For every real number x, let ∥x∥ denote the distance between x and the nearest integer. Prove that for every pair (a,b) of positive integers there exist an odd prime p and a positive integer k satisfying pka+pkb+pka+b=1.
Solution
Notice first that ⌊x+21⌋ is an integer nearest to x, so ∥x∥=⌊x+21⌋−x. Thus we have ⌊x+21⌋=x±∥x∥. For every rational number r and every prime number p, denote by vp(r) the exponent of p in the prime factorisation of r. Recall the notation (2n−1)!! for the product of all odd positive integers not exceeding 2n−1, i.e., (2n−1)!!=1⋅3⋯(2n−1).
Lemma. For every positive integer n and every odd prime p, we have vp((2n−1)!!)=k=1∑∞⌊pkn+21⌋. Proof. For every positive integer k, let us count the multiples of pk among the factors 1,3,…,2n−1. If ℓ is an arbitrary integer, the number (2ℓ−1)pk is listed above if and only if 0<(2ℓ−1)pk⩽2n⟺21<ℓ⩽pkn+21⟺1⩽ℓ⩽⌊pkn+21⌋. Hence, the number of multiples of pk among the factors is precisely mk=⌊pkn+21⌋. Thus we obtain vp((2n−1)!!)=i=1∑nvp(2i−1)=i=1∑nk=1∑vp(2i−1)1=k=1∑∞ℓ=1∑mk1=k=1∑∞⌊pkn+21⌋. □
In order to prove the problem statement, consider the rational number N=(2a−1)!!⋅(2b−1)!!(2a+2b−1)!!=1⋅3⋯(2b−1)(2a+1)(2a+3)⋯(2a+2b−1). Obviously, N>1, so there exists a prime p with vp(N)>0. Since N is a fraction of two odd numbers, p is odd.
By our lemma, 0<vp(N)=k=1∑∞(⌊pka+b+21⌋−⌊pka+21⌋−⌊pkb+21⌋). Therefore, there exists some positive integer k such that the integer number dk=⌊pka+b+21⌋−⌊pka+21⌋−⌊pkb+21⌋ is positive, so dk⩾1. By the earlier formula we have 1⩽dk=pka+b−pka−pkb±pka+b±pka±pkb=±pka+b±pka±pkb. Since ∥x∥<21 for every rational x with odd denominator, the relation above can only be satisfied if all three signs on the right-hand side are positive and dk=1. Thus we get pka+pkb+pka+b=dk=1 as required.
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