Can You Prove the GCD Inequality for Natural Numbers?

In summary, the gcd inequality is a mathematical statement that relates the greatest common divisor of two integers to their sum and difference. It is important because it helps us understand and prove other mathematical concepts and has numerous applications. The inequality can be proven using various methods, and can also be extended to more than two integers. The only exception is when one or both integers are equal to zero.
  • #1
lfdahl
Gold Member
MHB
749
0
Prove, that for all natural numbers, $a$ and $b$, with $b > a$:

\[\frac{ab}{(a,b)}+\frac{(a+1)(b+1)}{(a+1,b+1)}\geq \frac{2ab}{\sqrt{b-a}}\]

where $(m,n)$ denotes the greatest common divisor of the natural numbers $m$ and $n$.
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
  • #2
lfdahl said:
Prove, that for all natural numbers, $a$ and $b$, with $b > a$:

\[\frac{ab}{(a,b)}+\frac{(a+1)(b+1)}{(a+1,b+1)}\geq \frac{2ab}{\sqrt{b-a}}\]

where $(m,n)$ denotes the greatest common divisor of the natural numbers $m$ and $n$.
let $A=\dfrac{ab}{(a,b)}+\dfrac{(a+1)(b+1)}{(a+1,b+1)}$
$B=\dfrac{2ab}{\sqrt{b-a}}$
using $a\times b=(a,b)\times [a,b]$
where $(a,b)$ denotes the greatest common divisor of the natural numbers $a$ and $b$
and $[a,b]$ denotes the least common multiple of the natural numbers $a$ and $b$
we have $min(A)=b+b+1\leq A=[a,b]+[a+1,b+1]\leq ab+(a+1)(b+1)$
$=2ab+a+b+1=max(A)$
$B\leq 2ab=max(B)$
if we can find a solution $min(A)\geq max(B)$
that is to find solution $2b+1\geq 2ab$ then we have the proof
in this case $a=1,b>a$
in general we may set $b-a=k>0$
to find $\sqrt k(2b+1)\geq 2ab$
we get $\sqrt k=a,or \,\, k=a^2$
 
Last edited:
  • #3
Albert said:
let $A=\dfrac{ab}{(a,b)}+\dfrac{(a+1)(b+1)}{(a+1,b+1)}$
$B=\dfrac{2ab}{\sqrt{b-a}}$
using $a\times b=(a,b)\times [a,b]$
where $(a,b)$ denotes the greatest common divisor of the natural numbers $a$ and $b$
and $[a,b]$ denotes the least common multiple of the natural numbers $a$ and $b$
we have $min(A)=b+b+1\leq A=[a,b]+[a+1,b+1]\leq ab+(a+1)(b+1)$
$=2ab+a+b+1=max(A)$
$B\leq 2ab=max(B)$
if we can find a solution $min(A)\geq max(B)$
that is to find solution $2b+1\geq 2ab$ then we have the proof
in this case $a=1,b>a$
in general we may set $b-a=k>0$
to find $\sqrt k(2b+1)\geq 2ab$
we get $\sqrt k=a,or \,\, k=a^2$

Thankyou, Albert for your approach to the problem. Well done.

Here´s another approach:

By applying the AM-GM inequality we get:
\[\frac{ab}{(a,b)}+\frac{(a+1)(b+1)}{(a+1,b+1)}\geq 2 \sqrt{\frac{a(a+1)b(b+1)}{(a,b)(a+1,b+1)}} > \frac{2ab}{\sqrt{(a,b)(a+1,b+1)}}\]
In order to complete the solution, we now show that:
\[b-a \ge (a,b)(a+1,b+1)\]
Indeed, $(a,b)$ and $(a+1,b+1)$ both divide $b-a$, since the greatest common divisor of two
numbers also divides their difference. On the other hand, $(a,b)$ and $(a+1,b+1)$ are coprimes.
Therefore the product $(a,b)(a+1,b+1)$ divides $b-a$. Hence the inequality is proved.
 

1. What is the gcd inequality?

The gcd inequality, also known as the greatest common divisor inequality, is a mathematical statement that relates the greatest common divisor of two integers to their sum and their difference. It states that the greatest common divisor of two integers is always less than or equal to the sum of the absolute values of the integers, and also less than or equal to their absolute difference.

2. Why is the gcd inequality important?

The gcd inequality is important because it helps us understand and prove several other important mathematical concepts, such as the Euclidean algorithm, the fundamental theorem of arithmetic, and the properties of prime numbers. It also has numerous applications in number theory, algebra, and cryptography.

3. How is the gcd inequality proven?

The gcd inequality can be proven using various methods, such as mathematical induction, contradiction, or direct proof. One common method is proof by contradiction, where we assume that the inequality is false and then show that this leads to a contradiction. Another approach is to use the properties of gcd and divisibility to manipulate the expressions and show that the inequality holds.

4. Can the gcd inequality be extended to more than two integers?

Yes, the gcd inequality can be extended to any finite number of integers. For example, if we have three integers a, b, and c, the gcd inequality states that the gcd of a, b, and c is always less than or equal to the sum of their absolute values, and also less than or equal to the absolute difference between any two of the integers.

5. Are there any exceptions to the gcd inequality?

No, the gcd inequality holds true for all integers, with the only exception being when one or both of the integers is equal to zero. In this case, the greatest common divisor is undefined and the inequality does not apply. However, for all other non-zero integers, the gcd inequality is always true.

Similar threads

Replies
13
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
1K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
965
  • General Math
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
1K
Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
2
Views
1K
Replies
19
Views
5K
Replies
6
Views
2K
Back
Top