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Number theory Difficulty 5.6 AIME, harder Prove it Croatia

Determine all pairs (a,b)(a, b) of positive integers such that a2ba^2 b divides b2+3ab^2 + 3a.

Solution

The given condition implies that
a2bk=b2+3a a^2 b k = b^2 + 3a
for some positive integer kk. The equation a2bk3a=b2a^2 b k - 3a = b^2 implies ab2a \mid b^2 and b3ab \mid 3a. Therefore, the numbers
b2a,3abandb2+3aa2b=ba2+3ab \frac{b^2}{a}, \frac{3a}{b} \quad \text{and} \quad \frac{b^2 + 3a}{a^2 b} = \frac{b}{a^2} + \frac{3}{a b}
are integers. By multiplying the second and the third one, we conclude that 9ab2\frac{9a}{b^2} is an integer, meaning that b29ab^2 \mid 9a. Now we have
b2m=9a,an=b2 b^2 m = 9a, \quad a n = b^2
for some positive integers mm and nn. This implies mn=9m n = 9. Hence, n{1,3,9}n \in \{1, 3, 9\}, which means that b2{a,3a,9a}b^2 \in \{a, 3a, 9a\}. The initial condition now implies abn+3a b \mid n + 3.

We have three possible values for nn.

If n=1n = 1, then b2=ab^2 = a, so the initial condition becomes b54b2b^5 \mid 4b^2, i.e. b3b^3 divides 44. We obtain one solution a=b=1a = b = 1.

If n=3n = 3, then b2=3ab^2 = 3a, so b592b2\frac{b^5}{9} \mid 2b^2, i.e. b318b^3 \mid 18. Since bb is a multiple of 33, there is no solution in this case.

If n=9n = 9, then b2=9ab^2 = 9a, so b58143b2\frac{b^5}{81} \mid \frac{4}{3} b^2, i.e. b3108b^3 \mid 108. Since bb is a multiple of 33, we obtain a solution (a,b)=(1,3)(a, b) = (1, 3).

The only solutions are (1,1)(1, 1) and (1,3)(1, 3).

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.