Perfect Square!!

Is the following a perfect square?

( n 3 ) ( n 4 ) ( n 5 ) ( n 6 ) \binom{n}{3}\binom{n}{4}\binom{n}{5}\binom{n}{6} for some positive integer n n .

Yes, it is a perfect square. No, it is not a perfect square.

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1 solution

Naren Bhandari
Jul 28, 2018

Let N 2 = ( n 3 ) ( n 4 ) ( n 5 ) ( n 6 ) = ( ( n ! ) 4 2 11 3 5 5 2 ( n 3 ) ! ( n 4 ) ! ( n 5 ) ! ( n 6 ) ! ) 2 = ( n ! ) 2 2 5 3 2 5 ( 1 6 ( n 3 ) ( ( n 4 ) ! ) 2 ( n 5 ) ( ( n 6 ) ! ) 2 ) 2 = ( n ! ) 2 480 ( n 3 ) ( n 4 ) ! ( ( n 6 ) ! ) ( 1 6 ( n 3 ) ( n 5 ) ) 2 \begin{aligned} N^2 & =\binom{n}{3}\binom{n}{4}\binom{n}{5}\binom{n} {6} \\& =\left( \dfrac{\,(n!)^4}{2^{11}\cdot 3^5 \cdot 5^2 \,(n-3)!(n-4)!(n-5)!(n-6)!}\right)^{-2} \\ & =\dfrac{\,(n!)^2}{2^5\cdot 3^2 \cdot 5}\left( \dfrac{1}{6 \,(n-3)((n-4)!)^2(n-5)\,( (n-6)!)^2}\right)^{-2} \\ & =\dfrac{\,(n!)^2}{480 \,(n-3)\,(n-4)!\,((n-6)!)}\left( \dfrac{1}{6 \,(n-3)(n-5) }\right)^{-2} \end{aligned} Notice that for n 6 n\geq 6 , N N is perfect square number if 6 ( n 3 ) ( n 5 ) 6(n-3)\,(n-5) is a perfect square number or 6 ( n 3 ) ( n 5 ) 6(n-3)(n-5) must be in the form of 36 k 2 36k^2 ie 6 ( n 5 ) ( n 3 ) = 36 k 2 ( n 3 ) ( n 5 ) = 6 k 2 k 1 6(n-5)(n-3) =36k^2\implies (n-3)(n-5) = 6k^2 \ k\geq 1 Expanding the Left hand side we have n 2 8 n + 15 6 k 2 = 0 n = 4 ± 6 k 2 + 1 n^2-8n+15 -6k^2=0\implies n= 4 \pm \sqrt {6k^2+1}

Giving the possible values of n = 9 , 53 n=9,53 for certain values of k = 2 , 20 k= 2,20

It's not 6(n-3), but 6(n-3)(n-5). One possible value of n is 53

A Former Brilliant Member - 2 years, 5 months ago

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Thank you. I have amended the solution.

Naren Bhandari - 2 years, 5 months ago

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