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ExampleConstruction: AI-adaptedVerification: AI-adaptedprecheck passverified 2026-08-02 (claude-opus-5)
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Bézout coefficients are not unique: 1071⋅(−3)+462⋅7=21 and 1071⋅19+462⋅(−44)=21, and for nonzero a,b every solution has the form (x0+tb/d,  y0−ta/d)

Example

Bézout's identity: for integers a,b not both zero, gcd⁡(a,b) is the least positive element of { ax+by:x,y∈Z }; in particular ax+by=gcd⁡(a,b) has an integer solution asserts that ax+by=gcd⁡(a,b) has a solution; it does not assert that the solution is unique, and it is not. For a=1071 and b=462, where gcd⁡(a,b)=21 (gcd⁡(1071,462)=21 by the Euclidean algorithm, with the back-substitution giving 21=7⋅462−3⋅1071),

1071⋅(−3)+462⋅7  =  21and1071⋅19+462⋅(−44)  =  21.

The general statement, for a and b both nonzero, is this. Put d=gcd⁡(a,b), a′=a/d and b′=b/d (If d=gcd⁡(a,b) is nonzero then a/d and b/d are coprime), and let (x0,y0) be any solution of ax+by=d. Then the solutions of that equation are exactly the pairs

(x, y)  =  (x0+t b′,  y0−t a′)  =  (x0+t b/d,  y0−t a/d),t∈Z.

For the pair above, d=21, a′=51 and b′=22, and t=1 carries (−3,7) to (19,−44).

Numerals. For k∈N the symbol k written inside Z means ι(k), the embedding of The naturals embed in the integers; every numerical identity below is the image of the corresponding identity in N.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: Nonzero integers a and b, d:=gcd⁡(a,b), and a solution (x0,y0) of ax+by=d; and, for the numerical part, a=1071, b=462, d=21.

[L1]

Z is a commutative ring: addition and multiplication are associative and commutative, x⋅1=x, x⋅0=0, multiplication distributes over addition, and every x has an additive inverse; we write u−v for u+(−v) (The integers form a commutative ring, Arithmetic on the integers, The integers as equivalence classes of pairs of naturals).

[L3]

If d=gcd⁡(a,b)≠0 then a=da′ and b=db′ for unique integers a′=a/d and b′=b/d, and gcd⁡(a′,b′)=1 (If d=gcd⁡(a,b) is nonzero then a/d and b/d are coprime, Common divisor, and the greatest common divisor gcd⁡(a,b), with the convention gcd⁡(0,0):=0, Coprime integers: gcd⁡(a,b)=1).

[L6]
[L7]

If xz=yz and z≠0 then x=y; and a product of nonzero integers is nonzero (The integers have no zero divisors; multiplicative cancellation).

Verification

technique · direct
1.1

Since a≠0 and b≠0 we have (a,b)≠(0,0), so d≥1 and in particular d≠0; fix a′,b′ with a=da′, b=db′ and gcd⁡(a′,b′)=1. Both a′ and b′ are nonzero, since da′=a≠0 and db′=b≠0.

givenL1L3
2.1

Every pair of the stated form is a solution: for t∈Z, a(x0+tb′)+b(y0−ta′)=(ax0+by0)+t(ab′−ba′)=d+t((da′)b′−(db′)a′)=d+t⋅0=d.

step 1.1givenL1
2.2

Conversely, let (x,y) satisfy ax+by=d. Subtracting ax0+by0=d gives a(x−x0)=− b(y−y0), that is da′(x−x0)=− db′(y−y0); cancelling d≠0 gives a′(x−x0)=− b′(y−y0).

step 1.1givenL1L7
2.3

The numerical instance. Here d=21 by [L8], and 21⋅51=1071, 21⋅22=462, so a′=51 and b′=22. The pair (−3,7) is a solution, since 1071⋅(−3)+462⋅7=−3213+3234=21.

step 1.1L1L8algebra
3.1

Hence b′∣a′(x−x0), and gcd⁡(b′,a′)=gcd⁡(a′,b′)=1, so b′∣x−x0 by [L5]: write x−x0=tb′ for some t∈Z.

step 2.2L4L5L6
4.1

Substituting into step 2.2, a′tb′=− b′(y−y0); cancelling b′≠0 gives a′t=−(y−y0), that is y=y0−ta′. So (x,y)=(x0+tb′, y0−ta′).

step 1.1step 2.2step 3.1L1L7
5.1

With step 2.1 this shows the solutions are exactly the pairs (x0+tb′,y0−ta′), t∈Z.

step 2.1step 4.1
6.1

Taking t=1 in step 5.1 gives (−3+22,  7−51)=(19,−44), and directly 1071⋅19+462⋅(−44)=20349−20328=21. So the same equation has at least the two solutions (−3,7) and (19,−44), and they are distinct because −3≠19.

step 5.1step 2.3L1algebra∎

Remarks

  • The family is infinite. Distinct values of t give distinct pairs, since b′≠0 and x0+tb′=x0+t′b′ forces t=t′ by cancellation. So a Bézout equation with a,b both nonzero never has a unique solution.

  • Why the statement is restricted to a,b both nonzero. With b=0 and a≠0 the quotient b/d is 0 and the family collapses to (x0, y0−ta/d), which is still the complete solution set but for a different reason: x is then forced and y is free. The uniform statement above is the one used elsewhere, and the degenerate case is recorded here so that its absence from the claim is deliberate rather than an oversight.

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Sources