Cunning Repercussion

{ x 5 y 4 z 3 + x 4 y 3 z 2 + x 3 y 2 z + x 2 y + x = 7907799 2 x + 3 y + 4 z = 38 \large { \begin{cases} { x^5y^4z^3+x^4y^3z^2+x^3y^2z+x^2y+x = 7907799 } \\ { 2x+3y+4z=38} \end{cases} }

If x , y , z x, y, z are natural numbers that satisfy the system of equations above, evaluate x + y + z x+y+z .


The answer is 12.

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1 solution

Sean Sullivan
Jul 22, 2015

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 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 x(x^{4}y^{4}z^{3}+x^{3}y^{3}z^{2}+x^{2}y^{2}z +xy+1)) meaning 7907799 7907799 must be divisible by x x and from the second equation we have that x < = 19 x<=19 . Checking 7907799 7907799 for divisibility by primes under 19 19 we find it only divisible by 3 3 so x = 3 x=3

Dividing the first equation by x x and subtracting 1 1 yields:

3 4 y 4 z 3 + 3 3 y 3 z 2 + 3 2 y 2 z + 3 y = 2635932 3^{4}y^{4}z^{3}+3^{3}y^{3}z^{2}+3^{2}y^{2}z+3y=2635932

Divide by 3 again and factor out a y y :

y ( 27 y 3 z 3 + 9 y 2 z 2 + 3 y z + 1 ) = 878644 y(27y^{3}z^{3}+9y^{2}z^{2}+3yz+1)=878644

Subsituting x = 3 x=3 into the second equality we know 3 y + 4 z = 32 3y+4z=32 giving us three potential options: ( y , z ) = ( 0 , 8 ) , ( 4 , 5 ) , ( 8 , 2 ) (y,z)=(0,8),(4,5),(8,2)

But y 878644 y|878644 so y y is certainly not 0 0 and must be 4 4 or 8 8 , checking for divisibility by 8 8 878644 = 644 = 44 = 4 m o d 8 878644=644=44=4 \mod 8

We now have x = 3 , y = 4 x=3,y=4 which implies z = 5 z=5

The answer is then x + y + z = 3 + 4 + 5 = 12 x+y+z=3+4+5=\boxed{12}

"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.

Piotr Szewczyk - 2 years, 10 months ago

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