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Number theory Difficulty 7.3 National olympiad, round 2 Find the answer

Find in explicit form all ordered pairs of positive integers (m,n)(m, n) such that mn1mn-1 divides m2+n2m^2 + n^2.

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

Solution

To find all ordered pairs of positive integers (m,n)(m, n) such that mn1mn-1 divides m2+n2m^2 + n^2, we start by considering the condition:
m2+n2mn1=cwherecZ. \frac{m^2 + n^2}{mn - 1} = c \quad \text{where} \quad c \in \mathbb{Z}.
This implies:
m2+n2=c(mn1). m^2 + n^2 = c(mn - 1).
Rewriting, we get:
m2cmn+n2+c=0. m^2 - cmn + n^2 + c = 0.

Let (m,n)(m, n) be a solution where m+nm + n is minimized. If (m,n)(m, n) is a solution, then (m,n)(m', n) must also be a solution, where:
m=cnm=n2+cm. m' = cn - m = \frac{n^2 + c}{m}.
Since mm' is positive, cnm>0cn - m > 0, and since mm' is an integer, cnm1cn - m \ge 1.

Assuming mnm \ne n and without loss of generality, m>nm > n, we claim n=1n = 1. For contradiction, assume n1n \ne 1. Then n>1n > 1 implies m>n>1m > n > 1. By minimality of m+nm + n, we must have:
m+nm+n    mm. m + n \le m' + n \implies m \le m'.
However, since m>n>1m > n > 1:
n(mn)2    mn2n2    m(mn2)mn2>n3, n(m - n) \ge 2 \implies mn - 2 \ge n^2 \implies m(mn - 2) \ge mn^2 > n^3,
n(m2n2)>2m    m2n>2m+n3, n(m^2 - n^2) > 2m \implies m^2n > 2m + n^3,
2m2n2m>m2n+n3    2m(mn1)>n(m2+n2)    m>cnm=m, 2m^2n - 2m > m^2n + n^3 \implies 2m(mn - 1) > n(m^2 + n^2) \implies m > cn - m = m',
a contradiction. Thus, n=1n = 1.

For n=1n = 1, we have:
m2+1m1=(m+1)+2m1. \frac{m^2 + 1}{m - 1} = (m + 1) + \frac{2}{m - 1}.
This is an integer if and only if m1m - 1 divides 2. Hence, m=2m = 2 or m=3m = 3. Therefore, the solutions for m>nm > n are (2,1)(2, 1) and (3,1)(3, 1).

Since the expression is symmetric in mm and nn, the pairs (m,n)(m, n) that satisfy mn1m2+n2mn - 1 \mid m^2 + n^2 are:
(2,1),(3,1),(1,2),(1,3). \boxed{(2, 1), (3, 1), (1, 2), (1, 3)}.

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