Are they equal

If x , y , z x, y, z are positive inetgers satisfying the equation x ( x + y ) = y ( y + z ) = z ( z + x ) , x(x+y) \ = \ y(y+z) \ = \ z(z+x), is it definitely true that x = y = z ? x=y=z?

Yes, it is definitely true No, it can be false

This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and, finally, (c) loading the non-javascript version of this page . We're sorry about the hassle.

4 solutions

Áron Bán-Szabó
Aug 25, 2017

Let gcd ( x , y , z ) = d \text{gcd}(x,y,z)=d . Then x = a d , y = b d , z = c d x=ad, y=bd, z=cd , where gcd ( a , b , c ) = 1 \text{gcd}(a,b,c)=1 . By dividing with d 2 d^2 we get: a ( a + b ) = b ( b + c ) = c ( c + a ) a(a+b)=b(b+c)=c(c+a) Since a 2 + a b = b 2 + b c a^2+ab=b^2+bc , b a 2 b\mid a^2 . Similarly c b 2 c \mid b^2 and a c 2 a\mid c^2 . If a > 1 a>1 , then let p p a prime divisor of a a . Then p c 2 p c p\mid c^2\Rightarrow p\mid c , but p b 2 p b p\mid b^2\Rightarrow p\mid b . However it contradicts that gcd ( a , b , c ) = 1 \text{gcd}(a,b,c)=1 . So a = b = c = 1 a=b=c=1 , and from that x = y = z x=y=z is definitely true.

Note: As the other solutions show, the statement is true even if we relax the condition to "positive reals" instead of just "positive integers".

Calvin Lin Staff - 3 years, 8 months ago
Samir Betmouni
Aug 29, 2017

Remembering x,y,z are all positive

x(x+y) = y(y+z) gives

x^2 - y^2 = y(z-x) eq1

Sim: y(y+z) = z(z+x) gives y^2 - z^2 = z(x-y) eq2

If x > y then eq1&2 are positive on both sides, so z>x and y>z

Giving x>y>z>x which cannot be true

Sim: x<y gives x<y<z<x which cannot be true

So x is neither more nor less than y, they must be equal. Which means z is also equal. (From original eqs).

Hao-Nhien Vu
Oct 7, 2017

Divide by xyz:

x + y y z \frac{x+y}{yz} = y + z x z \frac{y+z}{xz} = z + x x y \frac{z+x}{xy}

and, by the property that a/b=c/d means they're also equal to (a-c)/(b-d) unless we're dividing by zero, the above are also equal to:

y z x z x y \frac{y-z}{xz-xy} = y z x ( z y ) \frac{y-z}{x(z-y)} = 1 x \frac{-1}{x}

which is negative, whereas the first three fractions must be positive. So it's a contradiction. Therefore zx-xy must have been zero, so z=y.

Similarly, x=y

Azadali Jivani
Aug 24, 2017

x = y = z therefore x-y = 0 or y-x =0 and so on............
by solving above eq. we get ....
(x-y)(x+y) = y(z-x)........
Sol. 2 x =y = z therefore x/y = 1
given eq...... x(x+y) = y(y+ z)
(x/y)(x+y) = (y+z)
x = z {x/y =1]




0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...