To find all positive integer solutions (a,b,c) such that each of the expressions ab−c, bc−a, and ca−b are powers of 2, we start by defining these expressions as powers of 2:
ab−c=2x,bc−a=2y,ca−b=2z
where x, y, and z are non-negative integers.
Next, we add these three equations:
(ab−c)+(bc−a)+(ca−b)=2x+2y+2z
Simplifying the left-hand side, we get:
ab+bc+ca−(a+b+c)=2x+2y+2z
Our goal is to find all sets of integers (a,b,c) that satisfy this equation, where the right-hand side is a sum of three powers of 2. We now consider specific cases by examining potential constraints that each power imposes on the relationships between a, b, and c.
### Case: a=b=c
By symmetry, a=b=c solves each of ab−c, bc−a, and ca−b, so:
a2−a=2x,a2−a=2y,a2−a=2z
This means a2−a=2x=2y=2z, and so it follows that a(a−1)=2x. The only two consecutive integers whose product is a power of two are a=2 and a−1=1, giving us:
(a,b,c)=(2,2,2)
### Constructing and Checking Other Cases
Similarly, we examine other cases by trial and error or intelligent guesswork, ensuring that the expressions remain powers of 2. For lower values of a, calculated cases are:
1. a=2,b=3,c=2
- ab−c=2×3−2=4=22
- bc−a=3×2−2=4=22
- ca−b=2×2−3=1=20
2. a=2,b=6,c=11
- ab−c=2×6−11=1=20
- bc−a=6×11−2=64=26
- ca−b=11×2−6=16=24
3. a=3,b=5,c=7
- ab−c=3×5−7=8=23
- bc−a=5×7−3=32=25
- ca−b=7×3−5=16=24
Having verified these cases, the full set of positive integer solutions is:
(2,2,2),(2,2,3),(2,6,11),(3,5,7)