Euclid and the GCD

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By definition, the Greatest Common Divisor (GCD) of two positive integers is the largest integer which divides both integers exactly.   

2000 years ago Mr. Euclid developed, or a least published,  an algorithm for finding the GCD of two numbers.  His version was strictly geometrical and depends on the fact that the  the GCD of any two numbers a and b (with a not less than b)  is the same as the GCD of the b and the remainder when a is divided by b

Algebra hadn't been invented when Euclid published his technique, but an algebraic proof looks like this:

Take any two positive integers a and b with b smaller than a.   Euclid noted that there are integers r and q such that a=qb + r.   (Just divide b into a, then q is the  quotient and r is the remainder.)

Any  common factor, N,  of b and r divides a exactly : (N divides b so it divides qb and it divides r so it divides the sum,  qb + r,   which is a of course.) 

Any common factor, M,  of a and b divides r exactly :   (r =a-qb so  r/M=a/M-qb/Ma/M is an integer and qb/M is an integer so their difference, r/M, is an integer so M divides r.)

Note that all of the N's are M's and all the M's are N's so the largest N must equal the largest M.  In other words:  GCD(a,b) = GCD(b,r).  b is less than a and r is less than b so we can repeat these steps substituting b for a and r for b  until r becomes 0.  the previous step has a=qb+0 and  b is the desired GCD.

Here's an example of the algorithm in action

Find the GCD of 2322 and 654.  Let a = 2322, b = 654

2322/654 =3. Remainder = 360 so gcd(2322, 654) = gcd(654, 360)
654/360 = 1, Remainder = 294 so gcd(654, 360) = gcd(360, 294)
360/294 = 1, Remainder =  66 so gcd(360, 294) = gcd(294, 66)
294/ 66 = 4, Remainder =  30 so gcd(294, 66) = gcd(66, 30)
66/30 = 2, Reaminder =  6 so gcd(66, 30) = gcd(30, 6)
30/6  = 5, Remainder 0  so gcd(30, 6) = 6

Therefore, gcd(2322,654) = 6.

Check http://www.cut-the-knot.com/blue/Euclid.html for more good info.  Program PiCalc2 on this site estimates of Pi by calculating the GCD of pairs of random integers. 

A Sample Implementation in Delphi

Function gcd(a,b:integer):integer;
  {return greatest common denominator of a and b} 

var g,z:integer;
    begin
        g:=b;
        while g<>0 do
        begin
            z:=a mod g;
            a:=g;
            g:=z;
        end;
        result:=a;
    end;

  

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