Do there exist positive integers n and k, 1≤k≤n−2, such that (kn)2+(k+1n)2=(k+2n)4?
Solution
By applying the formula (ba)=b!(a−b)!a! we obtain the equation 1+(k+1)2(n−k)2=(k+1)2(k+2)2(n−k)2(n−k−1)2(k+2n)2. Hence (k+2)2[(k+1)2+(n−k)2]=(n−k)2(n−k−1)2(k+2n)2, which implies that (k+1)2+(n−k)2 is a perfect square. Let (k+1)2+(n−k)2=t2, where t∈N. We have (k+2)t=(n−k)(n−k−1)(k+2n)≥2(k+2n). Using that k+2≤n and t=(k+1)2+(n−k)2<n+1 we conclude that (k+2)t≤n2. Let 3≤k+2≤n−3 (the left hand side of this inequality follows from the condition of the problem). If n≥6, we have 2(k+2n)≥2(3n)=3n(n−1)(n−2)>n2, i.e. the equation has no solution in this case. When k+2=n−2 we obtain t2=(n−3)2+16, hence t=5, n=6, k=2. Direct computation shows that n=6 and k=2 is not a solution. If k+2=n−1 we have t2=(n−2)2+9, so t=5, n=6, k=3 and as above we conclude that no solution exists. Therefore positive integers n and k satisfying the equation do not exist.
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