4, 1, 6 and 2

( 4 , 1 , 6 , 2 ) (4,1,6,2) are four distinct positive integers such that the difference of the first two numbers equals the quotient of the next two, and vice versa: 4 1 = 6 ÷ 2 , 6 2 = 4 ÷ 1. 4-1=6 \div 2, \quad 6-2=4 \div 1. Using variables, we can rewrite the four numbers as ( a , b , c , d ) (a, b, c, d) such that a b = c ÷ d , c d = a ÷ b . a-b=c \div d, \quad c-d=a \div b. Determine the number of un-ordered quadruplets ( a , b , c , d ) (a,b,c,d) other than ( 4 , 1 , 6 , 2 ) (4,1,6,2) that satisfy this condition, where a > b a>b and c > d . c>d.


The answer is 0.

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1 solution

Pepper Mint
Dec 27, 2017

First, set a b = n , a b = m a-b=n, \frac{a}{b}=m . Then, c d = m , c d = n c-d=m, \frac{c}{d}=n .

Since a = b + n , m = a b = b + n b . a=b+n, m=\frac{a}{b}=\frac{b+n}{b}.

m b = b + n , b = n m 1 , a = n m 1 + n . mb=b+n, b=\frac{n}{m-1}, a=\frac{n}{m-1}+n.

Do the same way with c c and d d , then d = m n 1 , c = m n 1 + m . d=\frac{m}{n-1}, c=\frac{m}{n-1}+m.

Since a b c d , a \neq b \neq c \neq d, m n . m \neq n.

a , b , c , d a, b, c, d are all positive integers. So n 0 ( m o d m 1 ) , m 0 ( m o d n 1 ) . n \equiv 0 (\mod{m-1}), m \equiv 0 (\mod{n-1}).

And n m 1 , m n 1. n \geq m-1, m \geq n-1.

Then, m 1 n m + 1 , m-1 \leq n \leq m+1, but since m n , m \neq n, n = m 1 or n = m + 1. n=m-1 \quad \text{or} \quad n=m+1.

Let n n be m 1 m-1 . Then, n + 1 0 ( m o d n 1 ) n+1 \equiv 0 (\mod{n-1}) .

When p p is a positive integer, n + 1 = p ( n 1 ) . n+1=p(n-1). p n p = n + 1 , ( n 1 ) ( p 1 ) = 2. pn-p=n+1, (n-1)(p-1)=2.

So, n = 2 , p = 3 or n = 3 , p = 2. n=2, p=3 \quad \text{or} \quad n=3, p=2. However, if n = 2 , a = d = 3. n=2, a=d=3.

Thus, n n should be 3 3 , and therefore the only solution for the equation above is a = 4 , b = 1 , c = 6 , d = 2. a=4, b=1, c=6, d=2.

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