Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /464 of 520

Number theory Difficulty 4.1 AIME Find the answer

If 2a+2b=3c+3d2^a+2^b=3^c+3^d, the number of integers a,b,c,da,b,c,d which can possibly be negative, is, at most:

Pick one

Solution

Assume c,d0c,d \ge 0, and WLOG, assume a<0a<0 and aba \le b. This also takes into account when bb is negative. That means
12a+2b=3c+3d\frac{1}{2^{-a}} + 2^b = 3^c + 3^d
Multiply both sides by 2a2^{-a} to get
1+2a+b=2a(3c+3d)1 + 2^{-a+b} = 2^{-a} (3^c + 3^d)
Note that both sides are integers. If aba \ne b, then the right side is even while the left side is odd, so equality can not happen. If a=ba = b, then 2a(3c+3d)=22^{-a} (3^c + 3^d) = 2, and since a<0a<0, a=1a = -1 and 3c+3d=13^c + 3^d = 1. No nonnegative value of cc and dd works, so equality can not happen. Thus, aa and bb can not be negative when c,d0c,d \ge 0.
Assume a,b0a,b \ge 0, and WLOG, assume c<0c < 0 and cdc \le d. This also takes into account when dd is negative. That means
2a+2b=13c+3d2^a + 2^b = \frac{1}{3^{-c}} + 3^d
Multiply both sides by 3c3^{-c} to get
3c(2a+2b)=1+3dc3^{-c} (2^a + 2^b) = 1 + 3^{d-c}
That makes both sides integers. The left side is congruent to 00 modulo 33 while the right side is congruent to 11 or 22 modulo 33, so equality can not happen. Thus, cc and dd can not be negative when a,b0a,b \ge 0.
Assume a,c<0a,c < 0, and WLOG, let aba \le b and cdc \le d. This also takes into account when bb or dd is negative. That means
12a+2b=13c+3d\frac{1}{2^{-a}} + 2^b = \frac{1}{3^{-c}} + 3^d
Multiply both sides by 2a3c2^{-a} \cdot 3^{-c} to get
3c(1+2ba)=2a(1+3dc)3^{-c} (1 + 2^{b-a}) = 2^{-a} (1 + 3^{d-c})
That makes both sides integers. The left side is congruent to 00 modulo 33 while the right side is congruent to 11 or 22 modulo 33, so equality can not happen. Thus, aa and cc can not be negative.
Putting all the information together, none of a,b,c,da,b,c,d can be negative, so the answer is (E)\boxed{\textbf{(E)}}.

Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.

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