Integers...

Algebra Level 3

If x , y , z x,y,z are three consecutive positive integers such that x y + y z + z x + y x + x z + z y \frac { x }{ y } +\frac { y }{ z } +\frac { z }{ x } +\frac { y }{ x } +\frac { x }{ z } +\frac { z }{ y } is an integer, What is the value of x + y + z x+y+z ?


The answer is 6.

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2 solutions

Tom Zhou
Oct 2, 2014

Notice that

x y + y z + z x + y x + x z + z y = ( x + y + z ) ( 1 x + 1 y + 1 z ) 3 \frac{x}{y}+\frac{y}{z}+\frac{z}{x}+\frac{y}{x}+\frac{x}{z}+\frac{z}{y}=(x+y+z)\left(\frac{1}{x}+\frac{1}{y}+\frac{1}{z}\right)-3

so this expression must be an integer if ( x + y + z ) ( 1 x + 1 y + 1 z ) (x+y+z)\left(\frac{1}{x}+\frac{1}{y}+\frac{1}{z}\right) is an integer. Assume that x , y x,y and z z are k 1 , k , k-1, k, and k + 1 k+1 in some order. Then combining denominators and simplifying, we get that

( k 1 + k + k + 1 ) ( 1 k 1 + 1 k + 1 k + 1 ) (k-1+k+k+1)\left(\frac{1}{k-1}+\frac{1}{k}+\frac{1}{k+1}\right)

= 3 k ( 3 k 2 1 k 3 k ) =3k\left(\frac{3k^2-1}{k^3-k}\right)

= 9 k 2 3 k 2 1 =\frac{9k^2-3}{k^2-1}

= 9 + 6 k 2 1 =9+\frac{6}{k^2-1}

must be an integer or 6 k 2 1 \frac{6}{k^2-1} must be an integer. Checking the positive divisors of 6 6 and noting k k must be positive, we get that k 2 1 = 3 k^2-1=3 or k = 2 k=2 . x + y + z = 3 k = 6 x+y+z=3k=\boxed{6} .

Sean Henderson
Sep 29, 2014

I must admit, I actually guessed at the correct answer pretty easily, but spent some time today looking at this and got a proof together. It's good on paper, but need to figure out how to type it up. Haven't submitted solutions on here before. It's clever, though!

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