Prove that a positive integer n is a prime number if no prime number less than or equal to √n divides n.
Answer:
- Let n be a positive integer such that any prime number less than or equal to √n does not divide n.
Now, we have to prove that n is prime. - Let us assume n is not a prime integer, then n can be written as
n=yz where 1<y≤z
⟹y≤√n and z≥√n - Let p be a prime factor of y, then, p≤y≤√n and p divides y.
⟹p|yz⟹p|n.....(1) - By eq(1), we get a prime number less than or equal to √n that divides n. This contradicts the given fact that any prime number less than or equal to √n does not divide n, therefore, our assumption that n is not a prime integer was wrong.
- Hence, if no prime number less than or equal to √n divides n, then n is a prime integer.