First we choose distinct positive rational numbers r1,…,rk+3 such that
riri+1ri+2ri+3=i for 1⩽i⩽k
Let r1=x,r2=y,r3=z be some distinct primes greater than k; the remaining terms satisfy r4=r1r2r31 and ri+4=ii+1ri. It follows that if ri are represented as irreducible fractions, the numerators are divisible by x for i≡1(mod4), by y for i≡2(mod4), by z for i≡3(mod4) and by none for i≡0(mod4). Notice that ri<ri+4; thus the sequences r1<r5<r9<…, r2<r6<r10<…,r3<r7<r11<…,r4<r8<r12<… are increasing and have no common terms, that is, all ri are distinct. If each ri is represented by an irreducible fraction viui, choose a prime p which divides neither vi,1⩽i⩽k+1, nor vivj(ri−rj)=vjui−viuj for i<j, and define ai by the congruence aivi≡ui(modp). Since riri+1ri+2ri+3=i, we have
ivivi+1vi+2vi+3=riviri+1vi+1ri+2vi+2ri+3vi+3=uiui+1ui+2ui+3≡aiviai+1vi+1ai+2vi+2ai+3vi+3(modp)
and therefore aiai+1ai+2ai+3≡i(modp) for 1⩽i⩽k. If ai≡aj(modp), then uivj≡aivivj≡ujvi(modp), a contradiction. Comment. One can explicitly express residues bi≡a1a2⋅…⋅ai(modp) in terms of b1,b2,b3 and b0=1 :
bi+3=i(i−4)(i−8)⋅…⋅(i−4k+4)br
where i+3=4k+r,0⩽r<4. Then the numbers ai are found from the congruences bi−1ai≡bi (modp), and choosing p so that ai are not congruent modulo p is done in a way very similar to the above solution.
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