Let Tn=an+bn+cn and consider the polynomial
P(x)=(x−a)(x−b)(x−c)=x3−(a+b+c)x2+(ab+ac+bc)x−abc.
Since P(a)=0, we get a3=(a+b+c)a2−(ab+ac+bc)a+abc and multiplying both sides by an−3 we obtain an=(a+b+c)an−1−(ab+ac+bc)an−2+(abc)an−3. Applying the same reasoning, we can obtain similar expressions for bn and cn and adding the three identities we get that Tn satisfies the following 3-term recurrence:
Tn=(a+b+c)Tn−1−(ab+ac+bc)Tn−2+(abc)Tn−3, for all n≥3
From this we see that if Tn−2 and Tn−3 are divisible by a+b+c, then so is Tn. This immediately resolves part (b) - there are no ordered triples which are 2004-powerful and 2005-powerful, but not 2007-powerful-and reduces the number of cases to be considered in part (a): since all triples are 1-powerful, the recurrence implies that any ordered triple which is both 2-powerful and 3-powerful is n-powerful for all n≥1.
Putting n=3 in the recurrence, we have
a3+b3+c3=(a+b+c)(a2+b2+c2)−(ab+ac+bc)(a+b+c)+3abc
which implies that (a,b,c) is 3-powerful if and only if 3abc is divisible by a+b+c. Since
a2+b2+c2=(a+b+c)2−2(ab+ac+bc),
(a,b,c) is 2-powerful if and only if 2(ab+ac+bc) is divisible by a+b+c.
Suppose a prime p≥5 divides a+b+c. Then p divides abc. Since gcd(a,b,c)=1,p divides exactly one of a,b or c; but then p doesn't divide 2(ab+ac+bc).
Suppose 32 divides a+b+c. Then 3 divides abc, implying 3 divides exactly one of a, b or c. But then 3 doesn't divide 2(ab+ac+bc).
Suppose 22 divides a+b+c. Then 4 divides abc. Since gcd(a,b,c)=1, at most one of a,b or c is even, implying one of a,b,c is divisible by 4 and the others are odd. But then ab+ac+bc is odd and 4 doesn't divide 2(ab+ac+bc).
So if (a,b,c) is 2- and 3-powerful, then a+b+c is not divisible by 4 or 9 or any prime greater than 3. Since a+b+c is at least 3,a+b+c is either 3 or 6. It is now a simple matter to check the possibilities and conclude that the only triples which are n-powerful for all n≥1 are (1,1,1) and (1,1,4).