MA 410 Spring 2025 Homework 1

Due as indicated for each problem.


All solutions must be submitted on the Moodle web site for the class at wolfware.ncsu.edu. You may upload a photo of your handwritten solution or a file of your typed solution.
Note my office hours on my schedule.

  1. Due Thurs January 23, 11:59pm.
    Prove by induction that for the n-th Chebyshev-2 Polynomial Un(x) in the variable x, defined by the linear recurrence U0 = 1, U1(x) = 2x, Un+2(x) = 2xUn+1(x) – Un(x) for all n ≥ 0 one has

    (y–1/y) Un( (y + 1/y)/2 ) = yn+1 – y–n–1 for all n ≥ 0, y ≠ 0.

  2. Due Thurs January 23, 11:59pm.
    Consider the Catalan numbers as defined Cn = binomial(2n,n) / (n+1) in ENT, §1.2, Problem 10, page 12 for all n ≥ 0. Prove that Cn = binomial(2n,n) – binomial(2n,n–1) for all n ≥ 1, thus showing that the Cn are integers.
  3. Due Thurs Jan 30, 11:59pm.
    ENT, §2.2, Problem 23, page 26: if a divides bc show that a divides gcd(a,b)gcd(a,c).
  4. Due Thurs Jan 30, 11:59pm.
    Please compute integers x,y,z such that 63x + 70y + 90z = 1. Please show your work, computing a solution to 63x + 70y = 7 and 7w + 90z = 1 first. Note: you only need to give one triple.
  5. Due Tues February 4, 11:59pm.
    Prove for the extended Euclidean algorithm described in class: sk tk+1 – sk+1 tk = (–1)k+1 for all –1 ≤ k ≤ n –1.