6. Let . Prove:
(i) ;
(ii) ;
(iii) is the sum of the squares of two consecutive natural numbers, find these two natural numbers;
(iv) If , then for ,
(v) ,
(vi) ;
(vii) For , is not a perfect square.
Solution
6. (i) It can be deduced from .
(ii) It follows from and (i).
(iii) is the smallest positive solution of , and the general solution is . On the other hand, from problem 4, we know that , thus
(iv) Using , and to deduce.
(v) It follows from and (iv).
(vi) From , deduce that , and then use this and (ii) to deduce the desired conclusion. This can also be seen directly from the binomial expansion, and it is always true that .
(vii) From , it is known that to prove , there are no other positive integer solutions except . can be rewritten as , which clearly has no positive integer solutions. can be rewritten as , and from problem 15 of the second chapter, it is deduced that it has no other positive integer solutions except .
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