Let n be a fixed positive integer. The positive integers a, b, c and d are less than or equal to n, d is the largest one and they satisfy the equality (ab+cd)(bc+ad)(ac+bd)=(d−a)2(d−b)2(d−c)2
a) Prove that d=a+b+c.
b) Find the number of the quadruples (a,b,c,d) which have the required properties.
Solution
Solution:
a) A direct check shows that the condition is satisfied when a+b+c=d. Let us assume that a+b+c>d. Then it is easy to see that ab+cd>(d−a)(d−b) We have analogously bc+ad>(d−b)(d−c) and ac+bd>(d−a)(d−c). Now the multiplication of these three inequalities gives a contradiction. Analogous arguments lead to a contradiction when a+b+c<d and therefore d=a+b+c.
b) For a fixed d, 3≤d≤n, the equation d=a+b+c has (2d−1)=2(d−1)(d−2) solutions. (This can be proved as follows. Write consecutively d 1's. Then the number of the solutions is equal to the number of the ways one can put two separating lines in that sequence; for example 111∣11…11∣1 corresponds to a=3, b=d−4, c=1.) This formula is true also for d=1 and d=2 since the equation has no solutions in these cases.
It remains to calculate d=1∑n2(d−1)(d−2)=21d=1∑nd2−23d=1∑nd+n=21⋅6n(n+1)(2n+1)−23⋅2n(n+1)+n=6n(n−1)(n−2)
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