ways to
solve the problems.
• If you spot an error, please email it to me at [email protected]. Thanks!

Solution to Question 1. Let m and n be two odd integers. By Definition 2.2, this means that m = 2a + 1
and n = 2b + 1 for some integers a and b. Then,

mn = (2a + 1)(2b + 1) = 4ab + 2a + 2b + 1 = 2(2ab + a + b) + 1.

And since, by Fact 2.1, 2ab + a + b is an integer too, we have shown that mn = 2k + 1, where k = 2ab + a + b
is an integer. Therefore, by the definition of oddness, this means that mn is odd.

Solution to Question 2. Assume that n is an odd number. By Definition 2.2, this means that n = 2a + 1
for some integer a. Then,

n2 + 6n + 5 = (2a + 1)2 + 6(2a + 1) + 5

= 4a2 + 4a + 1 + 12a + 6 + 5
= 4a2 + 16a + 12
= 2(2a2 + 8a + 6).

And since, by Fact 2.1, 2a2 + 8a + 6 is an integer too, we have shown that n2 + 6n + 5 = 2k, where
k = 2a2 + 8a + 6 is an integer. Therefore, by the definition of evenness, this means that n2 + 6n + 5 is
even.

Solution to Question 3. As an example, I chose n = 3. Then,

5n2 + n + 3 = 5 · 9 + 3 + 3 = 51,

which is odd. Now for the proof.

We will prove this by cases. Since n is an integer, by Fact 2.1 n is either even or odd.

Case 1: n is even. If n is even, then by the definition of an even integer, n = 2a for some integer a. Then,

5n2 + n + 3 = 5(2a)2 + (2a) + 3 = 20a2 + 2a + 2 + 1 = 2(10a2 + a + 1) + 1.

Since a is an integer, also 10a2 +a+1 is an integer, by Fact 2.1. Thus, we have shown that 5n2 +n+3 = 2k+1
where k = 10a2 + a + 1 is an integer. By the definition of oddness, this means that 5n2 + n + 3 is odd.

Case 2: n is odd. If n is even, then by the definition of an even integer, n = 2a + 1 for some integer a. Then,

5n2 + n + 3 = 5(2a + 1)2 + (2a + 1) + 3 = 5(4a2 + 4a + 1) + 2a + 4 = 20a2 + 22a + 8 + 1 = 2(10a2 + 11a + 4) + 1.

Since a is an integer, also 10a2 +11a+4 is an integer, by Fact 2.1. Thus, we have shown that 5n2 +n+3 = 2k+1
where k = 10a2 + 11a + 4 is an integer. By the definition of oddness, this means that 5n2 + n + 3 is odd.

These two cases combine show that for any integer n, the result holds.
Proofs: A Long-Form Mathematics Textbook Jay Cummings

Solution to Question 4.
Part (a). Assume that m | n. By the definition of divisibility, n = md for some integer d. Thus, by
squaring both sides, n2 = m2 d2 . And since d is an integer, by Fact 2.1, d · d = d2 is an integer too.
We have shown that n2 = m2 k where k = d2 is an integer. Thus, by the definition of divisibility, m2 | n2 ,
as desired.

Part (c). Assume that m | n and m | t. By the definition of divisibility, n = md and t = m` for some
integers d and `. Thus,
n + t = md + m` = m(d + `).
And, since d + ` is also an integer by Fact 2.1, we have shown that n + t = mk where k = d + ` is an integer.
Therefore, by the definition of divisibility we have shown that m | (n + t).

Solution to Question 5.
Part (a). Assume that n is an integer. By Fact 2.1, n is either even or odd.

Case 1: n is even. If n is even, then by the definition of an even integer, n = 2a for some integer a. Then,

1 + (−1)n (2n − 1) = 1 + (−1)2a (2(2a) − 1) = 1 + (4a − 1) = 4a.

We have shown that 1 + (−1)n (2n − 1) = 4a where a is an integer, which by the definition of divisibility
means 4 divides 1 + (−1)n (2n − 1).

Case 2: n is odd. If n is odd, then by the definition of an odd integer, n = 2a + 1 for some integer a.
Then,
1 + (−1)n (2n − 1) = 1 + (−1)2a+1 (2(2a + 1) − 1) = 1 − (4a + 1) = −4a.
We have shown that 1 + (−1)n (2n − 1) = 4(−a) where −a is an integer, which by the definition of divisibility
means 4 divides 1 + (−1)n (2n − 1).

These two cases combine to show that for any integer n, the result holds.

Part (b). Consider an arbitrary multiple of 4, which we write as 4k for an integer k.

Consider two cases. First, if k > 0, then note that by letting n = 2k, we have

1 + (−1)n (2n − 1) = 1 + (−1)2k (2(2k) − 1) = 1 + (4k − 1) = 4k.

