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Number theory Difficulty 6.4 National Olympiad Prove it South Korea

Let aa, bb be relatively prime positive integers and let ana_n and bnb_n be integer sequences satisfying (a+b2)2n=an+bn2(a + b\sqrt{2})^{2n} = a_n + b_n\sqrt{2}. Find all primes pp such that there is a positive integer nn less than or equal to pp satisfying bn0(modp)b_n \equiv 0 \pmod{p}.

Solution

Let pp be a prime. First suppose that pp is an odd prime dividing a22b2a^2 - 2b^2. Since aa and bb are relatively prime, b1=2abb_1 = 2ab is not divisible by pp. Suppose that there is a positive integer nn such that bnb_n is divisible by pp. Let rr be the smallest positive integer such that brb_r is divisible by pp. Note that (ab2)2n=anbn2(a - b\sqrt{2})^{2n} = a_n - b_n\sqrt{2} because both ana_n and bnb_n are integers, and
{an=(a2+2b2)an1+4abbn1bn=2aban1+(a2+2b2)bn1. \begin{cases} a_n = (a^2 + 2b^2)a_{n-1} + 4ab b_{n-1} \\ b_n = 2ab a_{n-1} + (a^2 + 2b^2)b_{n-1}. \end{cases}
Then we have
0br=2ab((a2+2b2)ar2+4abbr2+(a2+2b2)br1)=2(a2+2b2)br1(a22b2)2br22(a2+2b2)br1(modp), \begin{aligned} 0 \equiv b_r &= 2ab((a^2 + 2b^2)a_{r-2} + 4ab b_{r-2} + (a^2 + 2b^2)b_{r-1}) \\ &= 2(a^2 + 2b^2)b_{r-1} - (a^2 - 2b^2)^2 b_{r-2} \equiv 2(a^2 + 2b^2)b_{r-1} \pmod{p}, \end{aligned}
which is a contradiction to the assumption. Therefore bnb_n is not divisible by pp for any positive integer nn.

Now let pp be a prime not dividing a22b2a^2 - 2b^2. Since b1=2abb_1 = 2ab, we may assume that pp is odd and abab is not divisible by pp. Note that
bn=(a+b2)2n(ab2)2n2=k=0, k1(mod2)2n2(2nk)a2nkbk2k12 b_n = \frac{(a + b\sqrt{2})^{2n} - (a - b\sqrt{2})^{2n}}{\sqrt{2}} = \sum_{k=0,\ k \equiv 1 \pmod{2}}^{2n} 2 \binom{2n}{k} a^{2n-k} b^k 2^{\frac{k-1}{2}}
First assume that there is an integer mm such that m22(modp)m^2 \equiv 2 \pmod{p}. Then we have
bn=k=0, k1(mod2)2n2(2nk)a2nkbk2k12=k=0, k1(mod2)2nm2(2nk)a2nkbkmk1=(a+bm)2n(abm)2nm(modp). \begin{aligned} b_n &= \sum_{k=0,\ k \equiv 1 \pmod{2}}^{2n} 2 \binom{2n}{k} a^{2n-k} b^k 2^{\frac{k-1}{2}} \\ &= \sum_{k=0,\ k \equiv 1 \pmod{2}}^{2n} m^2 \binom{2n}{k} a^{2n-k} b^k m^{k-1} \\ &= \frac{(a + bm)^{2n} - (a - bm)^{2n}}{m} \pmod{p}. \end{aligned}
Since (a+bm)(abm)=a2m2b2a22b2≢0(modp)(a + bm)(a - bm) = a^2 - m^2 b^2 \equiv a^2 - 2b^2 \not\equiv 0 \pmod{p}, bp120(modp)b_{\frac{p-1}{2}} \equiv 0 \pmod{p} by Fermat's little theorem.

Now suppose that x22(modp)x^2 \equiv 2 \pmod{p} does not have any integer solution, that is, 22 is a quadratic non-residue modulo pp. Clearly,
(p+1k)0(modp) for any 2kp1. \binom{p+1}{k} \equiv 0 \pmod{p} \text{ for any } 2 \leq k \leq p-1.
Therefore by Euler's criterion, we have
bp+12=k=0, k1(mod2)p+12(p+1k)ap+1kbk2k12=2(p+1)apb+(p+1)abp2p+12=2ab(1+2p12)0(modp). \begin{align*} b_{\frac{p+1}{2}} &= \sum_{k=0,\ k \equiv 1 \pmod{2}}^{p+1} 2 \binom{p+1}{k} a^{p+1-k} b^k 2^{\frac{k-1}{2}} \\ &= 2(p+1)a^p b + (p+1)ab^p 2^{\frac{p+1}{2}} \\ &= 2ab(1 + 2^{\frac{p-1}{2}}) \equiv 0 \pmod{p}. \end{align*}
Therefore such a prime is exactly 22 or relatively prime to a22b2a^2 - 2b^2. \square

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