An algebra problem by Hafizh Ahsan Permana

Algebra Level 4

How many pairs of positive integer ( x , y ) (x,y) satisfy the equation below?

1 x + 1 y = 1 6 \large \frac{1}{x}+\frac{1}{y}=\frac{1}{6}

Note: ( 5 , 4 ) (5,4) and ( 4 , 5 ) (4,5) are different solutions.


The answer is 9.

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2 solutions

Cody Martin
Aug 7, 2014

6 x + 6 y = x y 6x+6y=xy x y 6 x 6 y = 0 xy-6x-6y=0 ( x 6 ) ( y 6 ) = 36 (x-6)(y-6)=36 now 36 can be factorized into (x-6) and (y-6 ) as 1. ) 1 36 > 2 s o l u t i o n s 1.) 1*36 ----->2 solutions 2. ) 2 18 > 2 s o l u t i o n s 2.) 2*18 ---->2 solutions 3. ) 3 12 > 2 s o l u t i o n s 3.) 3*12 ---->2 solutions 4. ) 4 9 > 2 s o l u t i o n s 4.) 4*9 --->2 solutions 5. ) 6 6 > 1 s o l u t i o n s 5.) 6*6 -->1 solutions s o l u t i o n s ( x , y ) = 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 9 solutions (x,y) = 2+2+2+2+1=9

Number of solutions to questions of this type is the number of factors of n 2 n^2 . It can also be proved.

Satvik Golechha - 6 years, 9 months ago

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Yes...but hey factors of 36- oh.yes...oh my god..i multiplied 2+1 and 2+1 to get 8 :(.....

Sanjana Nedunchezian - 6 years, 9 months ago

please help we can write it as x =y/y -6 this is equal to x = 1 + 6/y-6 since we want integral solutions so y-6 should divide 6 thus we get y = 8,9,12 therefore only 3 solutions

U Z - 6 years, 8 months ago

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y = 6x/(x-6), and x = 6y/(y-6); pairs are (7,42), (8,24), (9,18), (10,15), (12,12), (15,10), (18,9), (24,8) and (42,7).

Armin Hubatsch - 3 years, 4 months ago
Chew-Seong Cheong
Jan 28, 2018

1 x + 1 y = 1 6 6 ( x + y ) = x y x y 6 x 6 y = 0 ( x 6 ) ( y 6 ) = 36 \begin{aligned} \frac 1x + \frac 1y & = \frac 16 \\ 6(x+y) & = xy \\ xy - 6x - 6y & = 0 \\ (x-6)(y-6) & = 36 \end{aligned}

Since 36 = 2 2 × 3 2 36=2^{\color{#D61F06}2}\times 3^{\color{#D61F06}2} has ( 2 + 1 ) ( 2 + 1 ) = 9 ({\color{#D61F06}2}+1)({\color{#D61F06}2}+1) = 9 pairs of positive factors ( a , b ) (a,b) . Therefore, there are also 9 \boxed{9} pairs of positive integer ( x , y ) = ( a + 6 , b + 6 ) (x,y) = (a+6, b+6) satisfying the equation.

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