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k a April Highlights and 2025 AoPS Online Class Information
jlacosta   0
Apr 2, 2025
Spring is in full swing and summer is right around the corner, what are your plans? At AoPS Online our schedule has new classes starting now through July, so be sure to keep your skills sharp and be prepared for the Fall school year! Check out the schedule of upcoming classes below.

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[*]April 22nd (Webinar), 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET, Competitive Programming at AoPS (USACO).[/list]
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0 replies
jlacosta
Apr 2, 2025
0 replies
k i Adding contests to the Contest Collections
dcouchman   1
N Apr 5, 2023 by v_Enhance
Want to help AoPS remain a valuable Olympiad resource? Help us add contests to AoPS's Contest Collections.

Find instructions and a list of contests to add here: https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c40244h1064480_contests_to_add
1 reply
dcouchman
Sep 9, 2019
v_Enhance
Apr 5, 2023
k i Zero tolerance
ZetaX   49
N May 4, 2019 by NoDealsHere
Source: Use your common sense! (enough is enough)
Some users don't want to learn, some other simply ignore advises.
But please follow the following guideline:


To make it short: ALWAYS USE YOUR COMMON SENSE IF POSTING!
If you don't have common sense, don't post.


More specifically:

For new threads:


a) Good, meaningful title:
The title has to say what the problem is about in best way possible.
If that title occured already, it's definitely bad. And contest names aren't good either.
That's in fact a requirement for being able to search old problems.

Examples:
Bad titles:
- "Hard"/"Medium"/"Easy" (if you find it so cool how hard/easy it is, tell it in the post and use a title that tells us the problem)
- "Number Theory" (hey guy, guess why this forum's named that way¿ and is it the only such problem on earth¿)
- "Fibonacci" (there are millions of Fibonacci problems out there, all posted and named the same...)
- "Chinese TST 2003" (does this say anything about the problem¿)
Good titles:
- "On divisors of a³+2b³+4c³-6abc"
- "Number of solutions to x²+y²=6z²"
- "Fibonacci numbers are never squares"


b) Use search function:
Before posting a "new" problem spend at least two, better five, minutes to look if this problem was posted before. If it was, don't repost it. If you have anything important to say on topic, post it in one of the older threads.
If the thread is locked cause of this, use search function.

Update (by Amir Hossein). The best way to search for two keywords in AoPS is to input
[code]+"first keyword" +"second keyword"[/code]
so that any post containing both strings "first word" and "second form".


c) Good problem statement:
Some recent really bad post was:
[quote]$lim_{n\to 1}^{+\infty}\frac{1}{n}-lnn$[/quote]
It contains no question and no answer.
If you do this, too, you are on the best way to get your thread deleted. Write everything clearly, define where your variables come from (and define the "natural" numbers if used). Additionally read your post at least twice before submitting. After you sent it, read it again and use the Edit-Button if necessary to correct errors.


For answers to already existing threads:


d) Of any interest and with content:
Don't post things that are more trivial than completely obvious. For example, if the question is to solve $x^{3}+y^{3}=z^{3}$, do not answer with "$x=y=z=0$ is a solution" only. Either you post any kind of proof or at least something unexpected (like "$x=1337, y=481, z=42$ is the smallest solution). Someone that does not see that $x=y=z=0$ is a solution of the above without your post is completely wrong here, this is an IMO-level forum.
Similar, posting "I have solved this problem" but not posting anything else is not welcome; it even looks that you just want to show off what a genius you are.

e) Well written and checked answers:
Like c) for new threads, check your solutions at least twice for mistakes. And after sending, read it again and use the Edit-Button if necessary to correct errors.



To repeat it: ALWAYS USE YOUR COMMON SENSE IF POSTING!


Everything definitely out of range of common sense will be locked or deleted (exept for new users having less than about 42 posts, they are newbies and need/get some time to learn).

The above rules will be applied from next monday (5. march of 2007).
Feel free to discuss on this here.
49 replies
ZetaX
Feb 27, 2007
NoDealsHere
May 4, 2019
abc(a+b+c)=3, show that prod(a+b)>=8 [Indian RMO 2012(b) Q4]
Potla   30
N a few seconds ago by SunnyEvan
Let $a,b,c$ be positive real numbers such that $abc(a+b+c)=3.$ Prove that we have
\[(a+b)(b+c)(c+a)\geq 8.\]
Also determine the case of equality.
30 replies
+1 w
Potla
Dec 2, 2012
SunnyEvan
a few seconds ago
What is the likelihood the last card left in the deck is black?
BEHZOD_UZ   0
10 minutes ago
Source: Yandex Uzbekistan Coding and Math Contest 2025
You have a deck of cards containing $26$ black and $13$ red cards. You pull out $2$ cards, one after another, and check their colour. If both cards are the same colour, then a black card is added to the deck. However, if the cards are of different colours, then a red card is used to replace them. Once the cards are taken out of the deck, they are not returned to the deck, and thus the number of cards keeps reducing. What is the likelihood the last card left in the deck is black?
0 replies
BEHZOD_UZ
10 minutes ago
0 replies
AGI-Origin Solves Full IMO 2020–2024 Benchmark Without Solver (30/30) beat Alpha
AGI-Origin   10
N 10 minutes ago by TestX01
Hello IMO community,

I’m sharing here a full 30-problem solution set to all IMO problems from 2020 to 2024.

