Existence, Euclid's lemma and unique factors

On this page
  1. Goal and scope
  2. Givens and symbols
  3. Rules and sources
  4. Main derivation
  5. Substeps and lemmas
  6. Reverse audits
  7. Error controls and negative controls
  8. Result and limitations
  9. Verification and source binding

← Guide index · Original MKO

derivation-mko-unique-prime-factorization-01 · ocme-new142-reader-adoption-20261021

Goal and scope

Every positive integer n>1 has a unique prime multiset; 360=2^3*3^2*5, with signs and units separate.

Existence and uniqueness by strong induction and an explicit Bezout prerequisite, then complete trial division for 360.

Givens and symbols

  • calc
  • G1 — The theorem domain is integers n>1; the example is 360; factor order is ignored but multiplicity retained.
  • p_i,q_j — prime factors with multiplicity
  • r,s — finite factor counts

Rules and sources

  • calc · prerequisite — Assume exact integer arithmetic, division with remainder, and definitions of divisibility and gcd; every congruence has an explicit modulus. Also assume well-founded/strong induction on positive integers and the Bezout identity for coprime integers.
  • mko_definition · cited — Separate existence from uniqueness. Induction/well-founded reasoning gives existence, with complete bounded trial-division instances as computational companions. Uniqueness keeps the Euclid-lemma witness p|ab implies p|a or p|b, not just a few matching outputs. General factorizations may contain several distinct primes. Separate a negative sign, units±1 with the empty prime product and zero, which has no such factorization. · mko-unique-prime-factorization

Main derivation

S01 · implies

Before

n>1,\quad d=\min\{m>1:m\mid n\}

After

d\text{ prime}

Conditions: none

Rule: calc · Uses: G1

Leaf basis: calc

If d=uv with 1<u<d, then u divides n, contradicting minimality; hence the least nonunit divisor is prime.

S02 · implies

Before

n=dq,\quad d\text{ prime},\quad1\le q<n

After

q=1\Rightarrow n=d;\quad q>1\Rightarrow q\text{ has prime factors by induction}

Conditions: none

Rule: calc · Uses: G1, S01

Leaf basis: calc

The quotient is smaller than n; strong induction factors q and adjoining d proves existence, with n=2 covered by q=1.

S03 · implies

Before

p\text{ prime},\quad p\mid ab,\quad p\nmid a

After

\gcd(p,a)=1\Rightarrow\exists u,v:\ up+va=1

Conditions: none

Rule: calc · Uses: G1

Leaf basis: calc

The only positive divisors of p are 1,p; since p does not divide a, they are coprime and the stated Bezout prerequisite applies.

S04 · implies

Before

up+va=1,\quad p\mid ab

After

b=upb+vab\Rightarrow p\mid b

Conditions: none

Rule: calc · Uses: G1, S03

Leaf basis: calc

After multiplication by b, both terms are divisible by p, proving Euclid's lemma.

S05 · implies

Before

\prod_{i=1}^{r}p_i=\prod_{j=1}^{s}q_j,\quad p_i,q_j\text{ prime}

After

p_1\mid\prod_{j=1}^{s}q_j\Rightarrow\exists j:\ p_1\mid q_j\Rightarrow p_1=q_j

Conditions: none

Rule: calc · Uses: G1, S04

Leaf basis: calc

Finite-product induction using Euclid's lemma makes p1 equal to one prime on the right.

S06 · implies

Before

p_1=q_j\ne0

After

\text{cancel }p_1\text{ and induct on }r+s\Rightarrow\{p_i\}_{\rm multiset}=\{q_j\}_{\rm multiset}

Conditions: none

Rule: calc · Uses: G1, S02, S05

Leaf basis: calc

Cancel the nonzero prime and decrease the total factor count until empty product 1; a nonempty prime product is at least 2 and cannot equal 1.

S07 · implies

Before

360

After

360=2\cdot180=2^2\cdot90=2^3\cdot45=2^3\cdot3\cdot15=2^3\cdot3^2\cdot5

Conditions: none

Rule: calc · Uses: G1, S01, S02

Leaf basis: calc

Extract 2 three times and 3 twice, leaving 5. Primes 2,3 qualify, and testing 2 suffices for remaining 5 since 3^2>5.

S08 · implies

Before

2^3\cdot3^2\cdot5=360

After

360\text{ has multiset }\{2,2,2,3,3,5\}\text{ uniquely}

Conditions: none

Rule: mko_definition · Uses: G1, S06, S07

Leaf basis: mko_definition

Recheck the exact product; the uniqueness argument ensures any other prime list differs only in order.

S09 · implies

Before

-360,\quad1,\quad-1,\quad0

After

-360=-(2^3 3^2 5),\quad\pm1\text{ use empty prime product};\quad0\text{ excluded}

Conditions: none

Rule: calc · Uses: G1, S06, S08

Leaf basis: calc

A negative sign is a unit factor; ±1 use empty prime product 1, and zero is outside the n>1 factorization domain.

Substeps and lemmas

No substeps in this guide.

Reverse audits

  • S09 · premise_audit · G1, S06, S08 — Every prime divides zero, so it cannot have a finite unique prime multiset.
  • S08 · premise_audit · G1, S06, S07 — A single prime-power expression is insufficient because this example has three distinct primes.
  • S07 · premise_audit · G1, S01, S02 — The remaining 5 is not an unchecked composite; trial division reaches the square-root boundary.
  • S06 · premise_audit · G1, S02, S05 — Uniqueness retains multiplicities while ignoring order, and distinguishes empty from nonempty endpoints.
  • S05 · premise_audit · G1, S04 — This handles arbitrary finite prime factorizations, not merely two computed outputs.
  • S04 · premise_audit · G1, S03 — The case p dividing a is immediate; composite p does not ensure the preceding coprimality.
  • S03 · premise_audit · G1 — This identifies the actual Bezout dependency rather than assuming the Euclid lemma being proved.
  • S02 · premise_audit · G1, S01 — Induction uses only smaller positive integers, not the same n.
  • S01 · premise_audit · G1 — The divisor set is nonempty because n itself belongs; well-foundedness supplies its minimum.

Error controls and negative controls

Existence and uniqueness

Strong induction gives existence; Euclid's lemma and cancellation give uniqueness.

Multiplicity

Compare prime multisets, not only distinct-prime sets.

  • 360=2^3*3*5. → reject — The right side is 120, missing a factor 3.
  • Euclid's lemma also holds for composite 4. → reject — 4 divides 2*2 but neither factor 2.
  • Zero's prime factorization is the empty product. → reject — The empty product is 1, not zero.

Result and limitations

Every positive integer n>1 has a unique prime multiset; 360=2^3*3^2*5, with signs and units separate.

    Verification and source binding

    1 declared checks for this guide; only the listed expressions are covered.

    • source commit: b1b2f1dcf8c50d67a93fe52d95f8eef7b3abba9f
    • adopted source SHA-256: 648c53ebc102df797ce25af2afb0b128976c45a091ff54b1a47d03de1a9d1ad6
    • original source SHA-256: 648c53ebc102df797ce25af2afb0b128976c45a091ff54b1a47d03de1a9d1ad6
    • Lean: NOT_RUN · independent AI: SCOPED_LEAD_AND_BILINGUAL_CONTEXT_REVIEW

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