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Indian National Mathematical Olympiad

Number theory Difficulty 6.3 National Olympiad Prove it India

Problem:
Let m,nm, n be distinct positive integers. Prove that
gcd⁡(m,n)+gcd⁡(m+1,n+1)+gcd⁡(m+2,n+2)≤2∣m−n∣+1 \operatorname{gcd}(m, n)+\operatorname{gcd}(m+1, n+1)+\operatorname{gcd}(m+2, n+2) \leq 2|m-n|+1
Further, determine when equality holds.

Solution

Solution:
Observe that
gcd⁡(m+j,n+j)=gcd⁡(m+j,∣m−n∣) \operatorname{gcd}(m+j, n+j)=\operatorname{gcd}(m+j,|m-n|)
for j=0,1,2j=0,1,2. Hence we can find positive integers a,b,ca, b, c such that
gcd⁡(m,n)=∣m−n∣a,gcd⁡(m+1,n+1)=∣m−n∣b,gcd⁡(m+2,n+2)=∣m−n∣c \operatorname{gcd}(m, n)=\frac{|m-n|}{a}, \quad \operatorname{gcd}(m+1, n+1)=\frac{|m-n|}{b}, \quad \operatorname{gcd}(m+2, n+2)=\frac{|m-n|}{c}
It follows that ∣m−n∣|m-n| divides ma,(m+1)bm a,(m+1) b and (m+2)c(m+2) c. Hence we can see that ∣m−n∣|m-n| divides aba b and bcb c. We get ∣m−n∣≤ab|m-n| \leq a b and ∣m−n∣≤bc|m-n| \leq b c. This leads to
b≥∣m−n∣a,b≥∣m−n∣c b \geq \frac{|m-n|}{a}, \quad b \geq \frac{|m-n|}{c}
Thus
gcd⁡(m,n)+gcd⁡(m+1,n+1)+gcd⁡(m+2,n+2)=∣m−n∣a+∣m−n∣b+∣m−n∣c≤2b+∣m−n∣b \begin{aligned} \operatorname{gcd}(m, n)+\operatorname{gcd}(m+1, n+1)+\operatorname{gcd}(m+2, & n+2) \\ & =\frac{|m-n|}{a}+\frac{|m-n|}{b}+\frac{|m-n|}{c} \leq 2 b+\frac{|m-n|}{b} \end{aligned}
We have to prove that
2b+∣m−n∣b≤2∣m−n∣+1 2 b+\frac{|m-n|}{b} \leq 2|m-n|+1
Taking ∣m−n∣=K|m-n|=K, we have to show that 2b2+K≤b(2K+1)2 b^{2}+K \leq b(2 K+1). This reduces to (b−K)(2b−1)≤0(b-K)(2 b-1) \leq 0. However
K=∣m−n∣≥b≥1>12 K=|m-n| \geq b \geq 1>\frac{1}{2}
Equality holds only when (m,n)=(k,k+1)(m, n)=(k, k+1) or (2k,2k+2)(2 k, 2 k+2) or permutations of these for some kk.

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