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Number theory Difficulty 6.2 National olympiad Prove it Silk Road Mathematics Competition

Integers xx, yy, zz, tt satisfy x2+y2=z2+t2x^2 + y^2 = z^2 + t^2 and xy=2ztxy = 2zt. Prove that xyzt=0xyzt = 0.

Solution

Assume that xyzt0xyzt \neq 0.
If three of the numbers xx, yy, zz, tt have a common divisor dd, the remaining number is also a multiple of dd. The division of all the four numbers by dd preserves the validity of our equations. Since xx, yy, zz, tt are not zero, we can divide them by their greatest common divisor and henceforth assume that they are coprime.

The numbers xx and yy can not be both odd (since xyxy is even) or both even (since in this case ztzt is also even and at least three of the numbers xx, yy, zz, tt are even). Thus xx and yy and therefore zz and tt have different parity.

Denote s=x2+y2s = x^2 + y^2, n=ztn = zt. Without loss of generality, n>0n > 0.
The condition on xx, yy, zz, tt means that s4ns - 4n, s2ns - 2n, s+2ns + 2n, s+4ns + 4n are perfect squares. We will prove that this is not possible for any odd ss and positive nn. First, we find a statement equivalent to these four numbers being squares. Their product (s24n2)(s216n2)=(s210n2)236n4(s^2 - 4n^2)(s^2 - 16n^2) = (s^2 - 10n^2)^2 - 36n^4 is a square of some odd TT. The numbers TT, 6n26n^2, s210n2s^2 - 10n^2 form a primitive Pythagorean triple, hence there exist coprime uu, vv of different parity such that 2uv=6n22uv = 6n^2 and u2+v2=s210n2u^2 + v^2 = s^2 - 10n^2. Since uu and vv are coprime, it follows from uv=3n2uv = 3n^2 that one of these numbers is a square and another is a triple square. Without loss of generality, assume that u=3k2u = 3k^2 and v=l2v = l^2; kk and ll are coprime. Multiplying u2+v2=s210n2u^2 + v^2 = s^2 - 10n^2 by 33 we get 3s230n2=3s210uv=3u2+3v23s^2 - 30n^2 = 3s^2 - 10uv = 3u^2 + 3v^2, that is, 3s2=3u2+10uv+3v2=(3u+v)(3v+u)3s^2 = 3u^2 + 10uv + 3v^2 = (3u + v)(3v + u), where 3u+v3u + v and 3v+u3v + u are coprime (they have different parity, and their common divisor must also divide 8u=3(3u+v)(3v+u)8u = 3(3u + v) - (3v + u) and, similarly, 8v8v). It follows that one of the numbers 3u+v3u + v and 3v+u3v + u is a square and another is a triple square. Since 33 does not divide 3u+v3u + v, the square is 3u+v=9k2+l23u + v = 9k^2 + l^2, and the triple square is u+3v=3(k2+l2)u + 3v = 3(k^2 + l^2). We have proved that the original equations imply the existence of coprime kk and ll such that 9k2+l29k^2 + l^2 and k2+l2k^2 + l^2 are perfect squares.

It remains to prove that there are no such kk, ll. If k2+l2k^2 + l^2 and 9k2+l29k^2 + l^2 are perfect squares, the pairs (k,l)(k, l) and (3k,l)(3k, l) are pairs of legs in primitive Pythagorean triples. Unfortunately, we do not know which of the numbers kk and ll is even, so two cases are possible. But let's prove the following lemma first.

Lemma. Let aa, bb, cc, dd be pairwise coprime positive integers such that c2(a2+d2)=b2(9a2+d2)c^2(a^2 + d^2) = b^2(9a^2 + d^2). Then, a2+d2a^2 + d^2 and 9a2+d29a^2 + d^2 are perfect squares.

