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Number theory Difficulty 6.6 National Olympiad Prove it JBMO

Problem:

Let n>1n > 1 be a positive integer and pp a prime number such that n(p1)n \mid (p-1) and p(n61)p \mid \left(n^{6}-1\right). Prove that at least one of the numbers pnp-n and p+np+n is a perfect square.

Solution

Solution:

Since np1n \mid p-1, then p=1+nap = 1 + n a, where a1a \geq 1 is an integer. From the condition pn61p \mid n^{6}-1, it follows that pn1p \mid n-1, pn+1p \mid n+1, pn2+n+1p \mid n^{2}+n+1 or pn2n+1p \mid n^{2}-n+1.

- Let pn1p \mid n-1. Then np+1>nn \geq p+1 > n which is impossible.

- Let pn+1p \mid n+1. Then n+1p=1+nan+1 \geq p = 1 + n a which is possible only when a=1a=1 and p=n+1p = n+1, i.e. pn=1=12p-n = 1 = 1^{2}.

- Let pn2+n+1p \mid n^{2}+n+1, i.e. n2+n+1=pbn^{2}+n+1 = p b, where b1b \geq 1 is an integer.

The equality p=1+nap = 1 + n a implies nb1n \mid b-1, from where b=1+ncb = 1 + n c, c0c \geq 0 is an integer. We have
n2+n+1=pb=(1+na)(1+nc)=1+(a+c)n+acn2 or n+1=acn+a+c n^{2}+n+1 = p b = (1 + n a)(1 + n c) = 1 + (a + c) n + a c n^{2} \text{ or } n+1 = a c n + a + c
If ac1a c \geq 1 then a+c2a + c \geq 2, which is impossible. If ac=0a c = 0 then c=0c = 0 and a=n+1a = n+1. Thus we obtain p=n2+n+1p = n^{2} + n + 1 from where p+n=n2+2n+1=(n+1)2p+n = n^{2} + 2 n + 1 = (n+1)^{2}.

- Let pn2n+1p \mid n^{2}-n+1, i.e. n2n+1=pbn^{2}-n+1 = p b and analogously b=1+ncb = 1 + n c. So
n2n+1=pb=(1+na)(1+nc)=1+(a+c)n+acn2 or n1=acn+a+c n^{2}-n+1 = p b = (1 + n a)(1 + n c) = 1 + (a + c) n + a c n^{2} \text{ or } n-1 = a c n + a + c
Similarly, we have c=0c = 0, a=n1a = n-1 and p=n2n+1p = n^{2} - n + 1 from where pn=n22n+1=(n1)2p-n = n^{2} - 2 n + 1 = (n-1)^{2}.

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