One solution may lead to another one.

Determine the maximum value of m 2 + n 2 m^{2}+n^{2} , where m m and n n are integers satisfying

i. m , n { 1 , 2 , . . . . , 1981 } m,n\in \{1,2,....,1981\}

ii. ( n 2 m n m 2 ) 2 = 1 (n^{2}-mn-m^{2})^{2}=1 .

This is an old IMO problem.


The answer is 3524578.

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2 solutions

Parth Lohomi
Nov 17, 2014

Experimenting with small values suggests that the solutions of n 2 n^{2} - m n mn - m 2 m^{2} = 1 or -1 are successive Fibonacci numbers.

So suppose n > m n > m is a solution.

This suggests trying m+n, n:

( m + n ) 2 (m+n)^{2} - ( m + n ) n (m+n)n - n 2 n^{2} = m 2 m^{2} + m n mn - n 2 n^{2} = -( n 2 n^{2} - m n mn - m 2 m^{2} ) = 1 or -1.

So if n > m is a solution, then m+n, n is another solution. Running this forward from 2,1 gives 3,2; 5,3; 8,5; 13,8; 21,13; 34,21; 55,34; 89,55; 144,89; 233,144; 377,233; 610,377; 987,610; 1597,987; 2584,1597.

But how do we know that there are no other solutions????????????????

The trick is to run the recurrence the other way. For suppose n > m is a solution, then try m, n-m:

m 2 m^{2} - m ( n m ) m(n-m) - ( n m ) 2 (n-m)^{2} = m 2 m^{2} + m n mn - n 2 n^{2} = -( n 2 n^{2} - m n mn - m 2 m^{2} ) = 1 or -1,

so that also satisfies the equation. Also if m > 1, then m > n-m (for if not, then n >= 2m, so n(n - m) >= 2 m 2 2m^{2} , so n 2 n^{2} - n m nm - m 2 m^{2} >= m 2 m^{2} > 1). So given a solution n > m with m > 1, we have a smaller solution m > n-m. This process must eventually terminate, so it must finish at a solution n, 1 with n > 1. But the only such solution is 2, 1. Hence the starting solution must have been in the forward sequence from 2, 1.

Hence the solution to the problem stated is 159 7 2 1597^{2} + 98 7 2 987^{2} = 3524578 \boxed{3524578}

( m , n ) (m,n) is a solution,then ( n m , m ) (n-m,m) is a solution..But then its not necessary that we can reduce a solution ( m , n ) (m,n) to a solution ( 1 , n ) (1,n) after a finite number of steps.Also you have assumed the ordering n > m n>m but not stated why you have assumed this( You cannot suddenly assume a ordering when the function is not symmetric).Your solution is very incomplete.

Souryajit Roy - 6 years, 6 months ago
Mehul Bafna
Oct 5, 2014

Heres a general pattern in n and m values i.e (1,1),(2,1),(3.2),.......(1597,987) .Its a sequence with(f(n+1),f(n)) where f(n) is a fibonacci sequence

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