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Number theory Difficulty 4.7 AIME Prove it Croatia

Four integers a,b,c,da, b, c, d satisfy a+b=ca + b = c, a+d=2ca + d = 2c. Prove that there exists a rectangular triangle with integer sides whose area equals abcdabcd.

Solution

From the given equations we have a=cba = c - b, d=2ca=b+cd = 2c - a = b + c. So
abcd=(cb)bc(b+c)=bc(c2b2)=12(2bc)(c2b2). abcd = (c-b) \cdot b \cdot c \cdot (b+c) = bc(c^2-b^2) = \frac{1}{2}(2bc)(c^2-b^2).
Therefore abcdabcd is the area of a right triangle with legs 2bc2bc and c2b2c^2 - b^2.
The hypotenuse of that triangle equals
(2bc)2+(c2b2)2=c4+b4+2b2c2=b2+c2. \sqrt{(2bc)^2 + (c^2 - b^2)^2} = \sqrt{c^4 + b^4 + 2b^2c^2} = b^2 + c^2.
As bb and cc are positive integers and c>bc > b (since cb=a>0c - b = a > 0), the lengths of all three sides, 2bc2bc, c2b2c^2 - b^2 and b2+c2b^2 + c^2 are positive integers.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.