Problem:
Find all positive integers such that is 1 away from .
Berkeley Math Circle: Monthly Contest 1
Solution
Solution:
The solutions are .
If , , so works if and only if works.
If , , so the only solution is .
Thus, all solutions eventually become after repeatedly applying the operation , so reversing this process, every solution comes from repeatedly applying the operation to .
This operation maps to , and , giving the desired via induction.
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