SaraGuru's blog

Need Help in a proof
By SaraGuru, 9 years ago, In English

hi friends!! i recently tired to solve the following problem: http://codeforces.net/problemset/problem/346/A ...i couldn't solve it and in the editorial it was given that the final set always converges to {d,2d,...,max(xi)} where d=gcd(xi)...can anyone prove this statement!! thanks in advance

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9 years ago, # |
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If d divides x and y, then it divides their x - y, so you cannot construct any other numbers. If x and y can be constructed, then can be constructed. It follows that gcd(x, y) can be constructed because it is calculated by Euclidean algorithm (which is just a series of modular divisions). So d can be constructed too. And finally, if max(xi) = nd, then any number from the set kd = max(xi) - (n - k)d = max(xi) - d - d - ... can be constructed.

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    9 years ago, # ^ |
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    thank you soooo much!! i have one more question to ask you bro.. during contest time will be able to find such things mathematically or you just go by intuition????

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