Find all positive integers for which there exists an even positive integer such that is a perfect square.
Solutions — 2
Solution 1
Ответ. For and .
For , any even of the form works, for example, .
For , any even of the form works, for example, .
Assume that for , such a number exists. Then the number must be a perfect square. Since , the numbers and are coprime. Because is odd, the numbers and are also coprime. Therefore, both and must be perfect squares. In particular, modulo 3 can only be 0 or 1, and thus is not divisible by 3. Hence,
meaning that both and must be perfect squares.
However, the latter cannot be a square, since . This is a contradiction.
It remains to prove that no such exists for . Suppose such an exists. Take a natural number such that . Since , the number can be expressed as the product of and several other factors of the form , where and .
We will show that the factor is coprime with all other factors in this decomposition. Suppose and share a common divisor . Then is divisible by . But . Since and , the number cannot be divisible by . Thus, is a power of two not exceeding . Therefore, divides , and hence also divides . Because is even, the numbers and have no common divisors other than 1, so , as required.
The factor is coprime with all other factors in the product, which is a perfect square, so it must itself be a perfect square. Then and are perfect squares differing by 1, which is impossible. Therefore, our assumption is false, and no such exists for .
Solution 2
For and .
For , any even number of the form works, for example, .
For , any even number of the form works, for example, .
Assume that for , such a number exists. Then the number must be a perfect square. Since , the numbers and are coprime. As is odd, the numbers and are also coprime. Therefore, both and must be perfect squares. In particular, modulo can only be or , and thus is not divisible by . Hence,
meaning that both and must be perfect squares. However, the latter cannot be a square, since . This is a contradiction.
It remains to prove that no such exists for . Suppose such an exists. Take a natural number such that . Since , the number can be expressed as the product of and several other factors of the form , where and .
We will show that the factor is coprime with all other factors in this decomposition. Suppose and share a common divisor . Then is divisible by . But . Since and , the number cannot be divisible by . Thus, is a power of two not exceeding . Therefore, divides , and hence also divides . Because is even, the numbers and have no common divisors other than , so , as required.
The factor is coprime with all other factors in the product, which is a perfect square, so it must itself be a perfect square. Then and are perfect squares differing by , which is impossible. Therefore, our assumption is false, and no such exists for .