Thursday, 23 October 2025

Exercise (1.4).2

Determine whether the following equations have integer solutions. If they do have solutions, find the general solution:

(a) $2x + 4y= 1$

(b) $48x + 56y= 32$

(c) $54x + 180y= −72$


(a) Here $\gcd(2,4) = 4$, which does not divide 1. Therefore the equation does not have integer solutions.


(b) Here $\gcd(48,56)=8$, which divides 32. Therefore the equation does have integer solutions.

By trial and error we find one solution $x_0=10, y_0=-8$. The general solution is

$$ x = 10 + 7t \quad y =-8 - 6t$$

for any integer $t$.


(c) Here $\gcd(54, 180)=18$, which does divide -72. Therefore the equation does have integer solutions.

By trial and error we find one solution $x_0=2, y_0=-1$. The general solution is

$$ x = 2 + 10t \quad y =-1 - 3t$$

for any integer $t$.