Exercise · ZW-EXTENDED-EUCLIDEAN-ALGORITHM-002 · ★☆☆ Basic

What are the initial values of \(s_{-1}\) and \(t_{-1}\)?

Choose one option.

Show answer
  • C. \(s_{-1}=1\), \(t_{-1}=0\)

Explanation

One starts from \(a=1\cdot a+0\cdot b\), so the coefficient of \(a\) is 1 and that of \(b\) is 0. The option with both coefficients equal to 1 corresponds to no valid initial identity.

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Review the concept: Extended Euclidean algorithm

The extended Euclidean algorithm computes \(d=\gcd(a,b)\) and integers \(x\), \(y\) such that \(ax+by=d\). It is the Euclidean algorithm that also tracks the Bézout coefficients.

\[r_k=r_{k-2}-q_{k-1}r_{k-1}\\s_k=s_{k-2}-q_{k-1}s_{k-1}\\t_k=t_{k-2}-q_{k-1}t_{k-1}\]

More practice problems: extended euclidean algorithm

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