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Number theory Difficulty 5.8 AIME, harder Prove it Greece

If pp is prime and x,yx, y are positive integers, find with respect to pp, all the pairs (x,y)(x, y) satisfying the equation: p(x2)=x(y1)p(x-2) = x(y-1).

For the case we are given that x+y=21x+y=21, find all triads (x,y,p)(x, y, p) satisfying equation (1).

Solution

If x2=0x=2x-2=0 \Leftrightarrow x=2, then y=1y=1 and we have the solution (x,y)=(2,1)(x,y)=(2,1).

If x20x-2 \neq 0, then, since pp is prime, from the equation p(x2)=x(y1)p(x-2)=x(y-1) it follows that y1y \neq 1 and pxp|x or py1p|y-1. Therefore we have the cases:

* If pxp|x, then x=pxx = px', where xx' positive integer, and then:
p(px2)=px(y1)px2=x(y1)x(py+1)=2x=1,py+1=2ηx=2,py+1=1x=1,y=p1ηx=2,y=px=p,y=p1ηx=2p,y=p(x,y)=(p,p1)η(x,y)=(2p,p) \begin{align*} p(px'-2) &= px'(y-1) \Leftrightarrow px' - 2 = x'(y-1) \Leftrightarrow x'(p-y+1) = 2 \\ &\Leftrightarrow x' = 1, p-y+1 = 2 \quad \eta \quad x' = 2, p-y+1 = 1 \\ &\Leftrightarrow x' = 1, y = p-1 \quad \eta \quad x' = 2, y = p \Leftrightarrow x = p, y = p-1 \quad \eta \quad x = 2p, y = p \\ &\Leftrightarrow (x,y) = (p,p-1) \quad \eta \quad (x,y) = (2p,p) \end{align*}

* If py1p|y-1, then y1=pyy-1 = py', where yy' is a positive integer and then
p(x2)=xpyx2=xyx(1y)=2x=1,1y=2ηx=2,1y=1x=1,y=1 (impossible) or x=1,y=0 (impossible). \begin{align*} p(x-2) &= xpy' \Leftrightarrow x-2 = xy' \Leftrightarrow x(1-y') = 2 \\ &\Leftrightarrow x = 1, 1-y' = 2 \quad \eta \quad x = 2, 1-y' = 1 \\ &\Leftrightarrow x = 1, y' = -1 \text{ (impossible) or } x = 1, y' = 0 \text{ (impossible).} \end{align*}

Moreover, if we are given x+y=21x+y=21, then we have:

* Considering the solutions (x,y)=(p,p1)(x,y) = (p,p-1), we find 2p1=21p=112p-1=21 \Leftrightarrow p=11, and so (x,y,p)=(11,10,11)(x,y,p) = (11,10,11).

* Considering the solutions (x,y)=(2p,p)(x,y) = (2p,p), then 3p=21p=73p=21 \Leftrightarrow p=7, and hence we find (x,y,p)=(14,7,7)(x,y,p) = (14,7,7).

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.