Square numbers

Determine all positive integers n such that 20 n 20n and 5 n + 275 5n+275 both are square numbers

Submit you answer as the sum of all solutions


The answer is 125.

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2 solutions

20 n 20n can be rewritten as 5 2 2 n 5*2^2*n . For this to be a square number n has to be on the form 5 k 2 5k^2 since 20 n 20n is now 5 2 2 2 k 2 5^2*2^2*k^2 which is of course a square number. Substituting n = 5 k 2 n=5k^2 into the other expression: 5 5 k 2 + 275 = 5 2 ( k 2 + 11 ) 5*5k^2+275=5^2*(k^2+11) . For the whole expreesion to be a square number k 2 + 11 k^2+11 has to be a square number since 5 2 5^2 is already a square number: k 2 + 11 = j 2 > 11 = j 2 k 2 > 11 = ( j + k ) ( j k ) k^2+11=j^2 ->11=j^2-k^2 -> 11=(j+k)(j-k) . The only whole number solutions are k=5 and j=6. If k =5 then n = 5 5 2 = 125 n=5*5^2=125 This is the only solution so the sum of all solutions is 125

Michael Mendrin
May 19, 2018

If 20 n 20n is a square, then n n has to be of the form 5 a 2 5a^2 . Then

5 n + 275 = 25 ( a 2 + 11 ) 5n+275 = 25(a^2+11)

which means a 2 + 11 a^2 + 11 has to be a square. The only two squares that can have a difference of 11 11 is 25 , 36 25, 36 , so a = 5 a=5 , and n = 125 n=125 as the only solution.

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