How Many?

1 x + 1 y = 1 20 \large \dfrac{1}{\sqrt{x}}+\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{y}}=\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{20}}

Find number of ordered pairs of positive integers ( x , y ) (x, y) that satisfy the equation above.


The answer is 3.

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2 solutions

Tom Engelsman
Aug 24, 2017

Knowing that 1 20 = 1 2 5 \frac{1}{\sqrt{20}} = \frac{1}{2\sqrt{5}} , and also knowing that 1 2 = 1 4 + 1 4 = 1 3 + 1 6 , \frac{1}{2} = \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{4} = \frac{1}{3} + \frac{1}{6}, we can deduce:

1 2 5 = 1 4 5 + 1 4 5 = 1 80 + 1 80 \frac{1}{2\sqrt{5}} = \frac{1}{4\sqrt{5}} + \frac{1}{4\sqrt{5}} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{80}} + \frac{1}{\sqrt{80}}

and

1 2 5 = 1 3 5 + 1 6 5 = 1 45 + 1 180 \frac{1}{2\sqrt{5}} = \frac{1}{3\sqrt{5}} + \frac{1}{6\sqrt{5}} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{45}} + \frac{1}{\sqrt{180}}

which generates the t h r e e \boxed{three} ordered integral pairs: ( x , y ) = ( 45 , 180 ) ; ( 80 , 80 ) ; ( 180 , 45 ) (x,y) = (45,180); (80,80); (180,45) .

Harshi Singh
Jun 18, 2015

@Pi Han Goh can you please post a solution for this

Did you solved it by hit and trial??

Shubhendra Singh - 5 years, 12 months ago

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i did'nt solve it thats why i ask for solution

Harshi Singh - 5 years, 12 months ago

How did you arrive at the answer 3? Care to explain?

Vishnu Bhagyanath - 5 years, 12 months ago

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Let x = 5 a 2 & y = 5 b 2 x=5a^{2} \ \& \ y=5b^{2} substitute these values in the given expression to get 1 a + 1 b = 1 2 \dfrac{1}{a}+\dfrac{1}{b}=\dfrac{1}{2} . This gives ( a , b ) = ( 4 , 4 ) , ( 3 , 6 ) , ( 6 , 3 ) (a, b) =(4,4),(3,6),(6,3) which further gives ( x , y ) = ( 80 , 80 ) , ( 45 , 180 ) , ( 180 , 45 ) (x, y)=(80,80), (45,180),(180,45)

Shubhendra Singh - 5 years, 11 months ago

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@Shubhendra Singh I think this is what you wanted @Harshi Singh and @Vishnu Bhagyanath .

Shubhendra Singh - 5 years, 11 months ago

@Shubhendra Singh but why you have taken only these values and how come we know that we have to solve these questions by a particular value @shubhendra singh

Harshi Singh - 5 years, 11 months ago

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@Harshi Singh 20 = 2 5 \sqrt{20}=2\sqrt{5} so to remove 5 \sqrt{5} from the equation we made such substitution.

Shubhendra Singh - 5 years, 11 months ago

@Harshi Singh 1/y =[ x+20 -4 ((5 x)^1/2) ]/20 x{ This you can get by a little factoring}. It means that (5 x)^1/2 is rational and since x belong to natural number 5*x is the square of an integer and is the multiple of 5 thus we say 5x= (5a)^2 ie x= 5a^2 and similarly y = 5 b^2 .That's what Shubhendra's substitution means .

Raven Herd - 5 years, 6 months ago

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