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Number theory Difficulty 6.3 National olympiad Prove it Estonia

Let nn be a fixed positive integer. Find all triples (a,b,c)(a, b, c) of integers satisfying the following system of equations:
{an+3+bn+2c+cn+1a2+anb3=0bn+3+cn+2a+an+1b2+bnc3=0cn+3+an+2b+bn+1c2+cna3=0 \begin{cases} a^{n+3} + b^{n+2}c + c^{n+1}a^2 + a^n b^3 = 0 \\ b^{n+3} + c^{n+2}a + a^{n+1}b^2 + b^n c^3 = 0 \\ c^{n+3} + a^{n+2}b + b^{n+1}c^2 + c^n a^3 = 0 \end{cases}

Solution

If a=0a = 0 then the first equation implies bn+2c=0b^{n+2}c = 0. Hence b=0b = 0 or c=0c = 0; w.l.o.g., b=0b = 0. Then the last equation reduces to cn+3=0c^{n+3} = 0 which implies c=0c = 0. Thus if a=0a = 0 then a=b=c=0a = b = c = 0. Analogously we can prove that if b=0b = 0 or c=0c = 0 then a=b=c=0a = b = c = 0. The triple (0,0,0)(0,0,0) satisfies the equation.

It remains to consider triples (a,b,c)(a,b,c) whose all terms are different from 00. Let pp be an arbitrary prime number. If pap \mid a then the first equation implies pbn+2cp \mid b^{n+2}c. Thus pbp \mid b or pcp \mid c; w.l.o.g., pbp \mid b. Then the last equation gives pcn+1p \mid c^{n+1} which implies pcp \mid c. Thus if pap \mid a then pa,pb,pcp \mid a, p \mid b, p \mid c. Analogously we can prove that if pbp \mid b or pcp \mid c then pa,pb,pcp \mid a, p \mid b, p \mid c.

But rewriting a=pa,b=pb,c=pca = pa', b = pb', c = pc' enables us to divide both sides of all equations by pn+3p^{n+3}, giving a similar system of equations having a,b,ca', b', c' in the role of a,b,ca, b, c. Hence the triple (a,b,c)(a', b', c') also satisfies the system of equations. As the numbers other than 00 cannot be infinitely divided in integers, a finite number of divisions should give us a solution whose terms have no common prime factors. By the previous paragraph, this is possible only if the values of variables have no prime factors, i.e., a=±1,b=±1,c=±1a = \pm 1, b = \pm 1, c = \pm 1. We show now that such solutions do not exist. Indeed, if nn is even then the system of equations reduces to
{a+c+c+b=0,b+a+a+c=0,c+b+b+a=0. \begin{cases} a + c + c + b = 0, \\ b + a + a + c = 0, \\ c + b + b + a = 0. \end{cases}
Adding all equations results in 4(a+b+c)=04(a + b + c) = 0, implying a+b+c=0a + b + c = 0; but the sum of three odd numbers cannot equal the even number 00.

If nn is odd then the system of equations reduces to
{1+bc+1+ab=0,1+ca+1+bc=0,1+ab+1+ca=0. \begin{cases} 1 + bc + 1 + ab = 0, \\ 1 + ca + 1 + bc = 0, \\ 1 + ab + 1 + ca = 0. \end{cases}
Adding all equations results in 2(ab+bc+ca)+6=02(ab + bc + ca) + 6 = 0, implying ab+bc+ca=3ab + bc + ca = -3. As ab=bc=ca=1|ab| = |bc| = |ca| = 1, the only possibility is ab=bc=ca=1ab = bc = ca = -1. This demands that a,b,ca, b, c have pairwise opposite signs which is impossible. Consequently, no solutions except (0,0,0)(0,0,0) exist.

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