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Algebra Difficulty 6.6 National olympiad Prove it Croatia

Let p1p_1 and q1q_1 be integers such that the equation x2+p1x+q1=0x^2 + p_1x + q_1 = 0 has two integer solutions. For all nNn \in \mathbb{N} we define the numbers pn+1p_{n+1} and qn+1q_{n+1} by the formulas
pn+1=pn+1,qn+1=qn+12pn. p_{n+1} = p_n + 1, \quad q_{n+1} = q_n + \frac{1}{2}p_n.
Prove that there exists an infinite number of positive integers nn such that the equation x2+pnx+qn=0x^2 + p_nx + q_n = 0 has two integer solutions.

Solution

Let DnD_n be a discriminant of quadratic equation x2+pnx+qn=0x^2 + p_n x + q_n = 0, for each nNn \in \mathbb{N}, i.e.
Dn=pn24qn.D_n = p_n^2 - 4q_n.
By assumption we conclude that D1D_1 is a square of an integer.
Further, we have:
Dn+1=pn+124qn+1=(pn+1)24(qn+12pn)=pn24qn+1=Dn+1. D_{n+1} = p_{n+1}^2 - 4q_{n+1} = (p_n + 1)^2 - 4 \left( q_n + \frac{1}{2}p_n \right) = p_n^2 - 4q_n + 1 = D_n + 1.
Let's suppose that the equation x2+pnx+qn=0x^2 + p_n x + q_n = 0 has two integer solutions for some nn. Then Dn=k2D_n = k^2 for some integer kk, hence, we have:
Dn+2k+1=Dn+2k+1=k2+2k+1=(k+1)2. D_{n+2k+1} = D_n + 2k + 1 = k^2 + 2k + 1 = (k+1)^2.
Moreover, since 12(pn+Dn)\frac{1}{2}(-p_n + \sqrt{D_n}) and 12(pnDn)\frac{1}{2}(-p_n - \sqrt{D_n}) are integers, we conclude that pnp_n and DnD_n are of the same parity. But,
pn+2k+1pn+2k+1pn+1Dn+1Dn+2k+1Dn+2k+1(mod2) p_{n+2k+1} \equiv p_n + 2k + 1 \equiv p_n + 1 \equiv D_n + 1 \equiv D_n + 2k + 1 \equiv D_{n+2k+1} \pmod{2}
so the equation x2+pn+2k+1x+qn+2k+1=0x^2 + p_{n+2k+1}x + q_{n+2k+1} = 0 also has two integer solutions.
Hence, we proved that there are infinitely many integers nn for which the equation x2+pnx+qn=0x^2 + p_n x + q_n = 0 has two integer solutions.

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