Determine all positive integers $k$ for which there exist positive integers $n$ and $m, m\ge 2$, such that $3^k + 5^k = n^m$
Problem
Source: 2019 Romania JBMO TST 4.1
Tags: number theory, diophantine, Diophantine equation
08.07.2020 18:17
We see that for $k=1$, $(m,n)=(3,2)$ is a solution. So we have two cases, $a)$ If $k$ is even, then $LHS=2(mod 4)$. So the LHS is divisible by 2 but not by 4, which can't be true because the $RHS$ in this case must be a multiple of 4. $b)$ If $k$ is odd Then $LHS=3+5=0(mod 8)$ So we must have $m = 3$. And then looking in $(mod 9)$ we have that $k=3s$ because $n^3=-1,0,1(mod 9)$ and thus we have the equation $3^{3s}+5^{3s}=n^3$, which is just Fermats Last Theorem for the power 3. So no solutions for $k>1$
15.01.2021 00:43
27.02.2021 17:33
Com10atorics wrote: $b)$ If $k$ is odd Then $LHS=3+5=0(mod 8)$ So we must have $m = 3$. Wrong. If $k=odd$ then: $LHS=(3+5)or(27+125)=8(mod16)$ so we must have $m=3$
28.02.2021 07:15
28.04.2021 07:05
note that $n$ is even and $m$ is larger than $2$ then $mod 4$ we find $k$ is odd but note that $3^k+5^k = 8 mod 16$ when k is odd which means $m <4$ but $mod 3$ we get m is odd so m=3 taking $mod 9$ we get $k=1 or k=3x$ if $k=3x$ its just fermats last theorem $k=1$ we get $ n=2 m=3$