Standard AI: Prompt --> Symbolic Solver (SymPy, Geometry API, etc.)

Unlike AlphaGeometry or symbolic math tools that solve through direct symbolic computation, AGI-Origin operates via recursive symbolic cognition.

AGI-Origin:
Prompt --> Internal symbolic mapping --> Recursive contradiction/repair --> Structural reasoning --> Human-style proof

It builds human-readable logic paths by recursively tracing contradictions, repairing structure, and collapsing ambiguity — not by invoking any external symbolic solver.

These results were produced by a recursive symbolic cognition framework called AGI-Origin, designed to simulate semi-AGI through contradiction collapse, symbolic feedback, and recursion-based error repair.

These were solved without using any symbolic computation engine or solver.
Instead, the solutions were derived using a recursive symbolic framework called AGI-Origin, based on:
- Contradiction collapse
- Self-correcting recursion
- Symbolic anchoring and logical repair

Full PDF: [Upload to Dropbox/Google Drive/Notion or arXiv link when ready]

This effort surpasses AlphaGeometry’s previous 25/30 mark by covering:
- Algebra
- Combinatorics
- Geometry
- Functional Equations

Each solution follows a rigorous logical path and is written in fully human-readable format — no machine code or symbolic solvers were used.

I would greatly appreciate any feedback on the solution structure, logic clarity, or symbolic methodology.

Thank you!

— AGI-Origin Team
AGI-Origin.com
10 replies
+1 w
AGI-Origin
5 hours ago
TestX01
10 minutes ago
Incredible combinatorics problem
A_E_R   1
N 26 minutes ago by CerealCipher
Source: Turkmenistan Math Olympiad - 2025
For any integer n, prove that there are exactly 18 integer whose sum and the sum of the fifth powers of each are equal to the integer n.
1 reply
A_E_R
an hour ago
CerealCipher
26 minutes ago
FE solution too simple?
Yiyj1   6
N 29 minutes ago by Primeniyazidayi
Source: 101 Algebra Problems from the AMSP
Find all functions $f: \mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ such that the equality $$f(f(x)+y) = f(x^2-y)+4f(x)y$$holds for all pairs of real numbers $(x,y)$.

My solution

I feel like my solution is too simple. Is there something I did wrong or something I missed?
6 replies
Yiyj1
Apr 9, 2025
Primeniyazidayi
29 minutes ago
Combo problem
soryn   1
N an hour ago by soryn
The school A has m1 boys and m2 girls, and ,the school B has n1 boys and n2 girls. Each school is represented by one team formed by p students,boys and girls. If f(k) is the number of cases for which,the twice schools has,togheter k girls, fund f(k) and the valute of k, for which f(k) is maximum.
1 reply
soryn
5 hours ago
soryn
an hour ago
Two very hard parallel
jayme   5
N an hour ago by jayme
Source: own inspired by EGMO
Dear Mathlinkers,

1. ABC a triangle
2. D, E two point on the segment BC so that BD = DE= EC
3. M, N the midpoint of ED, AE
4. H the orthocenter of the acutangle triangle ADE
5. 1, 2 the circumcircle of the triangle DHM, EHN
6. P, Q the second point of intersection of 1 and BM, 2 and CN
7. U, V the second points of intersection of 2 and MN, PQ.

Prove : UV is parallel to PM.

