A number theory problem by Prithwish Roy

2 x 4 + 1402 = y 4 \large 2x^{4}+ 1402 = y^{4}

Find the number of pairs of positive integers ( x , y ) (x,y) that satisfy the equation above.

0 1 2 3

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1 solution

Kushal Bose
Feb 25, 2017

2 x 4 + 1402 = y 4 = > 2 ( x 4 + 701 ) = y 4 2x^4+1402=y^4 \\ => 2(x^4+701)=y^4

L.H.S. contains only a factors of 2 2 so 2 y 4 2 | y^4 .So, y = 2 y 1 y=2y_1

Substituting this in the equation 2 ( x 4 + 701 ) = 16 y 1 4 x 4 + 701 = 8 y 1 4 2(x^4+701)=16 y_1^{4} \implies x^4+701=8y_1^4 . Right side is even then left side should be also even.Then x x should be always odd.Let's assume that x = 2 x 1 + 1 x=2x_1+1 .Putting this in the equation

( 2 x 1 + 1 ) 4 + 701 = 8 y 1 4 (2x_1+1)^4 + 701=8y_1^4

Expanding in the form of bini\omial

16 x 1 4 + ( 4 1 ) . 8. x 1 3 + ( 4 2 ) . 4. x 1 2 + ( 4 3 ) 2. x 1 + 1 + 701 = 8 y 1 4 8 k + 702 = 8 y 1 4 16 x_1^4 + \binom{4}{1}.8.x_1^3+\binom{4}{2}.4.x_1^2+\binom{4}{3}2.x_1+1+701=8y_1^4 \\ 8k+702=8y_1^4

As 702 702 is not divisible by 8 8 that's why there is no integal solution.

Nice solution but how can you be sure to end up in a result like this when you started? What were the other approaches you tried to solve this problem initially?

Prithwish Roy - 4 years, 3 months ago

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Truely speaking firstly I started with trials.After some trials then I started to solve like this and lastly found no solution.Sometimes you will not get such a good conclusion then you have to think about another approach.

Kushal Bose - 4 years, 3 months ago

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