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Exercise 369Number theory › Divisibility and gcdHigh schoolAdded 2 Nov 2026

The relation between divisibility and lcm

#divisibility#lcm#product relation

Statement

Let a,ba,b be positive integers. Show that
\divisibility(a,b)⋅lcm⁡(a,b)=ab.\divisibility(a,b)\cdot\operatorname{lcm}(a,b)=ab.

Hint

Write a=δa′a=\delta a' and b=δb′b=\delta b' with \divisibility(a′,b′)=1\divisibility(a',b')=1, where δ=\divisibility(a,b)\delta=\divisibility(a,b).

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Solution

Setup. Let δ=\divisibility(a,b)\delta=\divisibility(a,b), a=δa′a=\delta a', b=δb′b=\delta b' with \divisibility(a′,b′)=1\divisibility(a',b')=1.

LCM. Any common multiple MM of aa and bb satisfies M=αa=βbM=\alpha a=\beta b, so αδa′=βδb′\alpha\delta a'=\beta\delta b', i.e. αa′=βb′\alpha a'=\beta b'. Since \divisibility(a′,b′)=1\divisibility(a',b')=1, a′∣βa'\mid\beta, say β=ka′\beta=ka'. Then
M=kb′δa′=k ab/δ.M=k b'\delta a'=k\,ab/\delta.
The smallest positive such MM is for k=1k=1, so
lcm⁡(a,b)=abδ.\operatorname{lcm}(a,b)=\frac{ab}{\delta}.

Conclusion. Multiplying by δ\delta:
\divisibility(a,b)⋅lcm⁡(a,b)=ab.\divisibility(a,b)\cdot\operatorname{lcm}(a,b)=ab.

Remark. If \divisibility(a,b)=1\divisibility(a,b)=1, then lcm⁡(a,b)=ab\operatorname{lcm}(a,b)=ab.