That is, we have found a value of n for which 1 + (−1)n (2n − 1) = 4k.
If, on the other hand, we are considering a 4k for which k ≤ 0, then note that by letting n = −2k + 1
(which is positive, since k is negative or zero) we have

1 + (−1)n (2n − 1) = 1 + (−1)−2k+1 (2(−2k + 1) − 1) = 1 − (−4k + 1) = 4k.

That is, we have found a value of n for which 1 + (−1)n (2n − 1) = 4k.
In either case we have found a positive value of n for which 1 + (−1)n (2n − 1) is equal to our arbitrary
multiple of 4. This concludes the proof.

Solution to Question 6.

(a) q = 3, r = 2.
(b) q = 0, r = 5
(c) q = −4, r = 2
Proofs: A Long-Form Mathematics Textbook Jay Cummings

Solution to Question 7. First, recall that finding the remainder is the same thing as determining what
4301 is congruent to modulo 17. Next, notice that 42 ≡ 16 ≡ −1 (mod 17). Next, by applying Proposition
2.15 part (iii) (150 times),
2 2 2 2
|4 · 4 · 4{z · . . . · 4} ≡ (−1)
|
· (−1) · (−1) · . . . · (−1) (mod 17).
{z }
150 times 150 times

That is,

(42 )150 ≡ (−1)150 (mod 17),

which means that

4300 ≡ 1 (mod 17).

Next, notice that 4301 can be written like this:

4301 = 4300 · 41 .

Combining these and the arithmetic properties of modulo arithmetic, Proposition 2.15 part (iii),

4301 ≡ 4300 · 41 ≡ 1 · 4 ≡ 4 (mod 17).

And so, we have shown that 4301 ≡ 4 (mod 17), which means that when 4301 is divided by 17, the remainder
is 4.

Solution to Question 8. Part (a). Assume that a ≡ b (mod m) and c ≡ d (mod m). By the definition of
the modulus,
m | (a − b) and m | (c − d).
Then, by the definition of divisibility,

a − b = mk and c − d = m`

for some integers k and `. Subtracting these two equations,

(a − b) − (c − d) = mk − m`.

Regrouping,
(a − c) − (b − d) = m(k − `).
Since k − ` is an integer, by the definition of divisibility
 
m | (a − c) − (b − d) ,

which then by the definition of the modulus means that

a − c ≡ b − d (mod m),

completing the proof of part (b).

Part (b). Assume that a ≡ b (mod m) and c ≡ d (mod m). By the definition of the modulus,

m | (a − b) and m | (c − d).

Then, by the definition of divisibility,

a − b = mk and c − d = m`
Proofs: A Long-Form Mathematics Textbook Jay Cummings

for some integers k and `. That is,

a = b + mk and c = d + m`

Multiplying these two equations,

ac = (b + mk)(d + m`)
ac = bd + mkd + m`b + m2 k`
ac − bd = m(kd + `b + mk`).

Since kd + `b + mk` is an integer, by the definition of divisibility

m | (ac − bd),

which then by the definition of the modulus means that

ac ≡ bd (mod m),

completing the proof of part (b).

Solution to Question 9. Assume that a is an integer and p and q are distinct primes. We first note that
this implies that gcd(p, q) = 1, which is the case by Lemma 2.17(a). Indeed, since q is a prime, 1 and q are
the only positive numbers which divide it, and since p is neither of these, p - q and hence Lemma 2.17(a)
tells use that gcd(p, q) = 1.
Next, since the problem assumes that p | a, by the definition of divisibility we have a = pk for some
integer k. Since q | a and a = pk, this means that q | pk. And since we already showed that gcd(p, q) = 1,
by Lemma 2.17(b) we deduce that q | k. By the definition of divisibility this means that k = qt for some
integer t.
Combining our work, we know that

a = pk = p(qt) = (pq)t,

which by the definition of divisibility means that pq | a, as desired.

Solution to Question 10. Since n is an integer, by Fact 2.1 n is either even or odd. Consider these two
cases.

Case 1: n is even. If n is even, then by the definition of an even integer, n = 2a for some integer a. Then,

n2 = (2a)2 = 4a2 .

Since a is an integer, also a2 is an integer, by Fact 2.1. Thus, we have shown that n2 = 4k where k = a2 is
an integer. By the definition of divisibility, this means 4 | n2 . This is equivalent to 4 | (n2 − 0), which by
the definition of the modulus means that n2 ≡ 0 (mod 4). Thus, in this case, we have proven the result.

Case 2: n is odd. If n is odd, then by the definition of an odd integer, n = 2a + 1 for some integer a.
Then,
n2 = (2a + 1)2 = 4a2 + 4a + 1 = 4(a2 + a) + 1.
Since a is an integer, also a2 + a is an integer, by Fact 2.1. Thus, we have shown that n2 − 1 = 4k where
k = a2 + a is an integer. By the definition of divisibility, this means 4 | (n2 − 1). By the definition of the
modulus, this means that n2 ≡ 1 (mod 4). Thus, in this case, we have proven the result.

These two cases combine to show that for any integer n, the result holds.