Proof. Since GCD(b,c)=1\text{GCD}(b, c) = 1, then there exists such positive integer ff that
a2+d2=b2f,9a2+d2=c2f. a^2 + d^2 = b^2 f, \quad 9a^2 + d^2 = c^2 f.
f=GCD(a2+d2,9a2+d2)    f8a2,f8d2. f = \text{GCD}(a^2 + d^2, 9a^2 + d^2) \implies f \mid 8a^2, \quad f \mid 8d^2.
GCD(a,d)=1    f8. \text{GCD}(a, d) = 1 \implies f \mid 8.
If aa, dd are of different parity, then a2+d2a^2 + d^2 is odd, and therefore f=1f = 1. Let both aa and dd be odd (they can't be simultaneously even). Then
a2+d22(mod8)    f2. a^2 + d^2 \equiv 2 \pmod{8} \implies f \mid 2.
Let f=2f = 2.
9a2+d2=c2f=2c2    d22c2(mod3)    3c,3d 9a^2 + d^2 = c^2 f = 2c^2 \implies d^2 \equiv 2c^2 \pmod{3} \implies 3 \mid c, \quad 3 \mid d
— a contradiction, since GCD(c,d)=1\text{GCD}(c, d) = 1. Thus, f=1f = 1, a2+d2=b2a^2 + d^2 = b^2, 9a2+d2=c29a^2 + d^2 = c^2. The lemma is proven.

Case 1. kk is even. Then k=2u1v1k = 2u_1v_1, 3k=2u2v23k = 2u_2v_2, l=u12v12=u22v22l = u_1^2 - v_1^2 = u_2^2 - v_2^2, where (u1,v1)(u_1, v_1) and (u2,v2)(u_2, v_2) are two pairs of coprime numbers with different parity. Since u2v2=3u1v1u_2v_2 = 3u_1v_1, then there exist pairwise coprime positive integers aa, bb, cc, dd such that u2=3abu_2 = 3ab, v2=cdv_2 = cd, u1=acu_1 = ac, v1=bdv_1 = bd (the case when u2u_2 is not divisible by 33 can be considered similarly). Substituting this in the expression for ll we obtain a2c2+c2d2=9a2d2+d2c2a^2c^2 + c^2d^2 = 9a^2d^2 + d^2c^2, or c2(a2+d2)=d2(9a2+c2)c^2(a^2 + d^2) = d^2(9a^2 + c^2). According to the lemma, a2+d2a^2 + d^2 and 9a2+c29a^2 + c^2 are squares, and, obviously, a<ka < k, d<ld < l.

Case 2. ll is even. Then k=u12v12k = u_1^2 - v_1^2, 3k=u22v223k = u_2^2 - v_2^2, l=2u1v1=2u2v2l = 2u_1v_1 = 2u_2v_2. Since (u2v2)(u2+v2)=3(u1v1)(u1+v1)(u_2 - v_2)(u_2 + v_2) = 3(u_1 - v_1)(u_1 + v_1), then we have u1v1=abu_1 - v_1 = ab, u1+v1=cdu_1 + v_1 = cd, u2v2=acu_2 - v_2 = ac, u2+v2=3bdu_2 + v_2 = 3bd for some pairwise coprime positive integers aa, bb, cc, dd (the case when u2+v2u_2 + v_2 is not divisible by 33 can be considered similarly). Expressing u1u_1, v1v_1, u2u_2, v2v_2 in terms of aa, bb, cc, dd and putting the result in the formula for ll, we get (ab+cd)(cdab)=(3bd+ac)(3bdac)(ab+cd)(cd-ab) = (3bd+ac)(3bd-ac), that is, c2(a2+d2)=b2(a2+9d2)c^2(a^2+d^2) = b^2(a^2+9d^2). Hence, by the lemma, we obtain that a2+d2a^2+d^2 and a2+9d2a^2+9d^2 are perfect squares, and a<la<l, d<kd<k.

In both cases, for each pair (k,l)(k, l) such that k2+l2k^2 + l^2 and 9k2+l29k^2 + l^2 are perfect squares we constructed a pair of smaller numbers with the same property. It follows that such numbers do not exist. Thus, the original system does not admit a solution in non-zero integers.

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