Given two integers, a and b, returns their greatest common divisor, gcd(a,b). It is perhaps the first known algorithm, dating back well over two millenia! Commonly attributed to Euclid.

if a>b
   swap(a,b)
while a>0 {
   x = b mod a
   b = a
   a = x
}
return b

(Strictly speaking, this is only for natural numbers; you should first take the absolute value of a and b...)

Obviously this algorithm terminates, since at every pass through the loop a is assigned the result of a "mod a" operation, which necessarily decreases it. a is always non-negative, so only a finite number of passes may occur.

The way it works is simple. At the beginning of every pass, the gcd of the values of a and b is the same as the gcd of the original inputs. To show this, we note that b mod a is b minus a multiple of a; therefore, any common divisor of a and b is a common divisor of a and b mod a, and vice versa, so the gcds must be identical. At the last step, it returns b, which is just right! (gcd(0,b)=b, since any natural number divides 0 -- it's not just a quibble: consider the last step, which starts with b a multiple of a)

Note that this algorithm will work in any ring, not just the integers.

Historically (and to some extent mathematically), Euclid's algorithm is really interesting because it is still the best algorithm we have today. In fact, it is used extensively in factorization (see factoring algorithms) and primality testing, two modern, fast paced fields in mathematics. Very impressive, considering its origin is placed around 200 BC.

Unbeknownst to some, a couple extra steps let you use to Euclid's Algorithm to find not only the greatest common denominator g of two integers b and c, but also the values of x and y for which bx + cy = g. We here utilize the fact that the gcd of two (or more) numbers is also their smallest positive linear combination.

A simple demonstration, which you can probably convert into C faster than I can:


qi  ri    xi   yi
    71    1    0
1   50    0    1
2   21    1   -1
2    8   -2    3
1    5    5   -7
1    3   -7   10
1    2   12  -17
     1  -19   27

gcd(71,50) = 1 = (71)(-19) + (50)(27)
Each row requires four swift calculations:
  • qi+1 = Floor(ri/ri+1)
  • ri+1 = ri-1 - qi*ri
  • xi+1 = xi-1 - qi*xi
  • yi+1 = yi-1 - qi*yi
Of course, r0 and r1 are b and c, in order of decreasing magnitude

Euclid's Algorithm can be difficult to understand if you don't have an example. So I've prepared one. I hope it helps.

Problem: Find the greatest common divisor of the numbers 636 and 483.

Solution: In essence, this means "find the greatest number that fits evenly into both 636 and 483". You take the following steps:
636 = 483 * 1 + 153      /* 153 is the remainder from 636 ÷ 483. */
483 = 153 * 3 + 24
153 =  24 * 6 + 9
24  =   9 * 2 + 6
9   =   6 * 1 + 3
6   =   3 * 2 + 0        /* Stop when remainder = 0 */

So 3 is the GCD of 636 and 483.
Any questions, suggestions or errors, please msg me.
Wonder why Euclid's Algorithm works?

We aleady know that any pair of positive integers has a greatest common divisor; the trick is to find it.

Starting with two distinct numbers, n1 and n2, we can express them as k1d and k2d, where d is the greatest common divisor. From the definition of greatest common divisor, k1 and k2 are relatively prime.

Without loss of generality we can assume k1 > k2 > 0. We can then express k1 in terms of k2:

k1 = c1 k2 + k3 such that c1 > 0 and k2 > k3 > 0.

Not only that, k3 is relatively prime to k2 , because d2d (where  d2 is the greatest common divisor of k2 and k3) would be a common divisor of n1 and n2 greater than d, contrary to our definition.

We can repeat the above step over and over:

k2 = c2 k3 + k4
k3 = c3 k4 + k5

and so on, getting a cascading series of k's  such that ki> ki+1 > 0, and where ki and ki+1 are relatively prime (if they weren't, diwould divide ki-1 which would then not be relatively prime to ki).

Eventually, we must reach an m such that  km = 1.

Then,  km-1 = km-1 km + 0.  Working backwards, we can assign ni = kid and get a traditional representation of Euclid's algorithm:

n1 = c1 n2 + n3
n2 = c2 n3 + n4
...
nm-2 = cm-2 nm-1 + nm
nm-1 = cm-1 nm + 0.

where d = nm.  And of course, if nm = 1, n1 and n2 are relatively prime.



