TITLE: If $m$ and $n$ are distinct positive integers, then $m\mathbb{Z}$ is not ring-isomorphic to $n\mathbb{Z}$
QUESTION [11 upvotes]: Show that if $m$ and $n$ are distinct positive integers, then $m\mathbb{Z}$ is not
  ring-isomorphic to $n\mathbb{Z}$.

Can I get some help to solve this problem

REPLY [14 votes]: Hints: suppose we have a ring homomorphism
$$\phi:m\Bbb Z\to n\Bbb Z\;,\;\;\text{with}\;\;\phi(m)=nz$$
But then
$$n^2z^2=\phi(m)^2=\phi(m^2)=\phi(\underbrace{m+m+\ldots+m}_{m\;\text{ times}})=m\phi(m)=mnz\implies m=nz$$
and this already is a contradiction if $\,n\nmid m\,$ , but even if $\,n\mid m\,$ then
$$\forall\,x\in\Bbb Z\;,\;\;\phi(mx)=xnz=xm\in m\Bbb Z\lneqq n\Bbb Z $$
and thus we have problems with $\,\phi\,$ being surjective (fill in details).