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Exercise 1487Number theory › Divisibility and gcdHigh schoolAdded 2 Nov 2026

Solving $\divisibility(a,b)+\operatorname{lcm}(a,b)=9+b$

#divisibility#lcm#Diophantine equation

Statement

Find all positive integers a,ba,b such that
\divisibility(a,b)+lcm⁡(a,b)=9+b.\divisibility(a,b)+\operatorname{lcm}(a,b)=9+b.

Hint

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. Show that δ∣9\delta\mid9.

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Solution

Reduction. 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. Then lcm⁡(a,b)=δa′b′\operatorname{lcm}(a,b)=\delta a'b', and the equation becomes
δ+δa′b′=9+δb′,\delta+\delta a'b'=9+\delta b',
i.e.
δ(1+a′b′−b′)=9.\delta(1+a'b'-b')=9.
So δ∣9\delta\mid9.

Case analysis. δ∈{1,3,9}\delta\in\{1,3,9\}.

  • δ=1\delta=1: 1+a′b′−b′=91+a'b'-b'=9, so a′b′−b′=8a'b'-b'=8, i.e. b′(a′−1)=8b'(a'-1)=8. With \divisibility(a′,b′)=1\divisibility(a',b')=1, solve the divisor cases.
  • δ=3\delta=3: 3(1+a′b′−b′)=93(1+a'b'-b')=9, so a′b′−b′=2a'b'-b'=2, i.e. b′(a′−1)=2b'(a'-1)=2.
  • δ=9\delta=9: 1+a′b′−b′=11+a'b'-b'=1, so a′b′=b′a'b'=b', i.e. b′(a′−1)=0b'(a'-1)=0, hence a′=1a'=1 (since b′>0b'>0). Then a=δ=9a=\delta=9 and b=9b′b=9b' arbitrary.

Conclusion. The full solution set is obtained by checking the finitely many divisor cases for each δ\delta. For δ=9\delta=9, the solutions are a=9a=9, b≡0(mod9)b\equiv0\pmod9.