Number theoryDifficulty 7.8National olympiad, round 2Prove itIMO
Prove that 5n−3n is not divisible by 2n+65 for any positive integer n.
Solutions — 2
Solution 1
Notice that if n is even, then 3∣m, but 3∤5n−3n, contradiction. So, from now on we assume that n is odd, n=2k+1. Obviously n=1 is not possible, so n⩾3. Notice that m is coprime to 2, 3 and 5. Let m1 be the smallest positive multiple of m that can be written in the form of either ∣5a2−3b2∣ or ∣a2−15b2∣ with some integers a and b. Note that 5n−3n=5(5k)2−3(3k)2 is a multiple of m, so the set of such multiples is non-empty, and therefore m1 is well-defined.
I. First we show that m1⩽5m. Consider the numbers 5k+1x+3k+1y,0⩽x,y⩽m There are ⌊m⌋+1>m choices for x and y, so there are more than m possible pairs (x,y). Hence, two of these sums are congruent modulo m: 5k+1x1+3k+1y1≡5k+1x2+3k+1y2(modm). Now choose a=x1−x2 and b=y1−y2; at least one of a,b is nonzero, and 5k+1a+3k+1b≡0(modm),∣a∣,∣b∣⩽m From 0≡(5k+1a)2−(3k+1b)2=5n+1a2−3n+1b2≡5⋅3na2−3n+1b2=3n(5a2−3b2)(modm) we can see that ∣5a2−3b2∣ is a multiple of m. Since at least one of a and b is nonzero, 5a2=3b2. Hence, by the choice of a,b, we have 0<∣5a2−3b2∣⩽max(5a2,3b2)⩽5m. That shows that m1⩽5m.
II. Next, we show that m1 cannot be divisible by 2, 3 and 5. Since m1 equals either ∣5a2−3b2∣ or ∣a2−15b2∣ with some integers a,b, we have six cases to check. In all six cases, we will get a contradiction by presenting another multiple of m, smaller than m1. - If 5∣m1 and m1=∣5a2−3b2∣, then 5∣b and ∣a2−15(5b)2∣=5m1<m1. - If 5∣m1 and m1=∣a2−15b2∣, then 5∣a and ∣5(5a)2−3b2∣=5m1<m1. - If 3∣m1 and m1=∣5a2−3b2∣, then 3∣a and ∣b2−15(3a)2∣=3m1<m1. - If 3∣m1 and m1=∣a2−15b2∣, then 3∣a and ∣5b2−3(3a)2∣=3m1<m1. - If 2∣m1 and m1=∣5a2−3b2∣, then ∣(25a−3b)2−15(2a−b)2∣=2m1<m1. - If 2∣m1 and m1=∣a2−15b2∣, then ∣5(2a−3b)2−3(2a−5b)2∣=2m1<m1. (The last two expressions can be obtained from (5a+3b)(5−3)=(5a−3b)+15(b−a) and (a+15b)(5−3)=5(a−3b)+3(5b−a).) In all six cases, we found that either 2m1, 3m1 or 5m1 is of the form ∣5x2−3y2∣ or ∣x2−15y2∣. Since m is coprime to 2, 3 and 5, the presented number is a multiple of m, but this contradicts the minimality of m1.
III. The last remaining case is m1=m, so either m=∣5a2−3b2∣ or m=∣a2−15b2∣. We will get a contradiction by considering the two sides modulo 3, 4 and 5. - 2n+65=5a2−3b2 is not possible, because 2n+65≡1(mod3), but 5a2−3b2≡1(mod3). - 2n+65=3b2−5a2 is not possible, because 2n+65≡1(mod4), but 3b2−5a2≡1(mod4). - 2n+65=a2−15b2 is not possible, because 2n+65≡±2(mod5), but a2−15b2≡±2(mod5). - 2n+65=15b2−a2 is not possible, because 2n+65≡1(mod4), but 15b2−a2≡1(mod4). We found a contradiction in all cases, that completes the solution.
Solution 2
Suppose again that 5n≡3n(modm=2n+65). Like in the first solution, we conclude that n must be odd, and n⩾3, so 8∣2n. Using Jacobi symbols, −1=(52n+65)=(2n+655)=(2n+655n)=(2n+653n)=(2n+653)=(32n+65)=1, contradiction.
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