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Number theory Difficulty 8.2 Shortlist Prove it Romania

Given a non-negative integer kk, show that there are infinitely many positive integers nn such that the product of any nn consecutive integers is divisible by (n+k)2+1(n+k)^2 + 1.

Solution

First solution. Since the product of nn consecutive integers is divisible by n!n!, it is sufficient to show that there are infinitely many positive integers nn such that n!n! is divisible by (n+k)2+1(n+k)^2 + 1.
To obtain infinitely many positive integers nn such that n!n! is divisible by (n+k)2+1(n+k)^2 + 1, it is sufficient to consider large enough integers m1(mod5)m \equiv 1 \pmod{5} and let n=2m2kn = 2m^2 - k.

In this case, (n+k)2+1=4m4+1=(2m2+2m+1)(2m22m+1)=5(2m22m+1)(n + k)^2 + 1 = 4m^4 + 1 = (2m^2 + 2m + 1)(2m^2 - 2m + 1) = 5\ell(2m^2 - 2m + 1), and 5<<2m22m+1<2m2k=n5 < \ell < 2m^2 - 2m + 1 < 2m^2 - k = n, so n!n! is indeed divisible by (n+k)2+1(n + k)^2 + 1.

Second solution. To obtain infinitely many positive integers nn such that (n+k)2+1(n+k)^2 + 1 divides n!n!, consider all pairs (n,m)(n, m) of positive integers satisfying n25m2=1n^2 - 5m^2 = -1. These pairs are completely described by
(nrmr)=(92049)r(21),r=0,1,2,; \begin{pmatrix} n_r \\ m_r \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} 9 & 20 \\ 4 & 9 \end{pmatrix}^r \begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix}, \quad r = 0, 1, 2, \dots;
the nrn_r and the mrm_r both form strictly increasing sequences of positive integers.
Write 2(nr2+1)=5mr2mr2(n_r^2 + 1) = 5 \cdot m_r \cdot 2m_r and notice that mr<2mr5mr21k=nrkm_r < 2m_r \le \sqrt{5m_r^2 - 1} - k = n_r - k for all but finitely many indices, to conclude that (nrk)!(n_r - k)! is divisible by nr2+1n_r^2 + 1 for all but finitely many indices.

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