[Math] Are complex conjugate gaussian integers always relatively prime

number theory

Trying to find general formulas for gcd of gaussian integers. I noticed that there seems to be a pattern where the factorization of

$(a+bi)=(1+i)(\frac{a+b}{2} + \frac{b-a}{2}i)$ and

$(b+ai)=(1+i)(\frac{a+b}{2} – \frac{b-a}{2}i)$

if a and b are relatively prime odd integers.

My question is, will $(\frac{a+b}{2} + \frac{b-a}{2}i)$ and $(\frac{a+b}{2} – \frac{b-a}{2}i)$ always be relatively prime?

Best Answer

Let $a,b$ be odd, relatively prime integers.

Claim: In $Z[i]$, the elements $$c + di\;\;\text{and}\;\;c - di$$ are relatively prime, where $$c = \frac{b+a}{2}\;\;\text{and}\;\;d=\frac{b-a}{2}$$ Note that any integer common factor of $c$ and $d$ would divide $c+d$ and $c-d$, hence would divide $a$ and $b$.

It follows that $\gcd(c,d) = 1$.

Also, since $a,b$ are odd, one of $c,d$ is odd, the other even, hence $c^2+d^2$ is odd.

Suppose that in $\mathbb{Z}[i]$, the element $s$ is a common factor of $c + di\;$and$\;c-di$.

The goal is to show that $s$ is a unit of $\mathbb{Z}[i]$.

In the steps below, the divisibility symbol means divisibility in $\mathbb{Z}$ provided the expressions on both sides of the symbol are necessarily integers; otherwise it means divisibility in $\mathbb{Z}[i]$.

\begin{align*} \text{Then}\;\;&s \mid (c + di)\\[4pt] \implies\;&|s|^2 \mid (c^2 + d^2)\\[4pt] \implies\;&|s|^2\;\text{is odd}&&\text{[since $c^2 + d^2$ is odd]}\\[12pt] \text{Also}\;\;&s \mid (c+di)\;\;\text{and}\;\;s \mid (c-di)\\[4pt] \implies\;&s\mid \bigl((c+di) + (c-di)\bigr)\\[0pt] &\;\;\text{and}\\[0pt] &s\mid \bigl((c+di) - (c-di)\bigr)\\[4pt] \implies\;&s \mid (2c)\;\;\text{and}\;\;s \mid (2di)\\[4pt] \implies\;&|s|^2 \mid (4c^2)\;\;\text{and}\;\;|s|^2 \mid (4d^2)\\[4pt] \implies\;&|s|^2 \mid c^2\;\;\text{and}\;\;|s|^2 \mid d^2&&\text{[since $|s|^2$ is odd]}\\[4pt] \implies\;&|s|^2 = 1&&\text{[since $\gcd(c,d)=1$]}\\[4pt] \end{align*}

so $s$ is a unit of $Z[i]$, as was to be shown.

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