Number theoryDifficulty 6.3National olympiadProve it
Theorem 1 The indeterminate equation x3+y3=z3
has no solution for xyz=0.
Solution
Theorem 1 is proved by contradiction. Suppose there is a solution xyz=0. Let x0,y0,z0 be such a solution, making ∣x0y0z0∣ the smallest. We will prove that in this case, there must be another solution x1,y1,z1, such that 01 (it has been pointed out that ∣x0y0∣=1 must have z0=0, so it is impossible). Therefore, 0=∣x1y1z1∣<∣x0y0z0∣
This contradicts the minimality of ∣x0y0z0∣. Therefore, it is impossible. (ii) The case where 3∣u0. Let u0=3v0, equation (23) becomes z03=18v0(3v02+w02)
From equation (22), we know (3v0,w0)=1,2∤3v0+w0, so (18v0,3v02+w02)=1
By Corollary 5 of Chapter 1, §5, we have 0=18v0=t~3,3v02+w02=s~3.
Here, s~ is in the form of Lemma 2. By Lemma 2, there must be α~,β such that s~=α2+3β2,(α,3β)=1
and □ w0=α3−9α2,v0=3α2β−3β3
So □ 0=(t~/3)3=2β(α+β)(α−β).
It is easy to prove that 2β,α~+β,α~−β are pairwise coprime. Thus, by Corollary 5 of Chapter 1, §5, we have 2β=z23,α+β=x23,α~−β=y23.
Clearly, x2,y2,z2 are solutions to the indeterminate equation (1), i.e., x23+y23=z23
But in this case, we have 0=∣x2y2z2∣3=∣t~/3∣3=∣2v0/3∣=∣2u0/9∣=∣x0+y0∣/9⩽x03+y03/9=∣z0∣3/9<∣x0y0z0∣3,
This contradicts the minimality of ∣x0y0z0∣. Therefore, it is also impossible. The theorem is completely proved.
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