The Extended Euclidean Algorithm

(Matrix Method)
Aim: Given integers m, n, find x, y Z such that
mx + ny = gcd(m, n).
Idea: Find successively xi, yi such that we have
mxi + nyi = ri,
where ri = rem(ri2, ri1) (and r1 = m, r0 = n).
 
1 0 m
Algorithm: 1) Start with the matrix A0 = .
0 1 n
2) Compute the matrices A1, . . . , Ak+1 successively
by using the recursion rule
 
Ri2
Ai+1 = ;
Ri1 qi+1Ri2
here qi+1 = quo(ri1, ri) and
   
Ri1 xi1 yi1 ri1
Ai = = .
Ri2 x i y i ri
3) Stop when ri = 0. (Thus, rk+1 = 0.)
Conclusion: mxk + nyk = rk = gcd(m, n).
Example: m = 1239, n = 735.
Here q1 = 1, q2 = 1, q3 = 2, q4 = 5, q5 = 2. Thus
! !
1 0 1239 R01R02 0 1 735
A0 = = A1
0 1 735 1 1 504
!
R11R12 1 1 504
= A2
1 2 231
!
R212R22 1 2 231
= A3
3 5 42
!
R315R32 3 5 42
= A4
16 27 21
!
R412R42 16 27 21
= A5
35 59 0

Conclusion: 1239(16) + 735(27) = 21.

Note: If we view each matrix Ai as an augmented ma-
trix, then it is clear that (m, n) = (1239, 735) is the
solution of the associated system of linear equations.