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Number theory Difficulty 5.3 AIME, harder Find the answer

Let TL=n=1Ln3/9T_{L}=\sum_{n=1}^{L}\left\lfloor n^{3} / 9\right\rfloor for positive integers LL. Determine all LL for which TLT_{L} is a square number.

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

Solution

Since TLT_{L} is square if and only if 9TL9 T_{L} is square, we may consider 9TL9 T_{L} instead of TLT_{L}. It is well known that n3n^{3} is congruent to 0,1, or 8 modulo 9 according as nn is congruent to 0,1, or 2 modulo 3. Therefore n39n3/9n^{3}-9\left\lfloor n^{3} / 9\right\rfloor is 0,1, or 8 according as nn is congruent to 0,1, or 2 modulo 3. We find therefore that 9TL=1nL9n39=1nLn3#{1nL:n1(mod3)}8#{1nL:n2(mod3)}=(12L(L+1))2L+238L+139 T_{L} =\sum_{1 \leq n \leq L} 9\left\lfloor\frac{n^{3}}{9}\right\rfloor =\sum_{1 \leq n \leq L} n^{3}-\#\{1 \leq n \leq L: n \equiv 1(\bmod 3)\}-8 \#\{1 \leq n \leq L: n \equiv 2(\bmod 3)\} =\left(\frac{1}{2} L(L+1)\right)^{2}-\left\lfloor\frac{L+2}{3}\right\rfloor-8\left\lfloor\frac{L+1}{3}\right\rfloor Clearly 9TL<(L(L+1)/2)29 T_{L}<(L(L+1) / 2)^{2} for L1L \geq 1. We shall prove that 9TL>(L(L+1)/21)29 T_{L}>(L(L+1) / 2-1)^{2} for L4L \geq 4, whence 9TL9 T_{L} is not square for L4L \geq 4. Because (L(L+1)/21)2=(L(L+1)/2)2L(L+1)+1(L(L+1) / 2-1)^{2}=(L(L+1) / 2)^{2}-L(L+1)+1 we need only show that L+23+8L+13L2+L2\left\lfloor\frac{L+2}{3}\right\rfloor+8\left\lfloor\frac{L+1}{3}\right\rfloor \leq L^{2}+L-2 But the left-hand side of this is bounded above by 3L+10/33 L+10 / 3, and the inequality 3L+10/3L2+L23 L+10 / 3 \leq L^{2}+L-2 means exactly L22L16/30L^{2}-2 L-16 / 3 \geq 0 or (L1)219/3(L-1)^{2} \geq 19 / 3, which is true for L4L \geq 4, as desired. Hence TLT_{L} is not square for L4L \geq 4. By direct computation we find T1=T2=0T_{1}=T_{2}=0 and T3=3T_{3}=3, so TLT_{L} is square only for L{1,2}L \in\{\mathbf{1}, \mathbf{2}\}.

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