Largest GCD

Over all integers n n , what is the largest possible value of gcd ( 7 n 13 , 13 n + 7 ) \gcd ( 7n -13 , 13n +7 ) ?


The answer is 218.

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2 solutions

Patrick Corn
Apr 20, 2015

If d d divides 7 n 13 7n-13 and 13 n + 7 13n+7 , then it also divides 91 n 169 91n-169 and 91 n + 49 91n+49 , so it divides their difference, which is 218 218 . So d 218 d \le 218 .

If n = 33 n = 33 , then 7 n 13 = 218 7n-13 = 218 and 13 n + 7 = 436 13n+7 = 436 , so the gcd is 218 218 . So the maximum is attained: 218 \fbox{218} .

Moderator note:

Wow great! I'm speechless!

Steven Lee
Apr 20, 2015

You can use the Euclidean algorithm to solve this problem which states gcd ( m , n ) = gcd ( m n , n ) \gcd (m, n)=\gcd(m-n, n) . gcd ( 7 n 13 , 13 n + 7 ) \gcd(7n-13, 13n+7) gcd ( 7 n 13 , 6 n + 20 ) \gcd(7n-13, 6n+20) gcd ( n 33 , 6 n + 20 ) \gcd(n-33, 6n+20) gcd ( n 33 , 218 ) \gcd(n-33, 218)

Therefore, the largest value of gcd is 218 \fbox{218}

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