Given a positive integer n≥4, prove that the equation (2x−1)(5x−1)=yn has no positive integer solutions (x,y).
Solution
We will use the well-known Lifting the Exponent Lemma (LTE), stated as follows: Lifting the Exponent Lemma: Let p be a prime and m a positive integer. Let a,b be integers such that p∤ab and qp∣(a−b), where qp=p when p is odd and q2=4 when p=2. Then we have vp(am−bm)=vp(a−b)+vp(m).
Assume there exist positive integers x,y satisfying (2x−1)(5x−1)=yn. We first prove the following lemma: Lemma: We have 2⋅3⋅5⋅7∣x, and for any prime p≤n, vp(x)≥⌊logpn⌋.
Proof of Lemma: From 2∣(5x−1) we get 2∣y. By LTE: n≤nv2(y)=v2((2x−1)(5x−1))=v2(5−1)+v2(x). Thus v2(x)≥n−2≥⌊log2n⌋. In particular, 4∣x, so 3⋅5∣2x−1, hence 3⋅5∣y. By LTE: n≤nv3(y)n≤nv5(y)=v3(((22)2x−1)((52)2x−1))=v3(22−1)+v3(2x)+v3(52−1)+v3(2x)=2v3(x)+2;=v5(((24)4x−1)(5x−1))=v5(24−1)+v5(4x)=v5(x)+1. Thus v3(x)≥(n−2)/2≥⌊log3n⌋, and v5(x)≥n−1≥⌊log5n⌋. In particular, 3∣x. Combined with 2∣x, we have 6∣x, so 7∣(2x−1), hence 7∣y. By LTE: n≤nv7(y)=v7(((26)6x−1)((56)6x−1))=v7(26−1)+v7(6x)+v7(56−1)+v7(6x)=2v7(x)+2. Thus v7(x)≥(n−2)/2≥⌊log7n⌋.
If n≤10, the lemma is already proved. Now assume n≥11. We proceed by induction on p. Let p be a prime with 11≤p≤n, and assume the lemma holds for all primes q<p. By induction hypothesis, for any prime q≤p−1, vq(x)≥⌊logqn⌋≥⌊logq(p−1)⌋≥vq(p−1). Thus (p−1)∣x. By Fermat's Little Theorem, p∣(2p−1−1) and p∣(5p−1−1). Hence p∣(2x−1) and p∣y. By LTE: n≤nvp(y)=vp(((2p−1)p−1x−1)((5p−1)p−1x−1))=vp(2p−1−1)+vp(p−1x)+vp(5p−1−1)+vp(p−1x)=2vp(x)+vp(2p−1−1)+vp(5p−1−1)<2vp(x)+logp(2p−1)+logp(5p−1)<2vp(x)+plogp(10). Therefore, vp(x)>2n−plogp(10). Since 11≤p≤n, this implies vp(x)>0, so vp(x)≥1. If n<p2, then vp(x)≥1≥⌊logpn⌋. To complete the induction, we only need to prove for n≥p2≥112 that 2n−plogp(10)>logpn. This is equivalent to 10ppn>n2. Indeed, using n≥p2≥112, we have 10ppn=10ppp⋅pn−p>11n−n>92n>n2. This completes the induction. The lemma is proved.
Proof of the Main Result: By the lemma, for any prime p≤n, vp(x)≥⌊logpn⌋≥vp(n). Thus n∣x. Let x=nx1, then yn=(2x−1)(5x−1)<(10x1)n. Hence 10x1≥y+1. Therefore, yn=(10x1)n−2x−5x+1≥(y+1)n−2x−5x+1>yn+n⋅yn−1−2⋅5x≥yn+4⋅y43n−2⋅5x.
This implies y43n<5x, i.e., yn<534x. On the other hand, by the lemma we have x≥2⋅3⋅5⋅7, so yn=(2x−1)(5x−1)>(0.9⋅2x)⋅(0.9⋅5x)>0.8⋅552x⋅5x>534x, a contradiction. Therefore, the original Diophantine equation has no positive integer solutions. □
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