Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 5 / 207 of 400 #807 of 1964

Problem 807

AIME late
Number theory Difficulty 5.5 Find the answer

Example 29 (2003 National High School Mathematics Competition Question) Let the three sides of a triangle be integers l,m,nl, m, n, and l>m>nl>m>n. It is known that {3l104}={3m104}={3n104}\left\{\frac{3^{l}}{10^{4}}\right\}=\left\{\frac{3^{m}}{10^{4}}\right\}=\left\{\frac{3^{n}}{10^{4}}\right\}, where {x}=x[x]\{x\}=x-[x], and [x][x] represents the greatest integer not exceeding xx. Find the minimum perimeter of such a triangle.

A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.

Official solution

From the given, we know
3l104[3l104]=3m104[3m104]=3n104[3n104]. \frac{3^{l}}{10^{4}}-\left[\frac{3^{l}}{10^{4}}\right]=\frac{3^{m}}{10^{4}}-\left[\frac{3^{m}}{10^{4}}\right]=\frac{3^{n}}{10^{4}}-\left[\frac{3^{n}}{10^{4}}\right] .

Thus, 3l3m3n(mod104)3^{l} \equiv 3^{m} \equiv 3^{n}\left(\bmod 10^{4}\right)
{3l3m3n(mod24)3l3m3n(mod54). \Leftrightarrow\left\{\begin{array}{l} 3^{l} \equiv 3^{m} \equiv 3^{n}\left(\bmod 2^{4}\right) \\ 3^{l} \equiv 3^{m} \equiv 3^{n}\left(\bmod 5^{4}\right) . \end{array}\right.

Since (3,2)=1(3,2)=1, it follows from (1) that
3ln3mn1(mod24)3^{l-n} \equiv 3^{m-n} \equiv 1\left(\bmod 2^{4}\right).
Let uu be the smallest positive integer satisfying 3u1(mod24)3^{u} \equiv 1\left(\bmod 2^{4}\right), then for any positive integer vv satisfying 3v1(mod24)3^{v} \equiv 1\left(\bmod 2^{4}\right), we have uvu \mid v, i.e., uu divides vv. In fact, if u×vu \times v, then by the division algorithm, there exist non-negative integers aa and bb, such that v=au+bv=a u+b, where 0<b<u0 < b < u. If b0b \neq 0, then 3b1(mod24)3^{b} \equiv 1\left(\bmod 2^{4}\right), contradicting the minimality of uu. Therefore, b=0b=0, and uvu \mid v.

Since r>sr>s, the sides of the triangle are 500r+n,500s+n500 r+n, 500 s+n, and nn, and we have n>500(rs)n>500(r-s). Therefore, when s=1,r=2,n=501s=1, r=2, n=501, the perimeter of the triangle is minimized, with a value of
(1000+501)+(500+501)+501=3003(1000+501)+(500+501)+501=3003.
Note: A key to solving this problem is to find the smallest integer satisfying the congruence 31(mod104)3^{\prime \prime} \equiv 1\left(\bmod 10^{4}\right). This number is defined in number theory as the order (or exponent) of 3 modulo 10410^{4}.

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