Wednesday, 15 October 2025

Exercise (1.1).18

Prove that (relatively prime means their gcd is 1):

(a) two consecutive integers are relatively prime.

(b) two consecutive odd integers are relatively prime.


(a) Consider two consecutive integers $m$ and $n=m+1$.

If $a \mid m$, then $m = ak$, for some integer $k$.

If we also have $a \mid n$, then $m+1= aj$, for some integer $j$.

Combining, we have 

$$aj = ak + 1$$

Since $a \neq 0$, we can divide through,

$$j = k + \frac{1}{a}$$

The only way $j$ and $k$ are integers is if $a=1$. 

That is, the common divisor of two consecutive integers is 1. Which is the same as concluding they are relatively prime.


(b) Consider two consecutive odd integers $m = 2k+1$ and $n=2k+3$, for some integer $k$.

If $a$ is a common divisor, then we have, for some integers $j, k$,

$$2k + 1 = ak$$

$$2k + 3 = aj$$

Subtracting, and re-arranging, we have

$$j= k + \frac{2}{a}$$

For $j$ and $k$ to be integers, $a$ must be 1 or 2. However, since $m$ and $n$ are odd, they don't have 2 as a divisor, so only $a=1$ remains as a possibility. 

That is, the common divisor of two consecutive odd numbers is 1. Which is the same as concluding they are relatively prime.