Find the sum of all values of n such that 2 1 1 + 2 8 + 2 n is a perfect square.
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Same Way!!
I did same!!
How are you sure about that there is only one set of these Pythagorean triplets ?
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Since one term is given i.e. 3, we must find the difference of two squares that equals 9. Which means that the other two terms are 4 and 5 (25-16=9 is the only equation that satisfies the condition).
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That's actually what I want to know. Can you Prove this mathematically or in a way which rejects the possibility of other solutions ? This is again a type of Hit and Trial you did.
Call this square x ² , x ∈ Z . So:
2 1 1 + 2 8 + 2 n = x ² 2 ⁸ ( 2 ³ + 1 ) + 2 n = x ² 2 n = x ² − ( 2 ⁴ . 3 ) 2 = ( x + 4 8 ) ( x − 4 8 )
Giving 2 m = x − 4 8 :
2 m = x − 4 8 2 n − m = x + 4 8
⟹ 2 n − m − 2 m = 9 6
The unique solution is 2 ⁷ − 2 ⁵ . Hence:
m = 5 ⟹ n − m = 7 ⟺ n = 1 2
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2 1 1 + 2 8 + 2 n = 2 8 ( 2 3 + 1 + 2 n − 8 ) = 2 8 ( 9 + 2 n − 8 ) .
Since 2 8 is a perfect square, 9 + 2 n − 8 must also be a perfect square.
This is equivalent to determining a Pythagorean triple where one term is 3 and where the other term is a power of 2 .
We find that the only Pythagorean triplet satisfying this condition is ( 3 , 4 , 5 ) .
Therefore, 2 n − 8 = 1 6 = 2 4 ⟹ n = 1 2 is the only solution.