is an integer and are coprime natural numbers.
Find the number of pairs .
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If m = n , the only possibility is that they are both 1 , and this is indeed a solution pair. Now assume that m and n are distinct.
For two fractions to sum to an integer, their denominators (when expressed in lowest terms) must be equal. Clearly the first fraction, m n , is already in lowest terms, since m and n are coprime. Since m and n are distinct, the fraction n 1 4 m must have shared factors in its numerator and denominator.
Let h = g cd ( 1 4 m , n ) . Since m and n are coprime, we have h = g cd ( 1 4 , n ) . Write n = h n ′ and 1 4 = h x , where g cd ( n ′ , x ) = 1 .
The expression is now m n + n ′ m x , where both fractions are in lowest terms. For this to be an integer, we need m = n ′ ; but as n ′ ∣ n , we must also have g cd ( m , n ′ ) = 1 , and so m = n ′ = 1 .
So the expression becomes n + n 1 4 . For this to be an integer, n has to divide 1 4 . Since n = m , we have to discount n = 1 ; this leaves the solution pairs ( 1 , 2 ) , ( 1 , 7 ) , ( 1 , 1 4 ) . Together with the pair ( 1 , 1 ) these give the answer 4 .