Greatest integer mess

Let [x] denote the greatest integer function. Find the largest prime P such that the condition above is true.


The answer is 5.

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1 solution

Kenny Lau
Nov 27, 2014

Firstly we have n 2 = 3 P n^2=3P or n 2 = 3 P + 1 n^2=3P+1 or n 2 = 3 P + 2 n^2=3P+2 .

  • If n = 3 k n=3k where k k is an integer, n 2 = 9 k 2 = 3 ( 3 k 2 ) n^2=9k^2=3(3k^2) , P = 3 k 2 P=3k^2 .
  • If n = 3 k + 1 n=3k+1 where k k is an integer, n 2 = 9 k 2 + 6 k + 1 = 3 k ( 3 k + 2 ) + 1 n^2=9k^2+6k+1=3k(3k+2)+1 , P = k ( 3 k + 2 ) P=k(3k+2) .
  • If n = 3 k 1 n=3k-1 where k k is an integer, n 2 = 9 k 2 6 x + 1 = 3 k ( 3 k 2 ) + 1 n^2=9k^2-6x+1=3k(3k-2)+1 , P = k ( 3 k 2 ) P=k(3k-2) .

  • First case: 3 k 2 3k^2 can only be a prime when k = 1 k=1 , which makes P = 3 P=3 .
  • Second case: k ( 3 k + 2 ) k(3k+2) can only be a prime when k = 1 k=1 or 3 k + 2 = 1 3k+2=1 , and the latter is impossible since k would not be an integer, which makes k = 1 k=1 the only possible case, and P = 5 P=5 .
  • Third case: k ( 3 k 2 ) k(3k-2) can only be a prime when k = 1 k=1 or 3 k 2 = 1 3k-2=1 , and the two conditions are actually the same, which makes P = 1 P=1 .

Therefore, concluding from the three cases, the largest prime P is 5 \fbox5 .

Exactly Same Way.

Kushagra Sahni - 5 years, 2 months ago

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