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Number theory Difficulty 6.5 National Olympiad Prove it Belarus

For two positive integers aa and bb the number a.b\overline{a.b} is equal to the decimal fraction which we have if after the number aa we put the decimal point and then write the number bb. For example, for a=20a = 20, b=13b = 13 we get a.b=20.13\overline{a.b} = 20.13, and b.a=13.2\overline{b.a} = 13.2.
Prove that there are infinite number of natural nn, such that the equation a,bb,a=n\overline{a,b} \cdot \overline{b,a} = n has positive integer solutions aa and bb. (D. Bazylev)

Solution

Let the decimal representation of aa consist of kk digits. Set b=510mb = 5 \cdot 10^m, mNm \in \mathbb{N}. Then
a,bb,a=n    (a+b10k)(b+a10m)=n        (2a+1)510m2+a(2a+1)210k=n        (2a+1)5m+12m1+a(2a+1)210k=n. \begin{align*} \overline{a,b} \cdot \overline{b,a} &= n \iff \left(a + \frac{b}{10^k}\right)\left(b + \frac{a}{10^m}\right) = n \iff \\ &\iff \frac{(2a + 1) \cdot 5 \cdot 10^m}{2} + \frac{a(2a + 1)}{2 \cdot 10^k} = n \iff \\ &\iff (2a + 1) \cdot 5^{m+1} \cdot 2^{m-1} + \frac{a(2a + 1)}{2 \cdot 10^k} = n. \end{align*}
We see that the last equality holds for some positive integer nn if and only if the number a(2a+1)a(2a + 1) is divisible by 210k=2k+15k2 \cdot 10^k = 2^{k+1} \cdot 5^k. So if we find at least one such number aa, then the problem statement will be proved, since for this aa and any b=510mb = 5 \cdot 10^m, mNm \in \mathbb{N} the number a,bb,aa, b \cdot b, a will be integer.
Consider k=4k=4. Then the required relation has the form a(2a+1)2554a(2a+1) \mid 2^5 \cdot 5^4.
It is easily followed from two relations a25a \mid 2^5 and (2a+1)54(2a+1) \mid 5^4. So, to solve the problem it suffices to find at least one aa with 4 digits in its decimal representation and satisfying these two relations. Such aa does exist, for example, a=5312a = 5312. Show how we can find such aa.
First we show that there exist infinitely many positive integers aa such that a25a \mid 2^5 and (2a+1)54(2a+1) \mid 5^4. The first relation is equivalent to the equality a=32ca = 32c, where cNc \in \mathbb{N}, and then the second relation has the form 232c+1542 \cdot 32c + 1 \mid 5^4 or 64c+162564c + 1 \mid 625. We have
64c+1625    64c+1625625    64c624625    16(4c39)625    4c39625    4c39625625    4c664625    4(c166)625    c166625    c=625l+166,lZ. \begin{align*} 64c + 1 \mid 625 &\iff 64c + 1 - 625 \mid 625 &\iff 64c - 624 \mid 625 &\iff \\ 16(4c - 39) \mid 625 &\iff 4c - 39 \mid 625 &\iff 4c - 39 - 625 \mid 625 &\iff \\ 4c - 664 \mid 625 &\iff 4(c - 166) \mid 625 &\iff c - 166 \mid 625 &\iff \\ c = 625l + 166, l \in \mathbb{Z}. \end{align*}
In particular, for l=0l = 0 we have c=166c = 166, and so a=32c=32166=5312a = 32c = 32 \cdot 166 = 5312 has 4 digits in its decimal representation, as required.

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