Maths Olympiad Prep

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Problem 1371

AIME late
Number theory Difficulty 5.6 Prove it Japan competition problems · Japan · 2007

How many pairs of integers (a,b)(a, b) satisfy a2b2=4a5+b3a^2 b^2 = 4a^5 + b^3?

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.

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Official solution

If aa or bb is 00, both must be 00.

Consider the case a,b0a, b \neq 0. Let g>0g > 0 be the G.C.D. of aa and bb, and a=gaa = g a', b=gbb = g b'. Substituting them into the given equation we get
ga2(b24ga3)=b3. ga'^2 (b'^2 - 4g a'^3) = b'^3.
Since aa' divides b3b'^3 and aa' and bb' are relatively prime, a=±1a' = \pm 1. Therefore aa divides bb. Let b=acb = a c (cZc \in \mathbb{Z}). Substituting them into the last equation we get
ac2=4a2+c3. a c^2 = 4a^2 + c^3.
Let d>0d > 0 be the G.C.D of aa and cc, and a=dAa = dA, c=dCc = dC. Substituting them into the last equation we get
dC2(AC)=4A2. d C^2 (A - C) = 4A^2.
Since AA and CC are relatively prime, C2C^2 must divide 44. Therefore C=2,1,1,2C = -2, -1, 1, 2.

Since d=4A2C2(AC)=4C2(A+C)+4ACd = \frac{4A^2}{C^2(A-C)} = \frac{4}{C^2}(A+C) + \frac{4}{A-C} is an integer, ACA-C must divide 44. By d>0d > 0, ACA-C must be positive. Checking all the possible cases one by one, we get (A,C)=(1,2),(3,1),(1,1),(5,1),(3,1),(2,1),(3,2)(A, C) = (-1, -2), (3, -1), (1, -1), (5, 1), (3, 1), (2, 1), (3, 2).

From b=acb = a c, we get all the possible cases, including (a,b)=(0,0)(a, b) = (0, 0), as (a,b)=(0,0),(1,2),(2,4),(27,243),(27,486),(32,512),(54,972),(125,3125)(a, b) = (0, 0), (-1, 2), (2, -4), (27, -243), (27, 486), (32, 512), (54, 972), (125, 3125). So the answer is 88.

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