Ubiquitous Hypotenuses

2 5 2 = 1 5 2 + 2 0 2 = 7 2 + 2 4 2 \large25^2=15^2+20^2=7^2+24^2

Below is a list of the first few numbers c c where c 2 c^2 can be written as the sum of two positive square numbers in at least two different ways:

25 25 , 50 50 , 65 65 , 85 85 , 100 100 , 125 125 , 130 130 ...

All of the numbers mentioned are divisible by 5. Unfortunately, this property doesn't hold for all numbers in this list. What is the first number c c in this list that isn't divisible by 5?

Image Credit: Wikimedia Brews ohare .


The answer is 169.

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1 solution

Xuming Liang
Jul 10, 2015

You should specify that the numbers can be written as the sum of two positive square numbers.

For this problem I refered to the handy parametrization of pythagorean triples: x = ( 2 a b ) k , y = ( a 2 b 2 ) k , z = ( a 2 + b 2 ) k x=(2ab)k, y=(a^2-b^2)k, z=(a^2+b^2)k with ( a , b ) = 1 , k (a,b)=1,k integer.

In this case, a b a\ne b due to the positive restriction. Now, we want to fix z z , and for it to satisfy the condition, two or more of its factors have to be able to be written as a sum of two distinct non-zero squares. We can easily list the first few possible factors:

5 , 10 , 13 , 17 , 25 , 26... 5,10,13,17,25,26...

Product of two or more of these numbers will give a satisfactory z z (unless one of the numbers already satisfy the condition, in that case you only need one number. e.g. 25 25 can stand on its own), the next smallest product not divisible by 5 5 is hence 1 3 2 = 169 13^2=\boxed {169}

Why can the numbers in the product be equal? This way the pythagorean triples are the same. So the the correct aswer would be 13x17? What are the two ways to write 169?

Yu Hao Wang Xia - 5 years, 10 months ago

Good point, I'll update the problem, thanks! Also, aren't 15 15 and 20 20 factors as well?

Garrett Clarke - 5 years, 11 months ago

Also, 25 25 stands on its own because it is the product of 5 5 and 5 5 , which is on the list previously. The numbers you are looking for are primes of the form 4 n + 1 4n+1 .

Garrett Clarke - 5 years, 11 months ago

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yep, I pointed that out in the solution.

Xuming Liang - 5 years, 11 months ago

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