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Number theory Difficulty 7.0 National olympiad, round 2 Prove it

Example 7 Let a1,a2,,ana_{1}, a_{2}, \cdots, a_{n} be nn rational numbers. It is known that for any mNm \in \mathbf{N}^{*}, the number
a1m+a2m++anma_{1}^{m}+a_{2}^{m}+\cdots+a_{n}^{m}

is an integer.
Prove: a1,a2,,ana_{1}, a_{2}, \cdots, a_{n} are all integers.

Solution

Let Sm=a1m+a2m++anmS_{m}=a_{1}^{m}+a_{2}^{m}+\cdots+a_{n}^{m}, and suppose ai=riti,ri,tiZ,ti>0a_{i}=\frac{r_{i}}{t_{i}}, r_{i}, t_{i} \in \mathbf{Z}, t_{i}>0, and (ri,ti)=1,i=1,2,,n\left(r_{i}, t_{i}\right)=1, i=1,2, \cdots, n.

If a1,a2,,ana_{1}, a_{2}, \cdots, a_{n} are not all integers, then there must be a ti>1t_{i}>1. Let pp be a prime factor of t1t2tnt_{1} t_{2} \cdots t_{n}, and let eie_{i} be the largest non-negative integer such that piitip^{i_{i}} \mid t_{i}. Without loss of generality, assume
e1=e2==ej>ej+1ene_{1}=e_{2}=\cdots=e_{j}>e_{j+1} \geqslant \cdots \geqslant e_{n}

Let M=[t1,t2,,tn]M=\left[t_{1}, t_{2}, \cdots, t_{n}\right], then we can set
M=pe1NM=p^{e_{1}} \cdot N

where NNN \in \mathbf{N}^{*}, and pNp \nmid N. Now, since SmZS_{m} \in \mathbf{Z}, it follows that
Tm=(a1pe1N)m+(a2pe1N)m++(anpe1N)mT_{m}=\left(a_{1} p^{e_{1}} N\right)^{m}+\left(a_{2} p^{e_{1}} N\right)^{m}+\cdots+\left(a_{n} p^{e_{1}} N\right)^{m}

is a multiple of pmw1p^{m w_{1}}.
Let m=pjpj1(=φ(pj))m=p^{j}-p^{j-1}\left(=\varphi\left(p^{j}\right)\right), and consider the terms in TmT_{m}.
For 1rj1 \leqslant r \leqslant j, by Euler's theorem (note that parpe1Np \nmid a_{r} p^{e_{1}} N),
(arpe1N)m(arpe1N)q(pj)1(modpj)\left(a_{r} p^{e_{1}} N\right)^{m} \equiv\left(a_{r} p^{e_{1}} N\right)^{q\left(p^{j}\right)} \equiv 1\left(\bmod p^{j}\right)

While for r>jr>j, parpe1Np \mid a_{r} p^{e_{1}} N. Given that for p2,j1p \geqslant 2, j \geqslant 1,
m=pjpj1jm=p^{j}-p^{j-1} \geqslant j

it follows that
(arpe1N)m0(modpj)\left(a_{r} p^{e_{1}} N\right)^{m} \equiv 0\left(\bmod p^{j}\right)

The above discussion shows that
Tm=r=1n(arpe1N)mj(modpj)T_{m}=\sum_{r=1}^{n}\left(a_{r} p^{e_{1}} N\right)^{m} \equiv j\left(\bmod p^{j}\right)

However, j<pjj<p^{j}, so pjTmp^{j} \nmid T_{m}. Consequently, TmT_{m} is not a multiple of pmϵ1p^{m \epsilon_{1}}. This is a contradiction.
Therefore, a1,a2,,ana_{1}, a_{2}, \cdots, a_{n} are all integers.

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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.