Circle and a line!

{ a x + b y = 1 x 2 + y 2 = 50 \begin{cases} ax+by=1 \\ x^2 + y^2 = 50 \end{cases}

For certain ordered pairs ( a , b ) (a,b) of real numbers, the system of equations above has at least one solution, and each solution is an ordered pair ( x , y ) (x,y) of integers. How many such ordered pairs ( a , b ) (a,b) are there?


The answer is 72.

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.

1 solution

Shaurya Gupta
Dec 3, 2015

There are 12 pairs ordered pairs of integers on the circle namely ( ± 1 , ± 7 ) , ( ± 7 , ± 1 ) , ( ± 5 , ± 5 ) (\pm1,\pm7), (\pm7,\pm1), (\pm5,\pm5) . We can draw a tangent on each of these points, so we have n = 12 n=12 ordered pairs of ( a , b ) (a,b) for each of these tangents, since a x + b y = 1 ax+by=1 represents all possible lines in the plane, except those of the form y = m x y=mx and x = 0 x=0 . Next, we can draw a line joining any 2 2 of the 12 12 points and since no 3 3 points are collinear, all these lines will be distinct. So we have ( n 2 ) \binom{n}{2} such lines and thus ordered pairs ( a , b ) (a,b) . However, any line joining a point P P and its reflection over the origin will pass through the origin and thus become of the form y = m x y=mx , which isn't allowed. There are n 2 n\over2 such lines. So the final answer is n + ( n 2 ) n 2 = 72 n+\binom{n}{2}-\frac{n}{2}=72 .

I did the same way, though I think you should include how you got to the conclusion that there are only 12 solutions (which is the number theory part of the question).

Anupam Nayak - 5 years, 6 months ago

Log in to reply

I got those pairs by brute force. Is there supposed to be a more refined way?

shaurya gupta - 5 years, 6 months ago

Log in to reply

I used brute force to find the solutions too. But you should include that there are no more solutions by Lagrange's Four-Square Theorem.

Anupam Nayak - 5 years, 6 months ago

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...