⎩ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎨ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎪ ⎧ a 1 − b + c 1 = 4 1 b 1 − a + c 1 = 1 0 1 c 1 − a + b 1 = 5 6 1 a b 1 + b c 1 + c a 1 = x 1
Given that a , b and c are integers satisfying the system of equations above, find x .
This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try
refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and,
finally, (c)
loading the
non-javascript version of this page
. We're sorry about the hassle.
How comes you can ignore negative integrs?
Is there a more elegant algebraic solution to this? The solution presented is better suited to a spreadsheet solver. Also, this solution incorrectly simplifies the problem by excluding zero and negative integers, e.g. 1: a=4, b+c=0; a=8, b+c=-8; etc.
Log in to reply
Unfortunately no. In fact, the solution written up is far from complete. Like you've already pointed, there are more possible integer solutions when solving for a 1 − b + c 1 = 4 1 . In fact, there are 9 such possible solutions. Plus, I doubt there is a non-tedious way to solve this question.
zeros are implicitly excluded.
Let's try to prove it.
Lemme
The equation
x 1 − s − x 1 = n 1
where x , s are unknown integers and n a given integer, and x = 0 and s − x = 0 ,
we have
( x , s ) = ( d n ( d − n ) , d n ( d − n ) + d − n ) ) f o r d d i v i s o r o f n 2 a n d d = n
So that if we let s = a + b + c we have:
From the first equality : ( a , s ) i s i n { ( 3 , 1 5 ) , ( 2 , 6 ) , ( 5 , − 1 5 ) , ( 1 2 , 6 ) , ( − 4 , − 6 ) , ( 2 0 , 1 5 ) , ( 6 , − 6 ) , ( − 1 2 , − 1 5 ) }
From the second equality : ( b , s ) i s i n { ( 1 4 , − 2 1 ) , ( 3 0 , 1 5 ) , ( − 9 0 , − 9 9 ) , ( 6 0 , 4 8 ) , ( − 1 0 , − 1 5 ) , ( − 4 0 , − 4 8 ) , ( − 1 5 , − 2 1 ) , ( 9 , 9 9 ) , ( 6 , 2 1 ) , ( 3 5 , 2 1 ) , ( 1 1 , − 9 9 ) , ( 5 , 1 5 ) , ( 1 2 , − 4 8 ) , ( 1 1 0 , 9 9 ) , ( 8 , 4 8 ) , ( 1 5 , − 1 5 ) }
Then only two value are possible for s 15 or -15
Then
( a , s ) i s i n { ( 3 , 1 5 ) , ( 5 , − 1 5 ) , ( 2 0 , 1 5 ) , ( − 1 2 , − 1 5 ) }
and ( b , s ) i s i n { ( 3 0 , 1 5 ) , ( − 1 0 , − 1 5 ) , ( 5 , 1 5 ) , ( 1 5 , − 1 5 ) }
From the third equality: ( c , s ) i s i n { ( − 8 , − 1 5 ) , ( 1 0 5 , − 1 5 ) , ( 1 2 0 , 1 5 ) , ( 7 , 1 5 ) }
if s = -15 then:
a = 5 o r a = − 1 2 b = − 1 0 o r b = 1 5 c = − 8 o r c = 1 0 5
No combination adds to -15.
if s = 15 then:
a = 3 o r a = 2 0 b = 5 o r b = 3 0 c = 7 o r c = 1 2 0
Only a = 3 and b = 5 and c = 7 adds to 15.
CQFD
Very good solution indeed! ;)
Problem Loading...
Note Loading...
Set Loading...