Find the value of the expression below

If p , q p, q and r r are prime numbers such that p q r = 19 ( p + q + r ) pqr = 19 (p+q+r) , then find p 2 + q 2 + r 2 p^2 + q^2+ r^2 .


The answer is 491.

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1 solution

If p q r = 19 ( p + q + r ) pqr = 19(p + q + r) with p , q , r p,q,r all prime then by the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic we know that one of p , q , r p,q,r must equal 19 19 . So without loss of generality let p = 19 p = 19 . The equation then becomes

q r = 19 + q + r q r q r = 19 ( q 1 ) ( r 1 ) = 20 qr = 19 + q + r \Longrightarrow qr - q - r = 19 \Longrightarrow (q - 1)(r - 1) = 20 .

Now since q , r > 1 q,r \gt 1 we need to consider the positive factorizations of 20 20 into pairs of factors and then assign these pairs to q 1 q -1 and r 1 r - 1 . The possible pairs, (without concern for order), are ( 1 , 20 ) , ( 2 , 10 ) (1,20), (2,10) and ( 4 , 5 ) (4,5) , which lead to respective values for ( q , r ) (q,r) of ( 2 , 21 ) , ( 3 , 11 ) (2,21), (3,11) and ( 5 , 6 ) (5,6) . The only one of these pars where both q , r q,r are prime is ( 3 , 11 ) (3,11) and thus

p 2 + q 2 + r 2 = 1 9 2 + 3 2 + 1 1 2 = 491 p^{2} + q^{2} + r^{2} = 19^{2} + 3^{2} + 11^{2} = \boxed{491} .

A perfect solution!

Shreyansh Mukhopadhyay - 3 years, 5 months ago

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