Log!

Algebra Level 4

Let a , b , c a,b,c and d d be positive integers satisfying log a b = 3 2 \log_a b = \dfrac32 and log c d = 5 4 \log_c d = \dfrac54 . If a c = 9 a-c=9 , find b d b-d .


The answer is 93.

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1 solution

Shaun Leong
Feb 10, 2016

log a b = 3 2 \log_ab=\dfrac {3}{2} b = a 3 2 = a a \Rightarrow b=a^{\frac {3}{2}}=a\sqrt{a} l o g c d = 5 4 log_cd=\dfrac {5}{4} d = c 5 4 = c c 4 \Rightarrow d=c^{\frac {5}{4}}=c\sqrt[4]{c}

Since b b and d d are both positive integers, both a \sqrt{a} and c 4 \sqrt[4]{c} must be positive integers as well.

Hence, let a = x 2 , c = y 4 a=x^2,c=y^4 for some positive integers x x and y y .

x 2 y 4 = 9 x^2-y^4=9 ( x y 2 ) ( x + y 2 ) = 9 \Rightarrow (x-y^2)(x+y^2)=9

Note that x y 2 < x + y 2 x-y^2 < x+y^2 so x y 2 = 1 x-y^2=1 and x + y 2 = 9 x+y^2=9 .

Thus x = 5 , y = 2 x=5,y=2 b d = x 3 y 5 = 125 32 = 93 \Rightarrow b-d = x^3-y^5 = 125-32 = \boxed{93}

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