Diophantine's Story of L.C.M.

If positive integers a a and b b satisfy a + b + 12 = lcm ( a , b , 12 ) , a+b+12=\text{lcm}(a,b,12), find the sum of all possible values of a + b a+b .

Notation: lcm ( ) \text{lcm}(\cdot) denotes the lowest common multiple function.


Bonus: Find a general solution to the equation a + b + c = lcm ( a , b , c ) , a+b+c=\text{lcm}(a,b,c), where a , b , c a,b,c are positive integers.

This is part of the set Fun With Problem-Solving .


The answer is 96.

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1 solution

Donglin Loo
Jun 13, 2018

Let g c d ( a , b , c ) = g gcd(a,b,c)=g

\therefore let a = g x , b = g y , c = g z a=gx,b=gy,c=gz

Then, we have l c m ( a , b , c ) = g x y z lcm(a,b,c)=gxyz

g x + g y + g z = g x y z \Rightarrow gx+gy+gz=gxyz

x + y + z = x y z \Rightarrow x+y+z=xyz

By symmetry, without a loss in generality, we assume that x y z x\leq y\leq z

x + y + z z + z + z = 3 z \therefore x+y+z\leq z+z+z=3z

x + y + z = x y z \because x+y+z=xyz

x y z 3 z \Rightarrow xyz\leq 3z

x y 3 \Rightarrow xy\leq3

The possible soutions for x , y x,y are x = 1 , y = 1 x=1,y=1 and x = 1 , y = 2 x=1,y=2 and x = 1 , y = 3 x=1,y=3

When x = 1 , y = 1 x=1,y=1 ,

1 + 1 + z = z 1+1+z=z , which is impossible to hold true.

\therefore x = 1 , y = 1 x=1,y=1 is unsuitable.

When x = 1 , y = 2 x=1,y=2 ,

1 + 2 + z = 2 z 1+2+z=2z

z = 3 \Rightarrow z=3

When x = 1 , y = 3 x=1,y=3 ,

1 + 3 + z = 3 z 1+3+z=3z

2 z = 4 2z=4

z = 2 z=2

We conclude that all the possible permutations of 1 , 2 , 3 1,2,3 are the solutions for x , y , z x,y,z when the restriction of x y z x\leq y\leq z is lifted off.

a = g , b = 2 g , c = 3 g \therefore a=g, b=2g, c=3g (Not to mention, the other permutations are included too.)

When a = 12 , a=12,

g = 12 g=12

b + c = 2 g + 3 g = 5 g = 5 ( 12 ) = 60 b+c=2g+3g=5g=5(12)=60

When b = 12 b=12 ,

2 g = 12 2g=12

g = 6 g=6

a + c = g + 3 g = 4 g = 4 ( 6 ) = 24 a+c=g+3g=4g=4(6)=24

When c = 12 c=12 ,

3 g = 12 3g=12

g = 4 g=4

b + c = g + 2 g = 3 g = 3 ( 4 ) = 12 b+c=g+2g=3g=3(4)=12

Coming back to our question,

The sum of all possible a + b = 60 + 24 + 12 = 96 a+b=60+24+12=\boxed{96}

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