Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /2 of 4

Number theory Difficulty 5.4 AIME, harder Prove it Romania

Let nn be a given positive integer. Determine all positive divisors dd of 3n23n^2 such that n2+dn^2 + d is the square of an integer.

Solution

If dd divides 3n23n^2, then there exist positive integers kk and mm such that 3n2=dk3n^2 = d \cdot k and n2+d=m2n^2 + d = m^2. We substitute to get n2+3n2k=m2n^2 + \frac{3n^2}{k} = m^2, so (mk)2=n2(k2+3k)(mk)^2 = n^2(k^2 + 3k). We deduce that k2+3kk^2 + 3k is a perfect square. From the inequalities k2<k2+3k<(k+2)2k^2 < k^2 + 3k < (k+2)^2 we deduce that k2+3k=(k+1)2k^2 + 3k = (k+1)^2 which implies k=1k = 1 and d=3n2d = 3n^2 which verifies the problem.

Alternative Solution:
Let dd be a divisor of 3n23n^2 such that n2+d=m2n^2 + d = m^2. We have m>nm > n and d=(mn)(m+n)d = (m-n)(m+n). Denote D=(m,n)D = (m, n), m=Dam = Da and n=Dbn = Db. Since (mn)(m+n)(m-n)(m+n) divides 3n23n^2, we have (ab)(a+b)3b2(a-b)(a+b) \mid 3b^2. The numbers aa and bb are co-prime, therefore (ab)(a+b)3(a-b)(a+b) \mid 3. The case ab=a+b=1a-b = a+b = 1 implies b=0b=0, which is not possible. The only possibility is ab=1a-b=1 and a+b=3a+b=3, meaning that a=2a=2 and b=1b=1. Finally we have m=2nm = 2n and d=(2n)2n2=3n2d = (2n)^2 - n^2 = 3n^2.

Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.

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