Integers are mean

Let x x and y y be distinct positive integers, such that their arithmetic mean (AM), geometric mean (GM), and harmonic mean (HM) are all integers.

Input your answer as the sum of the five integers mentioned, when the sum is minimized.


The answer is 99.

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1 solution

Kenny Lau
Aug 8, 2015

The AM, GM, and HM form a geometric sequence. Therefore, they can be expressed as k m 2 km^2 , k m n kmn , and k n 2 kn^2 respectively, where k k , m m , and n n are all integers.

Then, using the definitions of the harmonic mean: 2 x y x + y = k n 2 \frac{2xy}{x+y}=kn^2

Manipulating with the equation: 2 x y k n 2 x k n 2 y = 0 2 x ( 2 y k n 2 ) 2 k n 2 y = 0 2 x ( 2 y k n 2 ) 2 k n 2 y + k 2 n 4 = k 2 n 4 ( 2 x k n 2 ) ( 2 y k n 2 ) = k 2 n 4 2xy-kn^2x-kn^2y=0 \\ 2x(2y-kn^2)-2kn^2y=0 \\ 2x(2y-kn^2)-2kn^2y+k^2n^4=k^2n^4 \\ (2x-kn^2)(2y-kn^2)=k^2n^4

Splitting the product gives: 2 x k n 2 = k n 2 ( a b ) 2 y k n 2 = k n 2 ( b a ) 2x-kn^2=kn^2\left(\frac ab\right) \\ 2y-kn^2=kn^2\left(\frac ba\right) where a a and b b are coprime.

Changing the subject: x = k n 2 ( a + b ) 2 b y = k n 2 ( a + b ) 2 a x=\frac{kn^2(a+b)}{2b} \\ y=\frac{kn^2(a+b)}{2a}

Since x y xy is a perfect square, a b ab is also a perfect square. Then, we can split it into c p d \frac{cp}d and d p c \frac{dp}c where a b = p 2 ab=p^2 , and c c and d d are coprime.

Then: x = k n 2 ( c p d + d p c ) 2 d p c = k n 2 ( c 2 + d 2 ) 2 d 2 y = k n 2 ( c p d + d p c ) 2 c p d = k n 2 ( c 2 + d 2 ) 2 c 2 x=\frac{kn^2\left(\frac{cp}{d}+\frac{dp}{c}\right)}{\frac{2dp}{c}} = \frac{kn^2(c^2+d^2)}{2d^2} \\ y=\frac{kn^2\left(\frac{cp}{d}+\frac{dp}{c}\right)}{\frac{2cp}{d}} = \frac{kn^2(c^2+d^2)}{2c^2}

Now, c c and d d are free variables, while k k and n n are semi-free variables.

AM = k n 2 ( c 2 + d 2 ) 2 4 c 2 d 2 GM = k n 2 ( c 2 + d 2 ) 2 c d HM = k n 2 \mbox{AM}=\frac{kn^2(c^2+d^2)^2}{4c^2d^2} \\ \mbox{GM}=\frac{kn^2(c^2+d^2)}{2cd} \\ \mbox{HM}=kn^2

Since ( c 2 + d 2 ) (c^2+d^2) is not divisible by c 2 d 2 c^2d^2 because c c and d d are coprime, k n 2 kn^2 must be divisible by c 2 d 2 c^2d^2 . Let the quotient be q q : x = q c 2 ( c 2 + d 2 ) 2 y = q d 2 ( c 2 + d 2 ) 2 AM = q ( c 2 + d 2 ) 2 4 GM = q c d ( c 2 + d 2 ) 2 HM = q c 2 d 2 x = \frac{qc^2(c^2+d^2)}2 \\ y = \frac{qd^2(c^2+d^2)}2 \\ \mbox{AM} = \frac{q(c^2+d^2)^2}4 \\ \mbox{GM} = \frac{qcd(c^2+d^2)}2 \\ \mbox{HM} = qc^2d^2

Apparently the solution is obtained when c c and d d are as low as possible, i.e. 2 2 and 1 1 . This yields x = 40 x=40 , y = 10 y=10 , AM = 25 \mbox{AM}=25 , GM = 20 \mbox{GM}=20 , HM = 16 \mbox{HM}=16 , and the required sum would be 111 111 .

However notice that the solution might be smaller when c 2 + d 2 c^2+d^2 is divisible by 2 2 . Then, we shall try c = 3 c=3 and d = 1 d=1 , which gives us x = 45 x=45 , y = 5 y=5 , AM = 25 \mbox{AM}=25 , GM = 15 \mbox{GM}=15 , HM = 9 \mbox{HM}=9 , and the required sum would be 99 \mbox{99} , which is even smaller than 111 111 .

When c c and d d get bigger, so does the sum. Therefore 99 99 is the minimum.

Nice solution! +1! I cheated, did using programming.

Kartik Sharma - 5 years, 10 months ago

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Thank you! Feel free to post your programming here also if it pleases you.

Kenny Lau - 5 years, 10 months ago

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