Can anyone please review/verify this proof of greatest common divisor?

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SUMMARY

The proof establishes that the greatest common divisor (gcd) of two positive integers divides their least common multiple (lcm). It begins with the definition gcd(a, b) = d, leading to the conclusion that d divides both a and b. By expressing a and b as multiples of d, the proof demonstrates that lcm(a, b) can be represented as dm*n, confirming that gcd(a, b) divides lcm(a, b). The discussion also emphasizes the relationship between prime factors in the context of gcd and lcm using specific examples, such as 12 and 28.

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Math100
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Homework Statement
Prove that the greatest common divisor of two positive integers divides their least common multiple.
Relevant Equations
None.
Proof: Suppose gcd(a, b)=d.
Then we have d##\mid##a and d##\mid##b for some a, b##\in## ##\mathbb{Z}##.
This means a=md and b=nd for some m, n##\in## ##\mathbb{Z}##.
Now we have lcm(a, b)=##\frac{ab}{gcd(a, b)}##
=##\frac{(md)(nd)}{d}##
=dmn
=dk,
where k=mn is an integer.
Thus, d##\mid##lcm(a, b), and so gcd(a, b)##\mid##lcm(a, b).
Therefore, the greatest common divisor of two positive integers divides their least common multiple.
 
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Seems sufficient. Note that the LCM is also basically a multiplication of unique prime factors, for lack of a better phrasing. Take 12 and 28, for example. One is 2*2*3, and the other is 2*2*7. So you end up with 2*2*3*7 as the LCM. The GCD, on the other hand, is prime factors in common, so I this example, 2*2, which are exactly the duplicate factors that get extracted from the LCM, but they must necissarily exist in the LCM.
 
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valenumr said:
Seems sufficient. Note that the LCM is also basically a multiplication of unique prime factors, for lack of a better phrasing. Take 12 and 28, for example. One is 2*2*3, and the other is 2*2*7. So you end up with 2*2*3*7 as the LCM. The GCD, on the other hand, is prime factors in common, so I this example, 2*2, which are exactly the duplicate factors that get extracted from the LCM, but they must necissarily exist in the LCM.
Thank you for the help.
 

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