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Number theory Difficulty 8.4 Shortlist Prove it China

Let aa, bb be positive real numbers with ba>2b - a > 2. Prove that for any two distinct integers mm, nn in the interval [a,b)[a, b), there is a nonempty set SS consisting of some integers in the interval [ab,(a+1)(b+1))[ab, (a+1)(b+1)), such that xmn\frac{\prod x}{mn} is a square of a rational number. (Posed by Yu Hongbing)

Solution

We first prove the following lemma:

Lemma. Let uu be an integer with au<u+1<ba \le u < u+1 < b. Then there are two distinct integers xx, yy in the interval [ab,(a+1)(b+1))[ab, (a+1)(b+1)), such that xyu(u+1)\frac{xy}{u(u+1)} is a square of an integer.

Proof of lemma. Let vv be the smallest integer not less than abu\frac{ab}{u}, i.e. vv satisfies
abuv<abu+1; \frac{ab}{u} \le v < \frac{ab}{u} + 1;
hence
abuv<ab+u(ab+a+b+1),1 ab \le uv < ab + u(ab + a + b + 1), \quad \textcircled{1}
and thus
ab<(u+1)v=uv+v<ab+u+abu+1<ab+a+b+1 (since au<b).2 ab < (u+1)v = uv + v < ab + u + \frac{ab}{u} + 1 < ab + a + b + 1 \text{ (since } a \le u < b\text{).} \quad \textcircled{2}
(Here we have used a well-known result: the function f(t)=t+abtf(t) = t + \frac{ab}{t} (atba \le t \le b) attains its maximum at t=at = a or bb.)

By ① and ②, we see that uvuv and (u+1)v(u+1)v are two distinct integers in the interval I=[ab,(a+1)(b+1))I = [ab, (a+1)(b+1)). Let x=uvx = uv and y=(u+1)vy = (u+1)v. Then xyu(u+1)=v2\frac{xy}{u(u+1)} = v^2 is a square of an integer number. We have verified the lemma.

Going back to the original problem, suppose that m<nm < n. Then amn1<ba \le m \le n-1 < b. It follows from the lemma that for every k=m,m+1,,n1k = m, m+1, \dots, n-1, there exist xkx_k, yky_k, two distinct integers in the interval [ab,(a+1)(b+1))[ab, (a+1)(b+1)), and integer AkA_k, such that
xkykk(k+1)=Ak2. \frac{x_k y_k}{k(k+1)} = A_k^2.
Multiplying all together, we find that
k=mn1xkykmn(m+1)2(n1)2=k=mn1Ak2 \frac{\prod_{k=m}^{n-1} x_k y_k}{mn(m+1)^2 \cdots (n-1)^2} = \prod_{k=m}^{n-1} A_k^2
is a square of an integer.

Let SS be the set of numbers that appear in xix_i, yiy_i (min1m \le i \le n-1) odd times. If SS is nonempty, then it follows from the above equality that ximn\frac{\prod x_i}{mn} is a square of a rational number.

If SS is empty, then mnmn is a square of an integer. Since a+b>2aba + b > 2\sqrt{ab}, we have ab+a+b+1>ab+2ab+1ab + a + b + 1 > ab + 2\sqrt{ab} + 1, i.e. (a+1)(b+1)>ab+1\sqrt{(a+1)(b+1)} > \sqrt{ab} + 1, which means that there is at least an integer in the interval [ab,(a+1)(b+1))[\sqrt{ab}, \sqrt{(a+1)(b+1)}). As a result there is a perfect square in the interval [ab,(a+1)(b+1))[ab, (a+1)(b+1)). Suppose that r2[ab,(a+1)(b+1))r^2 \in [ab, (a+1)(b+1)) (rZr \in \mathbb{Z}), and let S={r2}S' = \{r^2\}. Then xSxmn\frac{\prod_{x \in S'} x}{mn} is a square of a rational number.

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