Math Problem Statement

Let a, b be nonzero integers and c be some integer. Which of the following statements must be true about the linear Diophantine equation below? ax + by = c.

Solution

The question in the image involves a linear Diophantine equation of the form ax+by=cax + by = c, where aa and bb are nonzero integers, and cc is some integer. You are being asked to determine which of the given statements must be true about such an equation.

I'll go through each statement to provide an explanation of whether it's true or false.

  1. "If the Diophantine equation has a rational solution, i.e., a choice of rational numbers x=x0,y=y0x = x_0, y = y_0 that satisfies the equation, then the equation has at least one integer solution."

    • This statement is false. The existence of a rational solution does not imply that there must be an integer solution. For a Diophantine equation, we are only concerned with integer solutions, and rational solutions can exist even when no integer solutions do.
  2. "By Bezout's identity, the Diophantine equation only has a solution if cc is equal to the greatest common divisor of aa and bb."

    • This statement is false. According to Bezout's identity, the equation has a solution if and only if the greatest common divisor (gcd) of aa and bb divides cc. cc doesn't have to be equal to the gcd, but it must be divisible by the gcd.
  3. "All of the solutions of the Diophantine equation are of the form x=x0+bk,y=y0akx = x_0 + bk, y = y_0 - ak, where x=x0,y=y0x = x_0, y = y_0 is a solution."

    • This statement is true. If x0,y0x_0, y_0 is a particular solution to the equation, then all integer solutions can be expressed in the form x=x0+bk,y=y0akx = x_0 + bk, y = y_0 - ak, where kk is any integer. This is a standard result for linear Diophantine equations.
  4. "If a,ba, b have a common divisor that does not divide cc, then there are no solutions."

    • This statement is true. For the equation ax+by=cax + by = c to have a solution, the greatest common divisor of aa and bb must divide cc. If it doesn't, there are no integer solutions.
  5. "If the greatest common divisor of aa and bb is also a divisor of cc, then there exists at least one solution."

    • This statement is true. By Bezout's identity, if gcd(a,b)gcd(a, b) divides cc, then the Diophantine equation has at least one integer solution.
  6. "If a,ba, b have a common divisor that divides cc, then there must be at least one solution."

    • This statement is essentially a rephrasing of the previous one and is true for the same reason. If the gcd of aa and bb divides cc, the equation has a solution.
  7. "If the greatest common divisor of aa and bb is also a divisor of cc, then there must exist infinitely many solutions."

    • This statement is true. Once you have one particular solution, you can generate infinitely many solutions using the formula x=x0+bk,y=y0akx = x_0 + bk, y = y_0 - ak, where kk is any integer.

Summary of True Statements:

  • Statement 3: True
  • Statement 4: True
  • Statement 5: True
  • Statement 6: True
  • Statement 7: True

Would you like further details on any specific statement or a step-by-step explanation? Here are five related questions you might consider next:

  1. How does Bezout's identity help in solving Diophantine equations?
  2. Can there be negative integer solutions to a linear Diophantine equation?
  3. What is the geometric interpretation of the solutions to a Diophantine equation?
  4. How can you find the particular solution to ax+by=cax + by = c?
  5. Why is the general solution expressed in the form x=x0+bkx = x_0 + bk and y=y0aky = y_0 - ak?

Tip: For linear Diophantine equations, finding the gcd of the coefficients is key to determining whether solutions exist.

Ask a new question for Free

By Image

Drop file here or Click Here to upload

Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Linear Diophantine Equations
Number Theory
Greatest Common Divisor (GCD)

Formulas

ax + by = c

Theorems

Bezout's Identity
Greatest Common Divisor

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 10-12