Problem:
A number is called bummed out if there is exactly one ordered pair of positive integers such that
Find all bummed out numbers.
Solution
Solution:
Suppose is bummed out. If is one solution for to the given equation , then is another, so the unique solution better have the property that and . In particular, is an even positive integer.
Now, if , then setting , we have
so cannot be bummed out.
Moreover, , so 4 is not bummed out. The only possibilities left are , and 10.
To check these, note that
so
and similarly for . So we only have to check :
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 36 |
| 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 12 | 18 |
| 3 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 13 |
| 4 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 11 |
| 5 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 6 | 36 | 18 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 12 |
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