Prove/Disprove: c Divides (a+b) But Not a, Then c Does Not Divide b

In summary, Orikon suggests that if c divides (a+b), but c does not divide a, then c does not divide b. This is a proof by contradiction, as if c did divide a, then b would equal cn for some integer n, which would be a contradiction. However, if c does divide b, then b= cn for some n so c= a+ cn. This means c must also be divisible by a when c is divisible by b.
  • #1
Orikon
12
0
I'm having trouble with this question, I need to prove or disprove this statement: If c divides (a+b), but c does not divide a, then c does not divide b.

what i have so far is ck = (a+b) where k is some integer. Next I have a=ck-b and b=ck-a. I tried doing things like a = ck-(ck-a) but that got me nowhere. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
 
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  • #2
If c divides b, try writing b in terms of c, then go back to a=ck-b
 
  • #3
Try proof by contradiction: Suppose c does divide b. Then b= cn for some n so c= a+ cn. What does a equal? Why is that a contradiction?
 
  • #4
HallsofIvy said:
Try proof by contradiction: Suppose c does divide b. Then b= cn for some n so c= a+ cn. What does a equal? Why is that a contradiction?

Thanks for the help. I think there's a problem though, shouldn't C = (a+b)n for some integer n? Instead of c= a + cn, it should be c divides a + cn.

I tried the following c = (a +cn)k where k is another integer, so
a = (c/k) - cn but I can't figure out where to go from there. Thanks
 
  • #5
Orikon, there's a small typo in Halls' post.

c divides b => nc = b
c divides a+b => kc = a+b = a+nc {not the other way round}

So what can you say about a?
 
  • #6
Gokul43201 said:
Orikon, there's a small typo in Halls' post.

c divides b => nc = b
c divides a+b => kc = a+b = a+nc {not the other way round}

So what can you say about a?

so,
kc = a + nc
a = kc - nc
a = c(k-n)

which means c must also be divisible by a when c is divisible by b. That's the contrapositive of the original statement, so it must be true, right? :biggrin: Thank you so much!
 

1. What does the statement "c divides (a+b) but not a" mean?

The statement means that c is a divisor of the sum (a+b) but not of the individual number a. In other words, c can evenly divide the sum of a and b, but not a alone.

2. How can we prove that c does not divide b?

We can prove that c does not divide b by showing that there is a remainder when b is divided by c. If there is a remainder, then c cannot be a divisor of b.

3. Is it possible for c to divide (a+b) but not a and b individually?

No, it is not possible. If c is a divisor of (a+b), then it is also a divisor of both a and b individually. This is because (a+b) can be written as (a+0) or (0+b), and any number divided by 0 is undefined, so c must divide both a and b for (a+b) to be divisible by c.

4. What is the significance of this statement in mathematics?

This statement is significant in mathematics because it demonstrates the properties of divisibility and helps us understand the relationship between different divisors of a sum. It also highlights the importance of considering individual numbers in addition to their sum when studying divisibility.

5. Can this statement be generalized for any three numbers a, b, and c?

Yes, this statement can be generalized for any three numbers a, b, and c. The general statement would be "If c divides (a+b) but not a, then c does not divide b or a." This means that if c is a divisor of the sum of any two numbers, but not of one of the numbers individually, then it is not a divisor of either of the individual numbers.

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