Again GCD

Find the sum of all distinct values of gcd ( 2 n + 3 , 3 n 6 ) , \gcd(2n+3,3n-6), where n n is a positive integer.

Notation: gcd ( , ) \gcd(\, \cdot \, , \cdot) denotes the greatest common divisor function.


The answer is 32.

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3 solutions

Kushal Bose
Dec 26, 2016

Relevant wiki: Extended Euclidean Algorithm

By Euclid's Algorithm

gcd ( 2 n + 3 , 3 n 6 ) = gcd ( 3 n 6 2 n 3 , 2 n + 3 ) = gcd ( n 9 , 2 n + 3 ) = gcd ( n 9 , n + 12 ) = gcd ( n 9 , 21 ) . \gcd(2n+3,3n-6)=\gcd(3n-6-2n-3,2n+3)=\gcd(n-9,2n+3)=\gcd(n-9,n+12)=\gcd(n-9,21) .

So, the gcd can be 21 \leq 21 .Possible values of gcd 's are = 1 , 3 , 7 , 21 =1,3,7,21

Case(1): When gcd = 1 \gcd=1

gcd ( 2 n + 3 , 3 n 6 ) = gcd ( 2 n + 3 ) , 3 ( n 2 ) ) \gcd(2n+3,3n-6)=\gcd(2n+3),3(n-2)) The 2 n + 3 2n+3 is always odd if n 2 n-2 is even and n 3 k n \neq 3k then their gcd will be 1 1 .

Case(2) When gcd will be 3 3

if n = 3 k n=3k then both numbers 2 n + 3 2n+3 and 3 n 6 3n-6 will always have gcd 3 3

Case(3) When gcd will be 7 7

So 7 2 n + 3 7 | 2n+3 and 7 3 n 6 7| 3n-6 .From simple observation n = 2 , 9 , 16... n=2,9,16... will be solutions So n = 7 k 5 n=7k-5 then gcd will be always 7 7

Case(4) When gcd will be 21 21

So, 21 2 n + 3 21 | 2n+3 and 21 3 n 6 21 | 3n-6 Again from observation n = 9 , 30 , 51 , . . . . . n=9,30,51,..... then n = 21 k 12 n=21k-12 .Here gcd will be 21 21

Therefore, possiblle gcd will be 1 , 3 , 7 , 21 1,3,7,21 Sum is 32 32

The proof is incomplete. You have to show that each of 1 , 2 , 7 , 21 1,2,7,21 occurs.

Muhammad Rasel Parvej - 4 years, 5 months ago

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I have updated my solution

Kushal Bose - 4 years, 5 months ago
Pavan Kartik
Jun 26, 2020

Using the Euclidean algorithm we get: gcd(2n+3, 3n-6)=gcd(2n+3, n-9)= gcd(21, n-9). We notice that the maximum value of this expression is 21, so the gcd must divide 21. The list of numbers that divide 21 is: 1, 3, 7, 21. Adding all of these numbers we get the answer, which is 32

Let d d be a common divisor of ( 2 n + 3 ) (2n+3) and ( 3 n 6 ) (3n-6) .

Then, d ( 2 n + 3 ) d 3 ( 2 n + 3 ) d ( 6 n + 9 ) d \mid (2n+3) \implies d\mid 3(2n+3) \implies d\mid (6n+9) .

d ( 3 n 6 ) d 2 ( 3 n 6 ) d ( 6 n 12 ) d \mid (3n-6) \implies d\mid 2(3n-6) \implies d\mid (6n-12) .

As d ( 6 n + 9 ) d\mid (6n+9) and d ( 6 n 12 ) d\mid (6n-12) , then d ( 6 n + 9 ) ( 6 n 12 ) d 21 d \mid (6n+9)-(6n-12) \implies d\mid 21 .

Now, we show that every divisor of 21 21 is possible as a value of g c d ( 2 n + 3 , 3 n 6 ) gcd(2n+3,3n-6) .

For n = 9 n=9 , g c d ( 2 n + 3 , 3 n 6 ) = g c d ( 21 , 21 ) = 21 gcd(2n+3,3n-6)=gcd(21,21)=21 .

For n = 16 n=16 , g c d ( 2 n + 3 , 3 n 6 ) = g c d ( 35 , 47 ) = 7 gcd(2n+3,3n-6)=gcd(35,47)=7 .

For n = 12 n=12 , g c d ( 2 n + 3 , 3 n 6 ) = g c d ( 27 , 30 ) = 3 gcd(2n+3,3n-6)=gcd(27,30)=3 .

For n = 10 n=10 , g c d ( 2 n + 3 , 3 n 6 ) = g c d ( 23 , 24 ) = 1 gcd(2n+3,3n-6)=gcd(23,24)=1 .

So, 1 + 3 + 7 + 21 = 32 1+3+7+21=\boxed{32} is the answer.

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