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Number theory Difficulty 5.2 AIME, harder Find the answer

Example 2 Find all positive integer triples (x,y,z)(x, y, z) such that yy is a prime, yz,3zy \nmid z, 3 \nmid z, and x3y3=z2x^{3}-y^{3}=z^{2}.
(1999, Bulgaria Mathematical Olympiad)

A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.

Solution

From the problem, we have
(xy)[(xy)2+3xy]=z2 (x-y)\left[(x-y)^{2}+3 x y\right]=z^{2} \text {. }

Since yy is a prime number, and yz,3zy \nmid z, 3 \nmid z, combining with equation (1), we know
(x,y)=1,(xy,3)=1. Then (x2+xy+y2,xy)=(3xy,xy)=1. \begin{array}{c} (x, y)=1, (x-y, 3)=1 \text {. Then } \\ \left(x^{2}+x y+y^{2}, x-y\right) \\ =(3 x y, x-y)=1 . \end{array}

From equations (1) and (2), we get
xy=m2,x2+xy+y2=n2,z=mn x-y=m^{2}, x^{2}+x y+y^{2}=n^{2}, z=m n \text {. }
(m,nN+)\left(m, n \in \mathbf{N}_{+}\right)
Thus, 3y2=4n2(2x+y)23 y^{2}=4 n^{2}-(2 x+y)^{2}
=(2n+2x+y)(2n2xy) =(2 n+2 x+y)(2 n-2 x-y) \text {. }

Since yy is a prime number, and 2n2xy<2n+2x+y2 n-2 x-y < 2 n+2 x+y, there are the following three cases.
(1) 2n2xy=y,2n+2x+y=3y2 n-2 x-y=y, 2 n+2 x+y=3 y, which gives x=0x=0, discard.
(2) 2n2xy=3,2n+2x+y=y22 n-2 x-y=3, 2 n+2 x+y=y^{2}, then
y23=4x+2y=4(m2+y)+2y=4m2+6y, \begin{array}{l} y^{2}-3=4 x+2 y \\ =4\left(m^{2}+y\right)+2 y=4 m^{2}+6 y, \end{array}

which simplifies to (y3)24m2=12(y-3)^{2}-4 m^{2}=12.
Solving this, we get y=7,m=1y=7, m=1.
Therefore, x=8,y=7,z=13x=8, y=7, z=13.
(3) 2n2xy=1,2n+2x+y=3y22 n-2 x-y=1, 2 n+2 x+y=3 y^{2}, then
3y21=4x+2y=4(m2+y)+2y=2(2m2+3y), \begin{array}{l} 3 y^{2}-1=4 x+2 y \\ =4\left(m^{2}+y\right)+2 y=2\left(2 m^{2}+3 y\right), \end{array}

which simplifies to 3y26y3m2=m2+13 y^{2}-6 y-3 m^{2}=m^{2}+1.
Thus, m2+1=0(mod3)m^{2}+1=0(\bmod 3), which contradicts m20,1(mod3)m^{2} \equiv 0,1(\bmod 3).

In summary, the positive integer solution that satisfies the conditions is unique, which is (8,7,13)(8,7,13).

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Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.