Number theoryDifficulty 6.9National OlympiadProve itSouth Korea
Let n be a positive integer. Prove that there are infinitely many triples of integers (x,y,z) each of which satisfies nx2+y3=z4, (x,y)=(y,z)=(z,x)=1.
Solution
y3=z4−nx2=(z2−nx)(z2+nx).(1) For y=s2−nt2 with (n,t)=1, we have y3=(s3−3ns2t+3nst2−nnt3)(s3+3ns2t+3nst2+nnt3)=(z2−nx)(z2+nx), so any (x,z) satisfying z2=s3+3nst2,(2) x=3s2t+nt3(3) satisfies the equation (1). One can always find x satisfying the equation (3), so let us show that there are infinitely many z satisfying equation (2). Let us divide the problem into two cases:
1. If 3n is not a square number, put s=1. Then equation (2) becomes a Pell's equation z2−3nt2=1.(4) We know that there are infinitely many solutions of Pell's equation, and if (z1,t1) is the pair of smallest positive integers which is a solution of the equation, each (k-th) positive integral solution (zk,tk) of the equation satisfies zk+3ntk=(z1+3nt1)k.(5) Now let us prove that there are infinitely many (zk,tk) such that xk=3tk+ntk3,yk=1−ntk2,zk=(1+3ntk2) are relatively prime to each other. (xk,zk)∣(xk,zk2)=(tk(3+ntk2),1+3ntk2)=(3+ntk2,1+3ntk2)(∵(tk,1+3ntk2)=1)=(3+ntk2,−8)=1 or 2, (yk,zk)∣(yk,zk2)=(1−ntk2,1+3ntk2)=(1−ntk2,4)=1 or 2, (xk,yk)=(3tk+ntk3,1−ntk2)=(4tk,1−ntk2)=(4,1−ntk2)=1 or 2(∵(tk,1−ntk2)=1). Therefore, if n is even or tk is even, we have (xk,yk)=(yk,zk)=(zk,xk)=1. In the equation (5), one can easily check that if k is even, tk is even. Therefore, there are infinitely many (zk,tk) which gives us the solution of nx2+y3=z4 and (x,y)=(y,z)=(z,x)=1.
2. If 3n=m2 for some positive integer m, put s=u2,z=uv. Then the equation (2) becomes u4=v2−3nt2=(v−mt)(v+mt).(6) One can easily check that for each positive integer k, (uk=2mk+1,tk=muk4−1,vk=mtk+1) is a triple of integers satisfying the equation (6). Note that uk is odd, tk is even, and (uk,ntk)∣(uk,3ntk)=(uk,muk4−m)=(uk,m)=1, ∴(uk,ntk)=1, (tk,vk)=(tk,mtk+1)=1. Now the triple (xk=3uk4tk+ntk3,yk=uk4−ntk2,zk=ukvk=uk(mtk+1)) satisfies the equation (1). We have to show (xk,yk)=(yk,zk)=(zk,xk)=1. (xk,yk)=(3uk4tk+ntk3,uk4−ntk2)=(4uk4tk,uk4−ntk2)=(4,uk4−ntk2)=1(∴(uk4,uk4−ntk2)=(tk,uk4−ntk2)=1,uk is odd,tk is even) (yk,zk)(∴(ntk2,uk4−ntk2)=1,uk is odd,tk is even)=(uk4−ntk2,ukvk)=(uk4−ntk2,vk)∣(uk4−ntk2,vk2=uk4+3ntk2)=(uk4−ntk2,4ntk2)=(uk4−ntk2,4)=1, (zk,xk)(∴(ntk2,uk4+3ntk2)=1,uk is odd,tk is even).=(3uk4tk+ntk3,ukvk)=(3uk4+ntk2,ukvk)=(3uk4+ntk2,vk)∣(3uk4+ntk2,vk2=uk4+3ntk2)=(−8ntk2,uk4+3ntk2)=(8,uk4+3ntk2)=1 So we have (xk,yk)=(yk,zk)=(zk,xk)=1. Therefore we can find infinitely many triples of integers (xk,yk,zk) with (xk,yk)=(yk,zk)=(zk,xk)=1 which satisfies the equation (1).
From above, in any cases, we can find infinitely many integral solutions of the equation nx2+y3=z4, (x,y)=(y,z)=(z,x)=1. This completes the proof. □
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