Find all positive integer solutions to the equation
where denotes the minimum of the numbers .
Solution
Answer: .
It is clear that the above is a solution, so we prove that there are no other solutions.
We may assume . Since , we have , thus and therefore .
First, we prove that if , then must have distinct remainders modulo . Since , we may order the remainders as and furthermore we may assume that . Then we have , since . Similarly, , since . Finally, it is clear .
It follows that , hence . For , we have , , , thus . Equality means there is no other solution.
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