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Number theory Difficulty 5.9 AIME, harder Prove it Estonia

Find all pairs of positive rational numbers where the sum of the numbers in a pair is an integer and the sum of (multiplicative) inverses of the numbers in a pair is also an integer.

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

Let the numbers in the pair be represented as reduced fractions ab\frac{a}{b} and cd\frac{c}{d}. For
ab+cd=ad+bcbd \frac{a}{b} + \frac{c}{d} = \frac{ad + bc}{bd}
to be an integer, we must have
ad+bc=kbd(2) ad + bc = k \cdot bd \quad (2)
with kk being some integer. By writing the equality (2) as bc=(kba)dbc = (kb - a) \cdot d and taking into account that cc and dd are relatively prime, we see that bb is divisible by dd. By writing the same equality (2) in a form ad=(kdc)bad = (kd - c) \cdot b and taking into account that aa and bb are relatively prime, we see that dd is divisible by bb. Therefore b=db = d.
For also ba+dc\frac{b}{a} + \frac{d}{c} to be an integer, we analogously must have a=ca = c. Therefore ab=cd\frac{a}{b} = \frac{c}{d}.
Consequently ab+cd=2ab\frac{a}{b} + \frac{c}{d} = \frac{2a}{b} and ba+dc=2ba\frac{b}{a} + \frac{d}{c} = \frac{2b}{a} are both integers. If a=ba = b, then ab=1\frac{a}{b} = 1. If a<ba < b, then 2ab<2\frac{2a}{b} < 2, implying 2ab=1\frac{2a}{b} = 1 and ab=12\frac{a}{b} = \frac{1}{2} as the only possibility. If a>ba > b, then similarly ab=2\frac{a}{b} = 2.

Solution 2

Let the numbers in the pair be represented as reduced fractions ab\frac{a}{b} and cd\frac{c}{d}, and let k=ab+cdk = \frac{a}{b} + \frac{c}{d} and l=ba+dcl = \frac{b}{a} + \frac{d}{c}. Then ab=kcd=kdcd\frac{a}{b} = k - \frac{c}{d} = \frac{kd - c}{d} and ba=ldc=lcdc\frac{b}{a} = l - \frac{d}{c} = \frac{lc - d}{c}, whence ab=clcd\frac{a}{b} = \frac{c}{lc - d}. Therefore kdcd=clcd\frac{kd - c}{d} = \frac{c}{lc - d}, or cd=(kdc)(lcd)cd = (kd - c)(lc - d). The resulting equation is equivalent to lc2kldc+kd2=0l \cdot c^2 - kld \cdot c + kd^2 = 0, giving
c=kld±k2l2d24kld22l=dkl±k2l24kl2l(3) c = \frac{kld \pm \sqrt{k^2 l^2 d^2 - 4kld^2}}{2l} = d \cdot \frac{kl \pm \sqrt{k^2 l^2 - 4kl}}{2l} \quad (3)
For cc to be an integer, we must have k2l24kl=n2k^2 l^2 - 4kl = n^2 where nn is an integer. Now
(kl2)2=n2+4. (kl - 2)^2 = n^2 + 4.
Therefore n2+4n^2 + 4 must also be a square of an integer. This is only possible when n=0n = 0 – therefore kl=0kl = 0 or kl=4kl = 4. The first option is not possible, because kk and ll are the sums
of positive real numbers. The second option gives three possible cases: (k,l)(k,l) can either be (1,4),(2,2)(1,4), (2,2) or (4,1)(4,1). It remains to find all possible values of cd\frac{c}{d} from (3) and calculate ab=kcd\frac{a}{b} = k - \frac{c}{d}.

For also ba+dc\frac{b}{a} + \frac{d}{c} to be an integer, we analogously must have a=ca = c. Therefore ab=cd\frac{a}{b} = \frac{c}{d}.
Consequently ab+cd=2ab\frac{a}{b} + \frac{c}{d} = \frac{2a}{b} and ba+dc=2ba\frac{b}{a} + \frac{d}{c} = \frac{2b}{a} are both integers. If a=ba = b, then ab=1\frac{a}{b} = 1. If a<ba < b, then 2ab<2\frac{2a}{b} < 2, implying 2ab=1\frac{2a}{b} = 1 and ab=12\frac{a}{b} = \frac{1}{2} as the only possibility. If a>ba > b, then similarly ab=2\frac{a}{b} = 2.

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