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The Euclidean algorithm is based on the principle that the greatest common divisor of two numbers does not change if the larger number is replaced by its difference with the smaller number. For example, 21 is the GCD of 252 and 105 (as 252 = 21 × 12 and 105 = 21 × 5) , and the same number 21 is also the GCD of 105 and 252 − 105 = 147 .
So, Euclid's method for computing the greatest common divisor of two positive integers consists of replacing the larger number with the difference of the numbers, and repeating this until the two numbers are equal: that is their greatest common divisor. For example, to compute gcd(48,18), one proceeds as follows:
Visualisation of using the binary GCD algorithm to find the greatest common divisor (GCD) of 36 and 24. Thus, the GCD is 2 2 × 3 = 12.. The binary GCD algorithm, also known as Stein's algorithm or the binary Euclidean algorithm, [1] [2] is an algorithm that computes the greatest common divisor (GCD) of two nonnegative integers.
In arithmetic and computer programming, the extended Euclidean algorithm is an extension to the Euclidean algorithm, and computes, in addition to the greatest common divisor (gcd) of integers a and b, also the coefficients of Bézout's identity, which are integers x and y such that
For example, if you had two types of coins valued at 6 cents and 14 cents, the GCD would equal 2, and there would be no way to combine any number of such coins to produce a sum which was an odd number; additionally, even numbers 2, 4, 8, 10, 16 and 22 (less than m=24) could not be formed, either.
Therefore, equalities like d = gcd(p, q) or gcd(p, q) = gcd(r, s) are common abuses of notation which should be read "d is a GCD of p and q" and "p and q have the same set of GCDs as r and s". In particular, gcd( p , q ) = 1 means that the invertible constants are the only common divisors.
As an example, the greatest common divisor of 15 and 69 is 3, and 3 can be written as a combination of 15 and 69 as 3 = 15 × (−9) + 69 × 2, with Bézout coefficients −9 and 2. Many other theorems in elementary number theory, such as Euclid's lemma or the Chinese remainder theorem, result from Bézout's identity.
Long division is the standard algorithm used for pen-and-paper division of multi-digit numbers expressed in decimal notation. It shifts gradually from the left to the right end of the dividend, subtracting the largest possible multiple of the divisor (at the digit level) at each stage; the multiples then become the digits of the quotient, and the final difference is then the remainder.