A slight modification of the original algorithm lets you save a couple of steps in some cases. Since the algorithm takes fewer steps for smaller numbers, you should use the "least positive remainder" for each step. That is, if step i is represented:

ni = dki+1 * ci + dki+2

we can also say

ni = dki+1*(ci+1) - d(ki+1-ki+2).

since ki+1 > ki+1-ki+2 > 0, continuing the algorithm from ki+1-ki+2 will also provide a correct result, and will save a step whenever ki+1-ki+2 < ki+2


Applying the modification to schmik's example:

636 = 483 * 1 + 153
483 = 153 * 3 +  24
153 =  24 * 6 +   9
24  =   9 * 3 -   3        /* 3 is less than 6 */
9   =   3 * 3 +   0        /* Stop */
So, again, 3 is the GCD of 636 and 483, but we've saved a step. Let's try a more difficult pair of numbers:
973 = 593 * 1 + 380
593 = 380 * 1 + 213
380 = 213 * 1 + 167
213 = 167 * 1 +  46
167 =  46 * 3 +  29
 46 =  29 * 1 +  17
 29 =  17 * 1 +  12
 17 =  12 * 1 +   5
 12 =   5 * 2 +   2
  5 =   2 * 2 +   1
  2 =   2 * 1 +   0  /* unnecessary last step */
showing that 973 and 593 are relatively prime. This becomes:
 
973 = 593 * 2 - 213
593 = 213 * 3 -  46
213 =  46 * 5 -  17
 46 =  17 * 3 -   5
 17 =   5 * 3 +   2
  5 =   2 * 2 +   1
  2 =   2 * 1 +   0
saving 4 steps. Notice that most of the numbers that appear in the second sequence also appeared in the first sequence, but a step earlier.

Finally, another little tidbit: The worst case for Euclid's Algorithm is always on two successive terms in a Fibonacci sequence. Why? The coefficients are always 1, and the remainders take longer to shrink than with other numbers. And they're always relatively prime to boot, damn them!


Euclid's Algorithm in C++ at compile time, using recursive templates. Yes, I know it's also done here but a lot of compilers will choke on the simple version. This version also uses the 'least positive remainder' shortcut to save on template specializations.

#include <ostream>

using std::ostream;
using std::endl;

#ifdef STATIC_CONST_WORKS_THE_WAY_IT_SHOULD

#  define MAGIC_NUM(n, value) static const unsigned long n = value

#else

//
// enum hack macro
//
#  define MAGIC_NUM(n, value) enum n ## _ { n = value }

#endif

template<unsigned long i, unsigned long j>
struct euclids
{
 MAGIC_NUM(  lesser, (i<j)?i:j) );
 MAGIC_NUM( greater, (i<j)?:j:i );
 MAGIC_NUM(       d, (lesser>0)?lesser:1) );
 MAGIC_NUM(       r, (lesser>0)?greater%d:0 );
 MAGIC_NUM(      r2, lesser - r );
 MAGIC_NUM(     lpr, (r2<r)?r2:r );

 typedef euclids<lesser,lpr> recur_type;

 MAGIC_NUM(     gcd, (lpr>0)?((lpr>1)?recur_type::gcd:1):lesser );
 MAGIC_NUM(     lcm, greater*(lesser/gcd) );

 static ostream announce (ostream& os)
 {
  os << "euclids <" << i << ", " << j << ">" << endl;
  // os << "   d: " << d   << endl;
  // os << "   m: " << m   << endl;
  // os << "   r: " << r   << endl;
  // os << " lpr: " << lpr << endl;
  // os << " gcd: " << gcd << endl;
  // os << " lcm: " << lcm << endl;

  if (lpr>0) recur_type::announce (os);
  return os;
 } // announce
}; // struct euclids

Euclid's Algorithm has a very elegant recursive definition:
  • Base Case: GCD(A, 0) = A
  • Recusive Case: GCD(A, B) = GCD(B, A%B)
This of course leads to a one-line algorithm in most any high level programming language. The function is tail recursive, so if you have a good compiler no call stack is built up.

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