Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /1 of 2

Number theory Difficulty 6.8 National olympiad Find the answer

Let pp be a prime number. Prove the following theorem of Euler: the equation p=x2+3y2p=x^{2}+3 y^{2} has a solution with x,yZx, y \in \mathbb{Z} if and only if p=3p=3 or p1(mod3)p \equiv 1(\bmod 3). (You may use the fact that the ring of integers of Q(3)\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-3}) is a principal ideal domain.)

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

Solution

The "only if" part is clear. We prove the "if" part. For p=3p=3 one can take (x,y)=(0,1)(x, y)=(0,1). Assume p1p \equiv 1 (mod3)(\bmod 3). By quadratic reciprocity, (3p)=(p3)=1\left(\frac{-3}{p}\right)=\left(\frac{p}{3}\right)=1. Thus pp splits in Q(3)\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-3}). The ring of integers of Q(3)\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-3}) is Z[ω]\mathbb{Z}[\omega], where ω=1+32\omega=\frac{-1+\sqrt{-3}}{2}. Since Z[ω]\mathbb{Z}[\omega] is a PID, there exists πZ[ω]\pi \in \mathbb{Z}[\omega] such that NQ(3)/Q(π)=pN_{\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-3}) / \mathbb{Q}}(\pi)=p. We claim that at least one of π\pi, πω\pi \omega, and πω2\pi \omega^{2} belongs to Z[3]\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-3}] and thus is of the form x+y3x+y \sqrt{-3} with x,yZx, y \in \mathbb{Z}. Taking norms, we then get p=x2+3y2p=x^{2}+3 y^{2}. To prove the claim, we may assume π=a+b32\pi=\frac{a+b \sqrt{-3}}{2}, where aa and bb are odd integers. Then either 4ab4 \mid a-b (which is equivalent to πωZ[3]\pi \omega \in \mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-3}] ) or 4a+b4 \mid a+b (which is equivalent to πω2Z[3]\pi \omega^{2} \in \mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-3}] ).

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