Find all the solutions of the equation (x+1)y−xz=1 For x,y,z integers greater than 1.
Problem
Source: Spanish Communities
Tags: algebra unsolved, algebra
16.04.2006 00:04
a solution is here
16.04.2006 08:13
I think it's number theory problem.
16.04.2006 10:11
Would it be valid to invoke Mihailescu's Theorem? It wasn't a proven result in 2000, but it is now.
24.09.2010 11:53
When I tried to see the solution, I found the link dead, so I post a new one: Clearly y divides x, since z≥2 hence x2 divides xz=(x+1)y−1=Sx2+yx, where Sx2 is the sum of all terms in (x+1)y that have exponent 2 or larger in x. Assume that x>2. Therefore, either x has an odd prime factor p, or x is divisible by 2 with multiplicity at least 2. Call u≤v the exponent of p respectively in x,y if x has an odd prime factor, or 2\leqq\leqq the exponent of 2 if x has no odd prime factor. Now, we may write x^z=xy+\sum_{k=2}^y\binom{y}{k}x^k=xy+\sum_{k=2}\binom{y-1}{k-1}\frac{yx^k}{k}. For any k, let w be the multiplicity with which p divides k. Clearly the numerator of \frac{yx^k}{k} expressed as an irreducible fraction is divisible by p with multiplicity ku+v-w, and since \binom{y-1}{k-1} and \binom{y-1}{k-1}\frac{yx^k}{k} are integers, then \binom{y-1}{k-1}\frac{yx^k}{k} will be divisible by p with multiplicity at least ku+v-w. Now, if w\geq2, then k\geq p^w\geq2^w\geq w+2, or ku+v-w\geq k(u-1)+v+2\geq u+v+1, because k(u-1)+2\geq2(u-1)+2=2u\geq u+1. If w=1 and p is an odd prime, k\geq3 and ku+v-w=u+v+(2u-1)>u+v+1. If w=1 and p=2, then k\geq2, u\geq2, and ku+v-w=u+v+(u-1)\geq u+v+1 with equality iff u=2. Finally, if w=0, then ku+v-w\geq2u+v\geq u+v+1. Therefore, the sum on the RHS is divisible by p with multiplicity at least u+v+1, but the first term is divisible with multiplicity u+v, hence the LHS is divisible by p with multiplicity exactly equal to u+v, or u+v=zu. Now y\geq2^v\geq v+1 with equality iff v=1, hence v\leq y-1, and zu=u+v\leq u+y-1, ie z=1+\frac{y-1}{u}\leq y, or 1=(x+1)^y-x^z\geq(x+1)^y-x^y\geq yx^{y-1}\geq4, absurd. We conclude that x=2. The equation then becomes 2^z=3^y-1=(3^t+1)(3^t-1), where y=2t is even because x is even and x divides y. We therefore need two consecutive even numbers that are both powers of 2, which means that 3^t-1=2 and 3^t+1=4, or t=1, y=2, and 2^z=3^2-1=8=2^3, and the only possible solution is (x,y,z)=(2,2,3).
24.07.2016 19:11
This problem today is really simple considering lifting: v_p(a)=\alpha implies that p^\alpha \mid a and p^{\alpha+1} \nmid a It's easy to see that z>y x^z=(x+1)^y-1^y \Rightarrow Since (x,x+1)=1 and x\mid (x+1)-1 Then zv_p(x)=v_p(x^z)=v_p((x+1)^y-1^y)=v_p((x+1)-1) + v_p(y) \Rightarrow v_p(y)=(z-1)v_p(x) If 4\mid x then x^{z-1}\mid y \Rightarrow z>y\ge x^{z-1} No solutions here. Then v_2(x)=1 \Rightarrow z>y\ge (\frac{x}{2})^{z-1}\Rightarrow x=2 and we solve the equation like @daniel73, so the only solution is (x,y,z)=(2,2,3) Q.E.D
29.09.2021 05:28
How did no one came up with this . Assume that (x,z) \ne (2,3) then by Zsigmondy there exists a prime p such that p \mid x^z+1 and p \not \; \mid x+1. Thus we have that p \mid x^z+1=(x+1)^y thus p \mid x+1 giving a contradiction. Thus x=2 and z=3. By replacing we have: 3^y=9 thus y=2 meaning that the unique sol is (x,y,z)=(2,2,3) Thus we are done
29.09.2021 05:43
Zsigmondy is useful!
01.10.2021 03:27
Solution 1: This solution is really similar to @MathLuis's solution only because he hinted me at Zsigmondy's. We claim that the only solution is (x, y, z)=(2, 2, 3). Now for the rest of the solution assume that (x, z) \neq (2, 3). By Zsigmondy's, we have p\mid x^z+1. Since it p is a primitive prime factor, we have p\nmid x+1. Now because x^z+1=(x+1)^y, we have p\mid (x+1)^y which is a contradiction. Solution 2: Just use Catalan's conjecture and you are done.