# A quick one

by bobsmiters
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 P: 12 If a and b are relatively prime integers whose product is a square, show by means of an example that a and b are not necessarily squares. If they are not squares, what are they? Unless I read this question wrong I have not found and answer from 1 to 40... a little frustrated if anybody can help out.
 Sci Advisor HW Helper P: 2,589 $$\mathbb{Z} = \{ 0,\, 1,\, \dots ,\, 40,\, 41\, \dots \}\ \mathbf{\cup \ \{-1,\, -2,\, \dots \}}$$ Start with the assumption that a and b are coprime integers whose product is square. What can you deduce about the prime factors of a and b? You should be able to deduce something almost like that a and b should both be square, but the fact that you're looking for integers will provide a loophole.
P: 891
 Quote by AKG $$\mathbb{Z} = \{ 0,\, 1,\, \dots ,\, 40,\, 41\, \dots \}\ \mathbf{\cup \ \{-1,\, -2,\, \dots \}}$$ Start with the assumption that a and b are coprime integers whose product is square. What can you deduce about the prime factors of a and b? You should be able to deduce something almost like that a and b should both be square, but the fact that you're looking for integers will provide a loophole.
To clarify you must account for the fact that integers are both negative and positive. Remember that a square can not be negative, but that coprime factors can.

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