Find all quadruples (x,y,z,w) of integers satisfying the system of equations x+y+z+w=xy+yz+zx+w2−w=xyz−w3=−1.
Solution
The system is equivalent to ⎩⎨⎧x+y+z=−(w+1)xy+yz+zx=−(w2−w+1)xyz=w3−1 Multiplying the first two equations of the system we get (x+y+z)(xy+yz+zx)=w3+1. Eliminating w between this relation and the last equation, it follows (x+y+z)(xy+yz+zx)−xyz=2. The equation (1) is equivalent to (x+y)(y+z)(z+x)=2. Taking into account the symmetry of equation (3) we have to consider only the following situations: ⎩⎨⎧x+y=2y+z=−1z+x=−1⎩⎨⎧x+y=2y+z=1z+x=1⎩⎨⎧x+y=−2y+z=1z+x=−1 Because w2−w+1>0, from the second equation of (1) it follows that the solutions to the above system must satisfy xy+yz+zx<0. The first system has solution (x,y,z)=(1,1,−2). Replacing in the first equation of (1) we obtain w=−1. In this case we get solutions (1,1,−2,−1), (1,−2,1,−1), (−2,1,1,−1). The solutions to the second and third system do not satisfy condition xy+yz+zx<0, hence they will not give solutions to our problem.
Solution 2: x,y,z are the roots of the polynomial P(t)=t3+(w+1)t2−(w2−w+1)t−w3+1 We have P(t)=(t+w+1)(t2−w2+w−1)+2. Since P(x)=0, it follows (x+w+1)(x2−w2+w−1)=−2 There are four possibilities {x+w+1=1x2−w2+w−1=−2{x+w+1=−1x2−w2+w−1=2 {x+w+1=2x2−w2+w−1=−1{x+w+1=−2x2−w2+w−1=1 The second and the fourth system have no solutions in integers. From the first and from the second system we get w=−1 and w=1. If w=−1, the polynomial P is P(t)=t3−3t+2 with roots x=y=1,z=−2. We get solutions (1,1,−2,−1), (1,−2,1,−1), (−2,1,1,−1). If w=1, the polynomial P is P(t)=t3+2t2−t and not all the roots are integers.
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