Alphabet theory, again.

Find the number of quadruplets of odd positive integers a , b , c , d a,b,c,d such that:-

1 a + 1 b + 1 c + 1 d = 1 \large \dfrac {1}{a}+\dfrac {1}{b}+\dfrac {1}{c}+\dfrac {1}{d}=1


The answer is 0.

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1 solution

This equation can be rewritten as b c d + a c d + a b d + a b c = a b c d bcd + acd + abd + abc = abcd . Now since a , b , c , d a,b,c,d are all odd, each of b c d , a c d , a b d bcd, acd, abd and a b c abc is odd, and the sum of 4 odd numbers is even. But a b c d abcd is odd, so the given equation cannot be satisfied with odd positive integers. The desired answer is then 0 \boxed{0} .

How do you know that each of a, b, c and d are odd?

Sumant Chopde - 2 years, 4 months ago

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That is one of the given conditions.

Brian Charlesworth - 2 years, 4 months ago

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