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Number theory Difficulty 5.3 AIME, harder Prove it Belarus

Prove that a3b5>44a+5b|a\sqrt{3} - b\sqrt{5}| > \frac{4}{4a + 5b} for any naturals aa and bb.
(V. Bernik)

Solution

Multiplying the left-hand side of the required inequality by a3+b5a\sqrt{3} + b\sqrt{5}, we obtain a3b5(a3+b5)=3a25b2|a\sqrt{3} - b\sqrt{5}|(a\sqrt{3} + b\sqrt{5}) = |3a^2 - 5b^2|. If 3a25b2=1|3a^2 - 5b^2| = 1 for some integers aa and bb, then either 3a25b2=13a^2 - 5b^2 = 1 or 3a25b2=13a^2 - 5b^2 = -1. In the first case we have 3a21(mod5)3a^2 \equiv 1 \pmod{5}, which is impossible since 3a20(mod5)3a^2 \equiv 0 \pmod{5}, 3a23(mod5)3a^2 \equiv 3 \pmod{5} for a±1(mod5)a \equiv \pm 1 \pmod{5}, and 3a2122(mod5)3a^2 \equiv 12 \equiv 2 \pmod{5} for a±2(mod5)a \equiv \pm 2 \pmod{5}.

In the second case we have 5b2(1)(mod3)-5b^2 \equiv (-1) \pmod{3}, i.e. 5b21(mod3)5b^2 \equiv 1 \pmod{3}, which is impossible since 5b20(mod3)5b^2 \equiv 0 \pmod{3} for b0(mod3)b \equiv 0 \pmod{3}, and 5b25(mod3)5b^2 \equiv 5 \pmod{3} for b±1b \equiv \pm 1.

Therefore, 3a25b21|3a^2 - 5b^2| \neq 1 for all integers aa and bb, hence 3a25b22|3a^2 - 5b^2| \geq 2 for all integers aa and bb. So
a3b5=3a25b2a3+b52a3+b5=42a3+2b5[23<4, 25<5]44a+5b \begin{aligned} |a\sqrt{3} - b\sqrt{5}| &= \frac{|3a^2 - 5b^2|}{a\sqrt{3} + b\sqrt{5}} \ge \frac{2}{a\sqrt{3} + b\sqrt{5}} = \frac{4}{2a\sqrt{3} + 2b\sqrt{5}} \\ &\ge [2\sqrt{3} < 4,\ 2\sqrt{5} < 5] \ge \frac{4}{4a + 5b} \end{aligned}
as required.

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