Almost Taxicab, Almost FLT

Consider the equation x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = x 3 + y 3 + z 3 x^2 + y^2 + z^2 = x^3 + y^3 + z^3 Where x , y , z x, y, z are integers .

How many solutions does this equation have?

Finitely many, but not 1 or 3 1 Infinitely Many 3

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3 solutions

Let m m be a non-negative integer. Set x = m ( 2 m 2 + 1 ) y = m ( 2 m 2 + 1 ) z = 2 m 2 + 1 x = m(2m^2 + 1)\\y = -m(2m^2 + 1)\\z = 2m^2 + 1 Then x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = m 2 ( 2 m 2 + 1 ) 2 + m 2 ( 2 m 2 + 1 ) 2 + ( 2 m 2 + 1 ) 2 = 2 m 2 ( 2 m 2 + 1 ) 2 + ( 2 m 2 + 1 ) 2 = ( 2 m 2 + 1 ) ( 2 m 2 + 1 ) 2 = ( 2 m 2 + 1 ) 3 = z 3 = x 3 + y 3 + z 3 . x^2 + y^2 + z^2 \\= m^2(2m^2 + 1)^2 + m^2(2m^2 + 1)^2 + (2m^2+1)^2 \\= 2m^2(2m^2 + 1)^2 + (2m^2 + 1)^2 \\= (2m^2 + 1)(2m^2 + 1)^2 \\= (2m^2 + 1)^3 \\= z^3 \\= x^3 + y^3 + z^3.

Where the last equality follows from x = y x = - y implying x 3 = y 3 x^3 = -y^3 . Since m m can take any non-negative integer value, we may construct infinitely many triples ( x , y , z ) (x, y, z)

How did you think of such a substituition?

Jackal Jim - 6 years, 9 months ago

yes how did u think of that bro.........did u do that by yourself

Ishan Das - 6 years, 9 months ago

As a curiosity, there are other substitutions of the form x = y = ( 2 m 2 + 1 ) z x = -y = (2m^2+1)z . Another such substitution (the simplest such besides the one you gave, actually) is x = ( 2 m 2 + 1 ) ( 8 m 2 + 8 m + 3 ) x = (2m^2+1)(8m^2+8m+3) , y = ( 2 m 2 + 1 ) ( 8 m 2 + 8 m + 3 ) y = -(2m^2+1)(8m^2+8m+3) , z = 8 m 2 + 8 m + 3 z = 8m^2+8m+3 .

Michael Lee - 6 years, 9 months ago

@Ariel Garcia Moran beautiful :) ..........

Abhinav Raichur - 6 years, 9 months ago
Kartik Sharma
Aug 21, 2014

First, let z = -x so that we are left with only one variable on RHS.

Therefore, x 2 + y 2 + x 2 = y 3 {x}^{2} + {y}^{2} + {x}^{2} = {y}^{3}

2 x 2 {x}^{2} + y 2 {y}^{2} = y 3 {y}^{3}

2 x 2 {x}^{2} = y 2 ( y 1 ) {y}^{2}(y -1)

x 2 {x}^{2} = y 2 ( y 1 2 ) {y}^{2}(\frac{y-1}{2})

y 1 2 \frac{y-1}{2} has to be t 2 {t}^{2}

Hence, y = 2 t 2 {t}^{2} + 1 = y for all integers t.

So, there are infinitely many solutions for this equation.

You can also substitute x or y instead of z to prove it.

I think you mean "for all integers t" instead of reals?

Calvin Lin Staff - 6 years, 9 months ago

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Yeah, thanks! edited!

Kartik Sharma - 6 years, 9 months ago

Obviously possess (x, y) of infinitely many solutions.

Since particular cases possess infinitely many solutions, the question in general is known to possess infinitely many solutions.

Lu Chee Ket - 6 years, 9 months ago
Mayank Verma
Aug 22, 2014

So this is another question in form of solution. Actually, my solution isn't a good one. Where did I go wrong?

By rearranging we get, x 2 ( x 1 ) + y 2 ( y 1 ) + z 2 ( z 1 ) = 0 x^{2}(x-1)+y^{2}(y-1)+z^{2}(z-1)=0 Let's consider f ( x ) = x 2 ( x 1 ) = 0 f(x)= x^{2}(x-1)=0

Range of f ( x ) f(x) is ( , + ) (- \infty,+ \infty) So, for any x x we have f ( x ) f(x) such that there is always a y y for which f ( y ) = f ( x ) f(y) = - f(x) or f ( x ) + f ( y ) = 0 f(x) + f(y)=0 . (Please trace the graph of f ( x ) f(x) to have a clearer understanding of what I'm trying to say.) Let's say, we have f ( y ) + f ( x ) = t f(y) + f(x)=t such that x , y x , y are integers. Then t t must also be an integer. Let's suppose f ( z ) = t f(z) =-t such that z = p q z= \frac{p}{q} such that p p , q q are co-primes. Then, f ( z ) f(z) can never be an integer, but this is contrary to the fact that t -t is an integer. Hence, z z also must be an integer that satisfies f ( z ) = t f(z) =-t . Then, there is always an integer z z such that f ( z ) = t f(z) =-t . Then, adding the above two equations, we have f ( x ) + f ( y ) + f ( z ) = 0 f(x) + f(y) + f(z)=0 . Hence, there are infinite solutions!

Nice idea. Unfortunately, f ( x ) f(x) is not an odd function.

Calvin Lin Staff - 6 years, 9 months ago

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Thanks for informing me. I've edited the solution.

Mayank Verma - 6 years, 9 months ago

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Why can we make the assumption that y = x y = -x ?

Even then, note that ( x , x , 0 ) (x, -x, 0 ) and ( x , x , 1 ) (x, -x, 1) are not solutions to the equation, except when 0 = 2 x 2 0 = 2x^2 .

How are there infinitely many solutions?

Calvin Lin Staff - 6 years, 9 months ago

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@Calvin Lin There was a problem in the way I wrote my last solution. I traced the graph of f(x) to come to the conclusion, but couldn't write in words satisfactorily. Hope this one is correct.

Mayank Verma - 6 years, 9 months ago

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@Mayank Verma I agree that such a y y and z z will exist, by "tracing the graph". However, all that we get are they are real numbers. How do you know that they must be integers?

Calvin Lin Staff - 6 years, 9 months ago

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@Calvin Lin I think this solution might eliminate all the problems encountered in previous solutions.

Mayank Verma - 6 years, 9 months ago

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