What is the meaning of the expression a divides b?
In mathematics, the expression "a divides b" is used to describe a specific relationship between two numbers. It means that a is a divisor (or factor) of b, which implies that b can be evenly divided by a without leaving any remainder.
Formally, we say that "a divides b" if there exists an integer c such that:
b = a * c
In this equation, "b" is the dividend, "a" is the divisor, and "c" is the quotient. If the quotient "c" is an integer (meaning there's no fractional part), then a is said to divide b.
For example:
On the other hand, if "a" does not divide "b," then "b" is not divisible by "a," and there will be a remainder when you attempt to divide "b" by "a."