Tuesday, 14 October 2025

Exercise (1.1).14

Prove that $a \mid b \iff ac \mid bc$, provided $c \neq 0$.


We prove two statements:

(i) $a \mid b \implies ac \mid bc$, provided $c \neq 0$

(ii) $ac \mid bc \implies a \mid b$, provided $c \neq 0$


(i)

$a \mid b$ means there exists an integer $k$ such that 

$$b = ak$$

Multiplying both sides by $c$ gives us 

$$bc = ack$$

Which means $ac \mid bc$.


(ii)

$ac \mid bc$ means there exists an integer $k$ such that 

$$bc = ack$$

Dividing both sides by $c$, which can't be 0, gives us 

$$b = ak$$

Which means $a \mid b$.


Both results (i) and (ii) gives us  $a \mid b \iff ac \mid bc$, provided $c \neq 0$.