is equal to a perfect square for a positive integer , what is ?
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We require:
n 2 + 2 7 6 7 n = k 2 ⇒ n = 2 − 2 7 6 7 ± 2 7 6 7 2 − 4 ( 1 ) ( − k 2 ) = 2 − 2 7 6 7 ± 4 k 2 + 2 7 6 7 2 (i)
In order for n to be an integer, we require the discriminant in (i) to be a perfect square. That is, 4 k 2 + 2 7 6 7 2 = N 2 ⇒ 2 7 6 7 2 = N 2 − 4 k 2 = ( N + 2 k ) ( N − 2 k ) . The number 2 7 6 7 2 has divisors 1 , 2 7 6 7 , 2 7 6 7 2 (Note: 2 7 6 7 is a prime), which gives us the following ordered-pairs:
N + 2 k = 2 7 6 7 , N − 2 k = 2 7 6 7 ⇒ N = 2 7 6 7 , k = 0 (ii);
N + 2 k = 2 7 6 7 2 , N − 2 k = 1 ⇒ N = 3 8 2 8 1 4 5 , k = 1 9 1 4 0 7 2 (iii).
Substitution of the above values for k in (ii) and (iii) back into the discriminant of (i) yields:
n = 0 , − 2 7 6 7 , − 1 9 1 5 4 5 6 , 1 9 1 2 6 8 9
of which n = 1 9 1 2 6 8 9 is the only positive integer solution.