Olympiad Maths Prep

Track / Stage 5 / 75 of 400 #675 of 2000

Problem 675

AIME late
Number theory Difficulty 5.2 Find the answer

3. How many solutions in natural numbers does the equation

(2x+y)(2y+x)=20172017? (2 x+y)(2 y+x)=2017^{2017} ?

Official solution

Answer: 0.

Note that the sum of the numbers A=2x+yA=2x+y and B=2y+xB=2y+x is divisible by 3. Since the number on the right side is not divisible by 3, neither AA nor BB are divisible by 3. Therefore, one of these two numbers gives a remainder of 2 when divided by 3, and the other gives a remainder of 1. Thus, their product gives a remainder of 2. However, the number 2017 gives a remainder of 1, and therefore 201720172017^{2017} also gives a remainder of 1.

±\pm It is established that the system of equations cannot be solved in integers due to divisibility by 3, but there is no strict justification for why this will happen in all cases. 5 points

Ғ In the solution, several different factorizations are analyzed, and for each, it is established that the corresponding system of equations has no solutions. 3 points

- Correct answer without justification. 1 point

Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic, difficulty and ordering added by this site.