Number theoryDifficulty 3.9AMC 10/12Find the answer
Assume that a, b, c, and d are positive integers such that a5=b4, c3=d2, and c−a=19. Determine d−b.
A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.
Solution
It follows from the givens that a is a perfect fourth power, b is a perfect fifth power, c is a perfect square and d is a perfect cube. Thus, there exist integers s and t such that a=t4, b=t5, c=s2 and d=s3. So s2−t4=19. We can factor the left-hand side of this equation as a difference of two squares, (s−t2)(s+t2)=19. 19 is a prime number and s+t2>s−t2 so we must have s+t2=19 and s−t2=1. Then s=10,t=3 and so d=s3=1000, b=t5=243 and d−b=757.
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