Maths Olympiad Prep

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Number theory Difficulty 5.3 AIME, harder Prove it Philippines

Problem:
Find the positive integers nn so that 28+211+2n2^{8} + 2^{11} + 2^{n} is a perfect square.

Solution

Solution:
(ans. 12)
m2=28+211+2n2n=m228211=m228(1+23)=m2(324)2=(m324)(m+324)=(m48)(m+48)m48=2k, m+48=2l, k+l=n2l2k=962k(2lk1)=253 \begin{aligned} & m^{2} = 2^{8} + 2^{11} + 2^{n} \Rightarrow 2^{n} = m^{2} - 2^{8} - 2^{11} = m^{2} - 2^{8}(1 + 2^{3}) = \\ & m^{2} - (3 \cdot 2^{4})^{2} = (m - 3 \cdot 2^{4})(m + 3 \cdot 2^{4}) = (m - 48)(m + 48) \Rightarrow m - 48 = \\ & 2^{k},\ m + 48 = 2^{l},\ k + l = n \Rightarrow 2^{l} - 2^{k} = 96 \Rightarrow 2^{k}(2^{l - k} - 1) = 2^{5} \cdot 3 \Rightarrow \end{aligned}
2lk1=3, 2k=252^{l - k} - 1 = 3,\ 2^{k} = 2^{5} by unique factorization of integers lk=2\Rightarrow l - k = 2 and l=7n=12l = 7 \Rightarrow n = 12.

OR complete the square:
(2s)2+2(26)(24)+(24)2=(2s+24)2s=6n=2s=12.(2^{s})^{2} + 2(2^{6})(2^{4}) + (2^{4})^{2} = (2^{s} + 2^{4})^{2} \Rightarrow s = 6 \Rightarrow n = 2s = 12.

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Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.