The relation in the problem can be written in the form
x!+y!=3nn!(1)
Suppose that (x,y,n) is a triple of natural numbers satisfying (1).
It is easily seen that n≥1 and w.l.g. we can suppose that x≤y. We must now consider the following cases.
1) 1st case: x≤n
It is clear that (1)⇔1+x!y!=3nx!n!.(2)
(2) implies that 1+x!y!≡0(mod3). Since the product of three consecutive integers is divisible by 3 and since n≥1, we have: x<y≤x+2.
a) If y=x+2, (2) implies
1+(x+1)(x+2)=3nx!n!(3)
Since the product of two consecutive integers is divisible by 2, from (3), we deduce that n≤x+1.
- If n=x, (3) implies
1+(x+1)(x+2)=3x,i.e. x2+3x+3=3x(4)
Since x≥1, (4) shows that x≡0(mod3), therefore x≥3 and we get a contradiction
3=x2+3x−3x≡0(mod9)
which proves that n=x.
- If n=x+1, (3) implies that
1+(x+1)(x+2)=3n(x+1)
hence x+1 is a positive divisor of 1. Therefore x=0 and consequently y=2,n=1.
b) If y=x+1, (2) implies
x+2=3nx!n!(5)
Since x≥1, (5) shows that x≥1 and then x=n and
x+2=3x.(6)
x=1 is the unique natural number satisfying (6) therefore, in this case, if the triples (x,y,n) satisfy (1) then (x,y,n)=(0,2,1) or (x,y,n)=(1,2,1).
2) 2nd case: x>n.
It is clear that
(1)⇔n!x!+n!y!=3n.(7)
Since n+1 and n+2 can not be simultaneously the powers of 3, from (7), we deduce that x=n+1. Then (2) implies that
n+1+n!y!=3n.(8)
Since y≥x, we see that y≥n+1. By putting A=(n+1)!y!, we can write (8) in the form
(n+1)(1+A)=3n.(9)
It is clear that if y≥n+4 then A≡0mod3, and A+1 can not be a power of 3. Hence (9) shows that y≤n+3.
So n+1≤y≤n+3.
a) If y=n+3 then A=(n+2)(n+3), and from (9) we get
(n+1)(1+(n+2)(n+3))=3n i.e. (n+2)3−1=3n.(10)
It follows that n>2 and n+2=1mod3. By putting n+2=3k+1,k>2, we can write (10) in the form
9k(3k2+3k+1)=33k−1.
It implies that 3k2+3k+1 is a power of 3. This contradiction proves that y=n+3.
b) If y=n+2 then A=n+2 and from (9) we get
(n+1)(n+3)=3n.(11)
c) If y=n+1 then A=1 and from (9) we get
2(n+1)=3n.
It is clear that there exist no n satisfying this relation. So y=n+1.
Thus, if the triple (x,y,n), with x≤y, satisfies (1) then n≥x.
Consequently, if (x,y,n) is a triple of natural numbers satisfying (1) then (x,y,n)=(0,2,1) or (x,y,n)=(2,0,1), or (x,y,n)=(2,1,0), or (x,y,n)=(2,1,1).
By direct verification, we see that the four mentioned triples satisfy (1). So these triples are all triples satisfying the conditions of the problem.