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Exercise 914Number theory › Divisibility and gcdL1Added 3 Nov 2026

Divisors of coprime numbers

#coprime#divisors#factorization

Statement

Let a,ba,b be coprime positive integers. Show that if d∣abd\mid ab, then d=d1d2d=d_1d_2 with d1∣ad_1\mid a, d2∣bd_2\mid b, and d1,d2d_1,d_2 coprime.

Hint

Define d1=gcd⁡(d,a)d_1=\gcd(d,a) and d2=d/d1d_2=d/d_1.

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Solution

Setup. Let d1=gcd⁡(d,a)d_1=\gcd(d,a) and d2=d/d1d_2=d/d_1. Then d1∣ad_1\mid a.

Show d2∣bd_2\mid b. Since d∣abd\mid ab and d1∣ad_1\mid a, we have d2=d/d1∣(a/d1)bd_2=d/d_1\mid (a/d_1)b. Since gcd⁡(d1,d2)=1\gcd(d_1,d_2)=1 and gcd⁡(a/d1,b)=1\gcd(a/d_1,b)=1 (as gcd⁡(a,b)=1\gcd(a,b)=1), Gauss's lemma gives d2∣bd_2\mid b.

Coprimality. gcd⁡(d1,d2)=1\gcd(d_1,d_2)=1 by construction.

Conclusion. Every divisor of abab splits uniquely as a product of coprime divisors of aa and bb.