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Number theory Difficulty 6.0 National Olympiad Prove it Vietnam

Prove that for every positive integer nn the equation
x2+15y2=4n x^2 + 15y^2 = 4^n
has at least nn non-negative integer solutions (x,y)(x, y).

Solution

Consider equation: x2+15y2=4nx^2 + 15y^2 = 4^n (*).
We have the following remarks:

Remark 1: If (x,y)(x, y) is a non-negative integer solution of (*) for n=kn = k, k1k \ge 1, then (2x,2y)(2x, 2y) is a non-negative integer solution of (*) for n=k+1n = k + 1.

Remark 2: For each n2n \ge 2, equation (*) always has 1 non-negative integer solution (x,y)(x, y), with x,yx, y odd. (Below such a solution will be called odd-solution).

Proof: We shall prove by induction in n2n \ge 2.
Since 12+1512=421^2 + 15 \cdot 1^2 = 4^2 the claim is valid for n=2n = 2.
Assume that the claim is valid for n=kn = k, k2k \ge 2, we will show its validity for n=k+1n = k + 1.
Indeed, let (x,y)(x, y) be an odd-solution of (*) for n=kn = k. Then, by means of the equality
4(x2+15y2)=(x+15y2)2+15(xy2)2=(x15y2)2+15(x+y2)2 4(x^2 + 15y^2) = \left(\frac{x + 15y}{2}\right)^2 + 15\left(\frac{x - y}{2}\right)^2 = \left(\frac{x - 15y}{2}\right)^2 + 15\left(\frac{x + y}{2}\right)^2
and x+15y2,xy2,x15y2,x+y2Z\frac{x + 15y}{2}, \frac{x - y}{2}, \frac{x - 15y}{2}, \frac{x + y}{2} \in \mathbb{Z}
the pairs (x+15y2,xy2)\left(\frac{x + 15y}{2}, \frac{|x - y|}{2}\right) and (x15y2,x+y2)\left(\frac{|x - 15y|}{2}, \frac{x + y}{2}\right) are non-negative integer solution of (*) for n=k+1n = k + 1.
Moreover, since xy2+x+y2=x\frac{x - y}{2} + \frac{x + y}{2} = x is odd, one of the two integers xy2\frac{|x - y|}{2} and x+y2\frac{x + y}{2} has to be odd. Consequently, one of the above two solution of (*) for n=k+1n = k + 1 has to be odd. That is what to be proved.

Since 22+1502=42^2 + 15 \cdot 0^2 = 4, (x=2,y=0)(x = 2, y = 0) is a solution of (*) for n=1n = 1. Hence, by means of Remarks 1 and 2, an easy induction show that for each n1n \ge 1, equation (*) always has at least nn non-negative integer solution (x,y)(x, y).

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