AlgebraDifficulty 7.3National olympiad, round 2Find the answer
Determine whether or not there are any positive integral solutions of the simultaneous equations x12+x22+⋯+x19852x13+x23+⋯+x19853=y3,=z2 with distinct integers x1,x2,⋯,x1985 .
A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.
Solution
Lemma: For a positive integer n , 13+23+⋯+n3=(1+2+⋯+n)2 (Also known as Nicomachus's theorem) Proof by induction: The identity holds for 1 . Suppose the identity holds for a number n . It is well known that the sum of first n positive integers is 2n(n+1)=2n2+n . Thus its square is 4n4+2n3+n2 . Adding (n+1)3=n3+3n2+3n+1 to this we get 4n4+6n3+13n2+12n+4 , which can be rewritten as 4(n4+4n3+6n2+4n+1)+2(n3+3n2+3n+1)+(n2+2n+1) This simplifies to 4(n+1)4+2(n+1)3+(n+1)2=(2(n+1)2+(n+1))2=(1+2+⋯+n+(n+1))2 . The induction is complete. Let j be the sum 1+2+⋯1985 , and let k be the sum 12+22+⋯+19852 . Then assign xi the value ik4 for each i=1,2,⋯1985 . Then: x12+x22+⋯+x19852x13+x23+⋯+x19853=12k8+22k8+⋯+19852k8=k8(12+22+⋯+19852)=k9=(k3)3=13k12+23k12+⋯19853k12=k12(13+23+⋯19853)=k12j2=(k6j)2 Thus, a positive integral solution exists. -Circling
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