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Number theory Difficulty 8.1 Shortlist Prove it Romania

Given a positive integer aa, prove that n!n! is divisible by n2+n+an^2 + n + a for infinitely many positive integers nn.

Solution

We show that, if some integer n2n \ge 2 satisfies the required condition, then so does n2+a1n^2 + a - 1. Since n2+a1>nn^2 + a - 1 > n, it is then sufficient to exhibit a single n2n \ge 2 that fits the bill.
Consider the identity
(n2+a1)2+(n2+a1)+a=(n2+n+a)(n2n+a).() (n^2 + a - 1)^2 + (n^2 + a - 1) + a = (n^2 + n + a)(n^2 - n + a). \quad (*)
Suppose now that n!n! is divisible by n2+n+an^2 + n + a for some integer n2n \ge 2. Since n<n2n+a<n2+a1n < n^2 - n + a < n^2 + a - 1, it follows that (n2+a1)!(n^2 + a - 1)! is divisible by n!(n2n+a)n!(n^2 - n + a); and since n!n! is divisible by n2+n+an^2 + n + a, the identity (*) then shows (n2+a1)!(n^2 + a - 1)! divisible by (n2+a1)2+(n2+a1)+a(n^2 + a - 1)^2 + (n^2 + a - 1) + a.
Next, set n=an = a in (*) to get (a2+a1)2+(a2+a1)+a=a3(a+2)(a^2 + a - 1)^2 + (a^2 + a - 1) + a = a^3(a + 2). If a3a \ge 3, then a<a+2<a2<a2+a1a < a + 2 < a^2 < a^2 + a - 1, so a2+a12a^2 + a - 1 \ge 2 and (a2+a1)!(a^2 + a - 1)! is divisible by a3(a+2)=(a2+a1)2+(a2+a1)+aa^3(a + 2) = (a^2 + a - 1)^2 + (a^2 + a - 1) + a.
If a=2a = 2, set n=10n = 10, and notice that n!=10!n! = 10! is divisible by 278=112=102+10+2=n2+n+2=n2+n+a2 \cdot 7 \cdot 8 = 112 = 10^2 + 10 + 2 = n^2 + n + 2 = n^2 + n + a.
Finally, if a=1a = 1, set n=16n = 16, and notice that n!=16!n! = 16! is divisible by 3713=273=162+16+1=n2+n+13 \cdot 7 \cdot 13 = 273 = 16^2 + 16 + 1 = n^2 + n + 1.

Alternative solution:
The argument hinges on the fact that the equation u24a(a+2)v2=14au^2 - 4a(a+2)v^2 = 1 - 4a has infinitely many solutions (uk,vk)(u_k, v_k) in positive integers, where the uku_k and the vkv_k both form strictly increasing sequences.
Assume this for the moment. Clearly, the uku_k are all odd, so the nk=12(uk1)n_k = \frac{1}{2}(u_k - 1) are all integers. Consider first the case a2a \ge 2. Since the uku_k form a strictly increasing sequence of positive integers, so do the nkn_k, and, since a2a \ge 2,
nk=12(uk1)>(uk2+4a1a(a+2))12=2vk, n_k = \frac{1}{2}(u_k - 1) > \left( \frac{u_k^2 + 4a - 1}{a(a + 2)} \right)^{\frac{1}{2}} = 2v_k,
for all but finitely many indices kk.
Recalling that the vkv_k also form a strictly increasing sequence of positive integers, it follows that the numbers a(a+2)<vk<2vka(a+2) < v_k < 2v_k all three occur in nk!n_k!, so the latter is divisible by a(a+2)vk2vk=2a(a+2)vk2=12(uk2+4a1)=12(uk1)2+(uk1)+2a=2(nk2+nk+a)a(a+2) \cdot v_k \cdot 2v_k = 2a(a+2)v_k^2 = \frac{1}{2}(u_k^2 + 4a - 1) = \frac{1}{2}(u_k - 1)^2 + (u_k - 1) + 2a = 2(n_k^2 + n_k + a), for all but finitely many indices kk, as desired.

Finally, consider the equation u24a(a+2)v2=14au^2 - 4a(a+2)v^2 = 1 - 4a along with the associated Pell equation x24a(a+2)y2=1x^2 - 4a(a+2)y^2 = 1. The pair (u0,v0)=(2a+1,1)(u_0, v_0) = (2a+1, 1) solves the former and the pair (x0,y0)=(2(a+1)21,a+1)(x_0, y_0) = (2(a+1)^2 - 1, a+1) solves the latter. For each positive integer kk, let uk=u0xk+4a(a+2)v0yku_k = u_0x_k + 4a(a+2)v_0y_k and let vk=v0xk+u0ykv_k = v_0x_k + u_0y_k, where xk=x0xk1+4a(a+2)yk1x_k = x_0x_{k-1} + 4a(a+2)y_{k-1} and yk=y0xk1+x0yk1y_k = y_0x_{k-1} + x_0y_{k-1}. Since the (xk,yk)(x_k, y_k) solve the Pell equation, the (uk,vk)(u_k, v_k) solve the equation under consideration. Clearly, the xk,yk,uk,vkx_k, y_k, u_k, v_k all form strictly increasing sequences of positive integers. This completes the proof for a2a \ge 2.
The case a=1a=1 is dealt with similarly by considering the equation u228v2=3u^2 - 28v^2 = -3 along with the associated Pell equation x228y2=1x^2 - 28y^2 = 1. The pair (u0,v0)=(5,1)(u_0, v_0) = (5, 1) solves the former and the pair (x0,y0)=(127,24)(x_0, y_0) = (127, 24) solves the latter. The rest of the argument goes through verbatim.

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