Maths Olympiad Prep

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Number theory Difficulty 4.6 AIME Prove it Brazil

Show that the equation x2+y2+z2=3xyzx^2 + y^2 + z^2 = 3xyz has infinitely many solutions in positive integers.

Solution

We can regard x23yzx+(y2+z2)=0x^2 - 3yz \cdot x + (y^2 + z^2) = 0 as a quadratic in xx. So if 1xyz1 \le x \le y \le z is a solution, then so is y,z,3yzxy, z, 3yz - x.

Also we have 3y33y \ge 3, so 3yzx3yzz2z>z3yz - x \ge 3yz - z \ge 2z > z. So 1yz<3yzx1 \le y \le z < 3yz - x, and the new solution has larger largest element.

So starting with the solution x=y=z=1x = y = z = 1 and repeating, we get infinitely many solutions.

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