Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2023/prelims/mathematics-iv/7/a/ii/solution

Back-substitution in the Euclidean algorithm gives the Bezout identity
Multiplying by five produces a particular solution . Since and are coprime integers, all solutions of the linear Diophantine equation are
Replacing by gives the smaller equivalent starting solution
Indeed . Conversely, subtracting this solution from any other gives . Coprimality forces to divide , and then is the corresponding multiple of . This proves completeness of the family.

New to topics? Read the docs here!