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Source. Lemma 1 and equation (5), printed p. 86 (PDF p. 2). Use the exact definitions of gN(d)g_N(d) and F(x)F(x) from the conventions page.

Statement. If NN is the set of distinct moduli of a disjoint progression family, then gN(d)≤dg_N(d)\le d for every integer d≥1d\ge1. Consequently f(x)≤F(x)f(x)\le F(x).

Full proof

Suppose there were d+1d+1 moduli n1,…,nd+1n_1,\ldots,n_{d+1} with gcd⁡(ni,nj)=d\gcd(n_i,n_j)=d whenever i≠ji\ne j. Write ni=dmin_i=dm_i; then the mim_i are pairwise coprime. There are only dd residue classes modulo dd, so two of the chosen residues ai,aja_i,a_j agree modulo dd.

Their difference is divisible by gcd⁡(ni,nj)=d\gcd(n_i,n_j)=d. The generalized Chinese remainder theorem therefore says that the original classes ai(modni)a_i\pmod{n_i} and aj(modnj)a_j\pmod{n_j} intersect. This contradicts disjointness and proves the bound. The argument includes d=1d=1. Taking the maximum over families gives f(x)≤F(x)f(x)\le F(x).

Precision. The source's last sentence writes agreement of classes modulo dd; it is the gcd compatibility criterion that then yields an intersection modulo the original moduli. The inequality is ≤d\le d, not the strict sign sometimes produced by extraction. The condition is necessary only: an arbitrary set satisfying it is not claimed to admit disjoint residues.