⎩ ⎨ ⎧ x 5 y 4 z 3 + x 4 y 3 z 2 + x 3 y 2 z + x 2 y + x = 7 9 0 7 7 9 9 2 x + 3 y + 4 z = 3 8
If x , y , z are natural numbers that satisfy the system of equations above, evaluate x + y + z .
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"Checking 7907799 for divisibility by primes under 19 we find it only divisible by 3 so x=3" That's true, but you missed that x could also be equel to 1.
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First note the expression x 5 y 4 z 3 + x 4 y 3 z 2 + x 3 y 2 z + x 2 y + x can be factored to x ( x 4 y 4 z 3 + x 3 y 3 z 2 + x 2 y 2 z +xy+1)) meaning 7 9 0 7 7 9 9 must be divisible by x and from the second equation we have that x < = 1 9 . Checking 7 9 0 7 7 9 9 for divisibility by primes under 1 9 we find it only divisible by 3 so x = 3
Dividing the first equation by x and subtracting 1 yields:
3 4 y 4 z 3 + 3 3 y 3 z 2 + 3 2 y 2 z + 3 y = 2 6 3 5 9 3 2
Divide by 3 again and factor out a y :
y ( 2 7 y 3 z 3 + 9 y 2 z 2 + 3 y z + 1 ) = 8 7 8 6 4 4
Subsituting x = 3 into the second equality we know 3 y + 4 z = 3 2 giving us three potential options: ( y , z ) = ( 0 , 8 ) , ( 4 , 5 ) , ( 8 , 2 )
But y ∣ 8 7 8 6 4 4 so y is certainly not 0 and must be 4 or 8 , checking for divisibility by 8 8 7 8 6 4 4 = 6 4 4 = 4 4 = 4 m o d 8
We now have x = 3 , y = 4 which implies z = 5
The answer is then x + y + z = 3 + 4 + 5 = 1 2