Loyola University Chicago Final Exam Sample B Solutions
Math 201, Fall 2011
Name (print): Signature:
Please do not start working until instructed to do so.
You have 2 hours.
You must show your work to receive full credit.
You may use one double-sided 8.5 by 11 sheet of handwritten (by you) notes.
Problem 1.
Problem 2.
Problem 3.
Problem 4.
Problem 5.
Problem 6.
Problem 7.
Problem 8.
Problem 9.
Total.
Problem 1.(11 points total) Let A, B, and C be sets such that A ⊂ C and B ⊂ C. Prove that
C \ (A ∩ B) = (C \ A) ∪ (C \ B).
Just in case: C \ A is the set of all elements of C that are not elements of A.
Solution: need to prove that
x ∈ C \ (A ∩ B) ⇐⇒ x ∈ (C \ A) ∪ (C \ B).
Use the definitions of the set difference, union, and intersection, to change this equivalence to:
x ∈ C AND NOT x ∈ (A ∩ B) ⇐⇒ x ∈ (C \ A) OR x ∈ (C \ B),
x ∈ C AND NOT (x ∈ A AND x ∈ B) ⇐⇒ (x ∈ C AND NOT x ∈ A) OR (x ∈ C AND NOT x ∈ B).
Now, let P be “x ∈ A”, Q be “x ∈ B”, and R be “x ∈ C”. It is left to show that
R AND NOT (P AND Q) ⇐⇒ (R AND NOT P ) OR (R AND NOT Q).
Do this using a truth table.
Problem 2.(10 points total) Prove that 5n − 4n − 1 is divisible by 16 for all n ∈ N.
Solution: use induction. For n = 1, 5n −4n−1 = 0, and 16|0. Suppose that 5n −4n−1 is divisible
by 16. In other words, 5n − 4n − 1 = 16k for some k ∈ Z. Need to show that 5n+1 − 4(n + 1) − 1 is
divisible by 16.
5n+1 − 4(n + 1) − 1 = 5(16k + 4n + 1) − 4n − 5 = 16(5k + n)
Done!
√
3
Problem 3.(10 points) Prove that 9 is not a rational number.
√
Solution: suppose that it is. Then, there are integer p, q with gcd(p, q) = 1 such that 3 9 = qp .
Then 9q 3 = p3 , so 3|p3 , and since 3 is prime, 3|p. Then 33 |p3 , and so 33 |9q 3 . This means that 3|q 3
and 3|q. Contradiction.
Problem 4.(10 points total) Find all nonnegative integer solutions to
38x + 34y = 200.
Solution: extended Euclidean algorithm gives that gcd(38, 34) = 2, 38(−8) + 34(9) = 2, and
38(17) + 34(−19) = 0. Then
38(−800) + 34(900) = 200
and, for any k ∈ Z,
38(−800 + 17k) + 34(900 − 19k) = 200.
Need to find k such that x = 800 + 17k, y = 900 − 19k are nonnegative. So:
800 + 17k ≥ 0, 900 − 19k ≥ 0, k ≥ −800/17, k ≤ 900/19.
Final answer: solutions are
x = 800 + 17k, y = 900 − 19k, where k ∈ Z, −800/17 ≤ k ≤ 900/19.
Problem 5.(11 points total) Prove that a number is divisible by 3 if and only if the sum of its
digits is divisible by 3.
Solution: find in the textbook!
Problem 6.(10 points) Find the inverse of [9] in Z23 . Full credit only for an answer involving a
positive integer less than 23.
Solution: hint — solve 9x + 23y = 1 to find x between 0 and 23...
Problem 7.(11 points total) Solve the simultaneous congruences:
2x ≡ 3 (mod 7), 4x ≡ 5 (mod 9).
Solution: multiply 2x ≡ 3 (mod 7) by 4, which is the inverse of 2, to get x ≡ 5 (mod 7). So
x = 5 + 7y for y ∈ Z. Plug this to the other equation to get 20 + 28y ≡ 5 (mod 9). Simplify to get
2 + y ≡ 5 (mod 9), y ≡ 3 (mod 9), so y = 3 + 9z for z ∈ Z. Then x = 5 + 7(3 + 9z) = 26 + 63z where
z ∈ Z.
Problem 8.(16 points total) How many elements does each of the following sets have? Frame your
answer. No partial credit.
a.(4 points) Nonnegative divisors of 6300.
Solution: 6300 = 22 · 32 · 52 · 7 so the answer is 3 · 3 · 3 · 2.
b.(4 points) Common divisors of 420 and 990.
Solution: gcd(420, 990) = 2 · 3 · 5, so answer is 2 · 2 · 2.
c.(4 points) Four digit numbers greater than or equal to 3700 with distinct digits.
Solution: 3 · 8 · 7 + 6 · 9 · 8 · 7.
d.(4 points) Ways of arranging all of the elements of the set {A, B, C, D, E, F, G} in a line such
that D is in the last place.
Solution: 6!.
Problem 9.(11 points) Let a, b, c ∈ Z be positive. The greatest common divisor gcd(a, b, c) is the
largest positive integer that divides all three of them. Prove that
gcd(a, b, c) = gcd(a, gcd(b, c)).
Solution: Let d = gcd(a, b, c). Then d|a, d|b, d|c, hence also d|a and d|gcd(b, c). Then d ≤
gcd(a, gcd(b, c)) and so
gcd(a, b, c) ≤ gcd(a, gcd(b, c)).
Now let e = gcd(b, c). Then e|b and e|c. Let f = gcd(a, gcd(b, c)) = gcd(a, e). Then f |a and f |e. But
e|b and e|c, so f |b and f |c. Then f |a, f |b, and f |c which implies f ≤ gcd(a, b, c). So
gcd(a, b, c) ≥ gcd(a, gcd(b, c)).
This finishes the proof.
