Squared Consecutive Integers

Algebra Level 2

How many sets are there of four consecutive integers, a , b , c , d , a, b, c, d, (where a < b < c < d a < b < c < d ) such that a 2 + d 2 = b 2 + c 2 a^{2} + d^{2} = b^{2} + c^{2} ?

Infinetly Many 2 4 1 0

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2 solutions

John Rosner
Dec 24, 2018

a 2 + ( a + 3 ) 2 = ( a + 1 ) 2 + ( a + 2 ) 2 a^{2} + (a + 3)^{2} = (a + 1)^{2} + (a + 2)^{2}

a 2 + a 2 + 6 a + 9 = a 2 + 2 a + 1 + a 2 + 4 a + 4 a^{2} + a^{2} + 6a + 9 = a^{2} + 2a + 1 + a^{2} + 4a + 4

6 a + 9 = 6 a + 5 6a + 9 = 6a + 5

9 = 5 9 = 5

Therefore no solution

Pi Han Goh
Dec 25, 2018

Since they are consecutive integers, then a b = c d = 1 a-b = c-d = -1 . We have

a 2 + d 2 = b 2 + c 2 a 2 b 2 = c 2 d 2 ( a b ) ( a + b ) = ( c d ) ( c + d ) ( a b ) ( a + b ) = ( c d ) ( c + d ) \begin{aligned} a^2 + d^2 &=& b^2 + c^2 \\ a^2 - b^2 &=& c^2 - d^2 \\ (a-b)(a+b)&=& (c-d)(c+d) \\ \xcancel{(a-b)}(a+b)&=& \xcancel{(c-d)}(c+d) \\ \end{aligned}

But since a < b < c < d a<b<c<d , then a + b < c + d a+b < c + d , a contradiction! Thus, there is 0 \boxed0 solution.

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