Sincerely
Jean-Louis
5 replies
jayme
Yesterday at 12:46 PM
jayme
an hour ago
Number theory
XAN4   1
N an hour ago by NTstrucker
Source: own
Prove that there exists infinitely many positive integers $x,y,z$ such that $x,y,z\ne1$ and $x^x\cdot y^y=z^z$.
1 reply
XAN4
Apr 20, 2025
NTstrucker
an hour ago
R+ FE with arbitrary constant
CyclicISLscelesTrapezoid   25
N 2 hours ago by DeathIsAwe
Source: APMO 2023/4
Let $c>0$ be a given positive real and $\mathbb{R}_{>0}$ be the set of all positive reals. Find all functions $f \colon \mathbb{R}_{>0} \to \mathbb{R}_{>0}$ such that \[f((c+1)x+f(y))=f(x+2y)+2cx \quad \textrm{for all } x,y \in \mathbb{R}_{>0}.\]
25 replies
1 viewing
CyclicISLscelesTrapezoid
Jul 5, 2023
DeathIsAwe
2 hours ago
Combo with cyclic sums
oVlad   1
N 3 hours ago by ja.
Source: Romania EGMO TST 2017 Day 1 P4
In $p{}$ of the vertices of the regular polygon $A_0A_1\ldots A_{2016}$ we write the number $1{}$ and in the remaining ones we write the number $-1.{}$ Let $x_i{}$ be the number written on the vertex $A_i{}.$ A vertex is good if \[x_i+x_{i+1}+\cdots+x_j>0\quad\text{and}\quad x_i+x_{i-1}+\cdots+x_k>0,\]for any integers $j{}$ and $k{}$ such that $k\leqslant i\leqslant j.$ Note that the indices are taken modulo $2017.$ Determine the greatest possible value of $p{}$ such that, regardless of numbering, there always exists a good vertex.
1 reply
oVlad
Yesterday at 1:41 PM
ja.
3 hours ago
Stronger inequality than an old result
KhuongTrang   20
N 3 hours ago by KhuongTrang
Source: own, inspired
Problem. Find the best constant $k$ satisfying $$(ab+bc+ca)\left[\frac{1}{(a+b)^{2}}+\frac{1}{(b+c)^{2}}+\frac{1}{(c+a)^{2}}\right]\ge \frac{9}{4}+k\cdot\frac{a(a-b)(a-c)+b(b-a)(b-c)+c(c-a)(c-b)}{(a+b+c)^{3}}$$holds for all $a,b,c\ge 0: ab+bc+ca>0.$
20 replies
KhuongTrang
Aug 1, 2024
KhuongTrang
3 hours ago
Incircle of a triangle is tangent to (ABC)
amar_04   11
N 3 hours ago by Nari_Tom
Source: XVII Sharygin Correspondence Round P18
Let $ABC$ be a scalene triangle, $AM$ be the median through $A$, and $\omega$ be the incircle. Let $\omega$ touch $BC$ at point $T$ and segment $AT$ meet $\omega$ for the second time at point $S$. Let $\delta$ be the triangle formed by lines $AM$ and $BC$ and the tangent to $\omega$ at $S$. Prove that the incircle of triangle $\delta$ is tangent to the circumcircle of triangle $ABC$.
11 replies
amar_04
Mar 2, 2021
Nari_Tom
3 hours ago
Inspired by hlminh
sqing   1
N 3 hours ago by sqing
Source: Own
Let $ a,b,c $ be real numbers such that $ a^2+b^2+c^2=1. $ Prove that$$ |a-kb|+|kb-c|+|c-a|\leq 2\sqrt {k^2+1}$$Where $ k\geq 1.$
$$ |a-kb|+|kb-c|+|c-a|\leq 2\sqrt {2}$$Where $0< k\leq 1.$
1 reply
sqing
4 hours ago
sqing
3 hours ago
Inequality with n-gon sides
mihaig   3
N 3 hours ago by mihaig
Source: VL
If $a_1,a_2,\ldots, a_n~(n\geq3)$ are are the lengths of the sides of a $n-$gon such that
$$\sum_{i=1}^{n}{a_i}=1,$$then
$$(n-2)\left[\sum_{i=1}^{n}{\frac{a_i^2}{(1-a_i)^2}}-\frac n{(n-1)^2}\right]\geq(2n-1)\left(\sum_{i=1}^{n}{\frac{a_i}{1-a_i}}-\frac n{n-1}\right)^2.$$
When do we have equality?

(V. Cîrtoaje and L. Giugiuc, 2021)
3 replies
mihaig
Feb 25, 2022
mihaig
3 hours ago
Sequence of numbers in form of a^2+b^2
TheOverlord   13
N Apr 10, 2025 by bin_sherlo
Source: Iran TST 2015, exam 1, day 1 problem 3
Let $ b_1<b_2<b_3<\dots $ be the sequence of all natural numbers which are sum of squares of two natural numbers.
Prove that there exists infinite natural numbers like $m$ which $b_{m+1}-b_m=2015$ .
13 replies
TheOverlord
May 11, 2015
bin_sherlo
Apr 10, 2025
Sequence of numbers in form of a^2+b^2
G H J
G H BBookmark kLocked kLocked NReply
Source: Iran TST 2015, exam 1, day 1 problem 3
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TheOverlord
97 posts
#1 • 5 Y
Y by Dadgarnia, Hc417, adityaguharoy, Adventure10, Mango247
Let $ b_1<b_2<b_3<\dots $ be the sequence of all natural numbers which are sum of squares of two natural numbers.
Prove that there exists infinite natural numbers like $m$ which $b_{m+1}-b_m=2015$ .
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Aiscrim
409 posts
#4 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Let $p_1,p_2,...,p_{2014}$ be distinct prime numbers such that $p_i\equiv 3(\mathrm{mod}\ 4)$. By CRT, the system $x\equiv 2(\mathrm{mod}\ 8),\ x\equiv p_i-i(\mathrm{mod}\ p_i^2)\ \forall i\in \{1,2,..,2014\}$ has an infinite set $S$ of solutions.

