Proof That 1979 Divides p in Math Series

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The discussion centers on proving that 1979 divides the natural number p in the series defined by p/q = 1 - 1/2 + 1/3 - 1/4 + ... - 1/1318 + 1/1319. It is established that since 1979 is a prime number, and 1319! is coprime to 1979, the divisibility of 1979 by p can be inferred if 1979 divides the alternating sum of integers derived from 1319!. The participants provide hints to guide the proof, emphasizing the importance of the factorial and the properties of prime numbers in the context of series summation.

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Let p,q is natural.
p/q=1-1/2+1/3-1/4+...-1/1318+1/1319.
How can I proof that 1979|p.
 
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can't we use series for this,

[tex]\frac{p}{q}=\sum_{r=0}^{659}\frac{1}{2r+1}-\sum_{r=1}^{659}\frac{1}{2r}[/tex]
 


Here are several hints to get you started. First, observe that1979 is prime, so 1319! is coprime to 1979, so if the 1979 divides 1319!*p/q, then 1979 divides p. Hence you only have to show that the sum of integers 1319!/1 - 1319!/2 + 1319!/3... is divisible by 1979. Some further hints:

Hint 1:
This is equivalent to showing that the sum is congruent to zero mod 1979, so do all your work in the finite field Z/1979Z

Hint 2:
Represent the sum as <tex>1319!\left(\sum_{k=1}^{1319}k^{-1} - 2\sum_{k=1}^{659}(2k)^{-1}\right)</tex> (change the angle brackets to square brackets to see the tex rendered)

Hint 3:
As k goes from 1 to 659, -k goes from 1978 to 1320 (mod 1979)

Hint 4:
If k ranges over the nonzero elements of Z/1979Z, so does k^(-1)
 

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