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Number theory Difficulty 5.1 AIME, harder Prove it Philippines

Problem:
Find all ordered pairs (m,n)(m, n) of integers such that 4m4n=2554^{m} - 4^{n} = 255.

Solution

Solution:
Let mnm \geq n. Then 4m4n=2554^{m} - 4^{n} = 255.

Let k=mn0k = m - n \geq 0, so 4m=4n4k4^{m} = 4^{n} \cdot 4^{k}, and the equation becomes:
4n(4k1)=255 4^{n}(4^{k} - 1) = 255
Factor 255=3×5×17255 = 3 \times 5 \times 17.

Since 4n4^{n} is a power of 44, i.e., 1,4,16,64,1, 4, 16, 64, \ldots, it must divide 255255.

Let us check possible values for 4n4^{n}:

- If n=0n = 0, 4n=14^{n} = 1:
4k1=255    4k=256    k=4 4^{k} - 1 = 255 \implies 4^{k} = 256 \implies k = 4
So n=0n = 0, k=4k = 4, m=n+k=4m = n + k = 4.
Thus, (m,n)=(4,0)(m, n) = (4, 0).

- If n=1n = 1, 4n=44^{n} = 4:
4(4k1)=255    4k1=63.75 4(4^{k} - 1) = 255 \implies 4^{k} - 1 = 63.75
Not integer.

- If n=2n = 2, 4n=164^{n} = 16:
16(4k1)=255    4k1=15.9375 16(4^{k} - 1) = 255 \implies 4^{k} - 1 = 15.9375
Not integer.

- If n=3n = 3, 4n=644^{n} = 64:
64(4k1)=255    4k1=3.984375 64(4^{k} - 1) = 255 \implies 4^{k} - 1 = 3.984375
Not integer.

- If n<0n < 0, 4n4^{n} is a positive rational number greater than 11 (for n<0n < 0), but 4n(4k1)4^{n}(4^{k} - 1) would not be integer unless 4k=14^{k} = 1, i.e., k=0k = 0.

If k=0k = 0, m=nm = n, so 4m4n=04^{m} - 4^{n} = 0, not 255255.

If n>0n > 0, 4n4^{n} is 4,16,64,4, 16, 64, \ldots, none of which divide 255255.

If n<0n < 0, 4n4^{n} is 1/4,1/16,1/64,1/4, 1/16, 1/64, \ldots

Try n=1n = -1, 4n=1/44^{n} = 1/4:
14(4k1)=255    4k1=1020    4k=1021 \frac{1}{4}(4^{k} - 1) = 255 \implies 4^{k} - 1 = 1020 \implies 4^{k} = 1021
4k4^{k} is a power of 44, but 10211021 is not a power of 44.

Try n=2n = -2, 4n=1/164^{n} = 1/16:
116(4k1)=255    4k1=4080    4k=4081 \frac{1}{16}(4^{k} - 1) = 255 \implies 4^{k} - 1 = 4080 \implies 4^{k} = 4081
Again, 40814081 is not a power of 44.

Thus, the only solution is (m,n)=(4,0)(m, n) = (4, 0).

If m<nm < n, then 4m4n=(4n4m)=2554^{m} - 4^{n} = - (4^{n} - 4^{m}) = 255, so 4n4m=2554^{n} - 4^{m} = -255.

So, 4n4m=255    4n4m=255    4n=4m2554^{n} - 4^{m} = -255 \implies 4^{n} - 4^{m} = -255 \implies 4^{n} = 4^{m} - 255

But 4n<4m4^{n} < 4^{m}, so n<mn < m. But this is the same as the previous case with mm and nn swapped and negative 255255.

Alternatively, 4m4n=2554^{m} - 4^{n} = 255 can be negative only if m<nm < n, but 4m4n4^{m} - 4^{n} is negative, so 255255 cannot be negative.

Therefore, the only integer solution is (m,n)=(4,0)(m, n) = (4, 0).

Thus, the answer is:
All ordered pairs (m,n)=(4,0)(m, n) = (4, 0).

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