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Number theory Difficulty 7.7 National Olympiad, round 2 Prove it Hong Kong

Let nn be a positive integer. Prove that there exists a positive integer mm such that
3n+5n1 3^n + 5^n - 1
is divisible by 7n7^n.

Solution

We show that m=7n1m = 7^{n-1} works. By the lifting the exponent lemma, we have
v7(3m+4m)=v7(3m+4m)+v7(m)=1+(n1)=n. v_7(3^m + 4^m) = v_7(3^m + 4^m) + v_7(m) = 1 + (n-1) = n.
This implies 7m3m+4m7^m \mid 3^m + 4^m, and hence 3m4m(mod7n)3^m \equiv -4^m \pmod{7^n}. Similarly, 5m2m(mod7n)5^m \equiv -2^m \pmod{7^n}. It follows that
3m+5m14m2m1(22m+2m+1)(mod7n).(1) 3^m + 5^m - 1 \equiv -4^m - 2^m - 1 \equiv -(2^{2m} + 2^m + 1) \pmod{7^n}. \quad (1)
Next, again by the lifting the exponent lemma, we have
v7(8m1)=v7(8m1)+v7(m)=1+(n1)=n. v_7(8^m - 1) = v_7(8^m - 1) + v_7(m) = 1 + (n-1) = n.
This implies 7m8m1=(2m1)(22m+2m+1)7^m \mid 8^m - 1 = (2^m - 1)(2^{2m} + 2^m + 1). As 3m3 \nmid m, we have 72m17 \nmid 2^m - 1. Therefore, we must have
7m22m+2m+1.(2) 7^m \mid 2^{2m} + 2^m + 1. \quad (2)
Combining (1) and (2), we see that 7m3m+5m17^m \mid 3^m + 5^m - 1 as desired.

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