Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 5 / 342 of 400 #1582 of 2604

Problem 1582

AIME late
Number theory Difficulty 5.8 Prove it Shortlist JBMO · JBMO · 2009

Show that there are infinitely many positive integers cc, such that both of the following equations have solutions in positive integers:
(x2−c)(y2−c)=z2−c \left(x^{2}-c\right)\left(y^{2}-c\right)=z^{2}-c
and
(x2+c)(y2−c)=z2−c \left(x^{2}+c\right)\left(y^{2}-c\right)=z^{2}-c

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, then read the official solution and mark yourself. Be honest about it: the record is only any use to you if it is.

Next problem →

Official solution

Solution:
The first equation always has solutions, namely the triples {x,x+1,x(x+1)−c}\{x, x+1, x(x+1)-c\} for all x∈Nx \in \mathbb{N}. Indeed,
(x2−c)((x+1)2−c)=x2(x+1)2−2c(x2+(x+1)2)+c2=(x(x+1)−c)2−c. \left(x^{2}-c\right)\left((x+1)^{2}-c\right)=x^{2}(x+1)^{2}-2c\left(x^{2}+(x+1)^{2}\right)+c^{2}=(x(x+1)-c)^{2}-c.

For the second equation, we try z=∣xy−c∣z=|xy-c|. We need
(x2+c)(y2−c)=(xy−c)2 \left(x^{2}+c\right)\left(y^{2}-c\right)=(xy-c)^{2}
or
x2y2+c(y2−x2)−c2=x2y2−2xyc+c2 x^{2}y^{2}+c\left(y^{2}-x^{2}\right)-c^{2}=x^{2}y^{2}-2xyc+c^{2}
Cancelling the common terms we get
c(x2−y2+2xy)=2c2 c\left(x^{2}-y^{2}+2xy\right)=2c^{2}
or
c=x2−y2+2xy2 c=\frac{x^{2}-y^{2}+2xy}{2}
Therefore, all cc of this form will work. This expression is a positive integer if xx and yy have the same parity, and it clearly takes infinitely many positive values. We only need to check z≠0z \neq 0, i.e. c≠xyc \neq xy, which is true for x≠yx \neq y. For example, one can take
y=x−2 y=x-2
and
z=x2−(x−2)2+2x(x−2)2=x2−2. z=\frac{x^{2}-(x-2)^{2}+2x(x-2)}{2}=x^{2}-2.
Thus, {(x,x−2,2x−2)}\{(x, x-2,2x-2)\} is a solution for c=x2−2c=x^{2}-2.

Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty, ordering) added by this project.