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How many integer solutions are there to the equation x 3 36 y 3 = 5184 ? x^3 - 36y^3 = 5184?


The answer is 0.

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4 solutions

Mayank Chaturvedi
May 19, 2016

x 3 36 y 3 = 5184 x^3 - 36y^3 = 5184

x 3 9 4 y 3 = ( 9 8 ) 2 x^3 - 9*4y^3 = {(9*8)}^2 .

From above equation, it is evident that x x is a multiple of 3. Since rest whole equation has a factor of 9. So let x = 3 p x=3p .

( 3 p ) 3 36 y 3 = ( 9 8 ) 2 { (3p) }^{ 3 } -36{ y }^{ 3 }={ (9*8) }^{ 2 }

3 p 3 4 y 3 = 576 3{ p }^{ 3 }-4{ y }^{ 3 }=576

Now y y needs to be a multiple of 3, let y = 3 q y=3q

p 3 36 q 3 = 192 { p }^{ 3 }-36{ q }^{ 3 }=192

Now p p needs to be a multiple of 3, let p = 3 t p=3t .

9 t 3 12 q 3 = 64 9{ t }^{ 3 }-{ 12q }^{ 3 }=64

Now, left side of the equation has a factor of 3 whereas right side don't .Hence no solution.

I'm somewhat questioning the logic in your third line. It turns out to be correct, but I have some doubts about how you were able to prove it. Here is my line of thinking:

By observing the original equation mod 9 9 , It is observed that x 3 0 ( m o d 9 ) x^3\equiv 0\pmod{9} . However, from what I can tell, this does not prove that x 0 ( m o d 9 ) x\equiv 0\pmod{9} . It merely proves that x 0 ( m o d 3 ) x\equiv 0\pmod{3} (because any cube of a multiple of 3 3 is divisible by 9 9 ).

Let x = 3 p x=3p . The equation becomes 27 p 3 36 p 3 = 5184 27p^3-36p^3=5184 . Dividing both sides of the equation by 9 9 yields 3 p 3 4 y 3 = 576 3p^3-4y^3=576 . Now observe this equation mod 3 3 . This gives y 3 0 ( m o d 3 ) y^3\equiv 0\pmod{3} . Therefore y 0 ( m o d 3 ) y\equiv 0\pmod{3} .

Let y = 3 q y=3q . The equation becomes 3 p 3 108 q 3 = 576 3p^3-108q^3=576 . Dividing both sides of the equation by 3 3 yields p 3 36 q 3 = 192 p^3-36q^3=192 .

Using a similar process as before, you can prove that p 0 ( m o d 3 ) p\equiv 0\pmod{3} . Then let p = 3 r p=3r (This now proves that x x is divisible by 9 9 ). This gives the equation 27 r 3 36 q 3 = 192 27r^3-36q^3=192 . Dividing both sides of the equation by 3 3 yields 9 r 3 12 q 3 = 64 9r^3-12q^3=64 . Finally, it can be observed that the left side of the equation is divisible by 3 3 , while the right side is not. Therefore, there are no solutions.

Andy Hayes - 4 years, 9 months ago

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Oh thanks! I think i did something silly. Could have been in hurry that day. Does it look good now?

Mayank Chaturvedi - 4 years, 9 months ago

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Looks good now! I cleared up the formatting a little bit.

Andy Hayes - 4 years, 9 months ago
Sanyam Bajaj
Jan 22, 2017

Just take modulo 7

Barr Shiv
Dec 6, 2018

Take mode 7 of both sides of the equation: every cube is either +/-1 or 0 mode 7. 36 mode 7 is 1. so 36y^3 is:0/-1/1. and the left hand side of the equation mode 7 is: {-2,-1,0,1,2} the Right hand side of the equation 5184 mode 7 is 4 therefore ther'e no solutions.

Martín Gómez
May 23, 2018

x 3 36 y 3 = 5184 x^3-36y^3=5184

36 x 3 \implies 36 \mid x^3

6 x \implies 6 \mid x

216 x 3 \implies 216 \mid x^3

6 y 3 \implies 6 \mid y^3

6 y \implies 6 \mid y

216 y 3 \implies 216 \mid y^3

We may divide by 216. a = x / 6 , b = y / 6 a=x/6,b=y/6 .

a 3 36 b 3 = 24 a^3-36b^3=24

12 a 3 \implies 12 \mid a^3

6 a \implies 6 \mid a

216 a 3 \implies 216 \mid a^3

We simplify again. c = a / 6 c=a/6

18 c 3 3 b 3 = 2 18c^3-3b^3=2

3 divides LHS but not RHS so no integer solutions.

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