Find all naturals $k$ such that $3^k+5^k$ is the power of a natural number with the exponent $\ge 2$.
Problem
Source: Swiss Imo Selection 2006
Tags: number theory proposed, number theory
26.05.2006 11:33
http://www.mathlinks.ro/Forum/viewtopic.php?p=475349#p475349 They like taking problems from different competitions
26.05.2006 11:50
Thanks Megus wrote: They like taking problems from different competitions That's easier
04.02.2012 07:52
I think it's connected with Fermat's Last Theorem though it's a water problem and can be second-killed without it!
23.04.2014 18:33
Say $3^k+5^k=n^m$. $n$ is clearly even and so $4 | 3^k+5^k$, and so $k$ is odd. Taking (mod $3$) we see that $n^m \equiv 5^k \equiv 2$ (mod $3$). So $m$ must be odd. Also, taking (mod $16$) we see that $3^k+5^k \equiv 8$ (mod $16$) when $k$ is odd. And so we have $m=3$. Suppose $k \neq 1$. Then $5^k \equiv n^3$ (mod $9$). From this, $3 | k$. But taking (mod $7$) we get that $3^k+5^k \equiv 0,1,-1$ (mod $7$). And so $k$ cannot be divided by $3$. Contradiction. Therefore $k=1$ is the only answer ($3+5=8$).