Then for any $x\in S$, $x=2(4k+1),\ x+2015=4l+1$, hence $x$ and $x+2015$ can be written as the sum of two squares, while $x+i$ (with $1\le i\le 2014)$ is divisible by $p_i$ but not by $p_i^2$ hence it cannot be written as the sum of two squares. Thereby, there is $m$ such that $b_m=x$, $b_{m+1}=x+2015$, i.e. $b_{m+1}-b_m=2015$, whence the conclusion.
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junioragd
314 posts
#5 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
Quote:
Then for any $x\in S$, $x=2(4k+1),\ x+2015=4l+1$, hence $x$ and $x+2015$ can be sum of two squares
Why?It is not enough that number is of the form $4k+1$ or $2*(4l+1)$,it may exist some prime $q$ of the form $4m+3$ such that $q$ divides $4k+1$ and $q^2$ doesn't divide $4k+1$.I don't see how did you proved that.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by junioragd, May 18, 2015, 9:13 AM
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fattypiggy123
615 posts
#6 • 3 Y
Y by andreiromania, doxuanlong15052000, Adventure10
Note that if $2b  - a = 1005$ then $(a-1)^2 + (b+2)^2 - a^2 - b^2 = 1005$ so it suffices to show that $a^2 + b^2 + 1 , ..., a^2 + b^2 + 2014$ cannot be represented as sum of two squares. We can then use a similar idea as Aiscrim to get $a^2 + b^2 + i \equiv p_i \pmod { {p_i}^2} $ for some primes $p_1,p_2,...,p_{2014}$ and we are done. This is equivalent to solving $x^2 \equiv mp_i - n - i \pmod {{p_i}^2}$ for some natural $m,n$ for all $i$. We can take a solution of $x^2 \equiv -n - i \pmod {p_i}$ of which infinitely many such primes $p_i$ exist and then lifting it by replacing $x$ with $x+kp$ and varying $k$.
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andreiromania
52 posts
#7 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Let $x$ be defined by CRT through $x\equiv p_i-i(\mathrm{mod}\ p_i^2)\ \forall i\in \{1,2,..,2014\}$ with $p_i\equiv 3(\mathrm{mod}\ 4)$,as in Aiscrim's solution.If we find an infinitude of $a$'s so that there exists $k$ for which $a^2+1007^2=x+k\prod p_i^2$.Label this number $y$.By aiscrim's argument we have that $y+i$ (with $1\le i\le 2014)$ cannot be written as sum of 2 squares,whereas $y=a^2+1007^2,y+2015=a^2+1008^2$ and we're done.Obviously,if we find only one such $a$,by taking $a+j\prod p_i^2$ for every $j$ we get an infinitude of satisfactory $a$'s,Q.E.D.

Now it only remains to find such an $a$.Notice that we can still choose our $p_i$'s,as long as they are distinct and congruent to 3 mod 4.

Suppose that $1007^2+i$ would be a residue modulo every prime $\equiv 3(\mathrm{mod}\ 4)$ bigger than some $N$;then let $m$ be the squarefree component of $1007^2+i$ and let its prime decomposition be $m=\prod_1^s q_i$;we would need $m$ to be a residue modulo every prime described above.$m$ obviously cannot be 1.If $m$ is $2$,then we have an easily provable contradiction,so assume there exists an odd prime factor of $m$,let it be $q_s$,and pick a non-quadratic residue of it $a$.By CRT there exists a number $l$ so that $l\equiv 3(\mathrm{mod}\ 4)$,$l\equiv a(\mathrm{mod}\ q_s)$ and $l\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}\ q_i) \forall i\in \{1,2,..,s-1\}$.By Dirichlet's Theorem,since $l$ and $4m$ are coprime,the set $\{l+4jm|j \in \mathbb{N} \}$ has an infinite amount of primes,and thus an infinite amount of primes bigger than $N$;let one of them be $M$.But now by properties of Legendre's Symbol we obtain that $m$ is a nonquadratic residue mod $M$,contradiction with our assumption since $M\equiv 3(\mathrm{mod}\ 4)$.

So there must exist,$\forall i\in \{1,2,..,2014\}$,an infinite number of primes $p$ for which $1007^2+i$ is a nonresidue mod $p$,since otherwise there would exist an $N$ so that for every prime $\equiv 3(\mathrm{mod}\ 4)$,$1007^2+i$ is a residue,contradiction with the above.

Now we can easily pick distinct $p_i\equiv 3(\mathrm{mod}\ 4)$ so that $1007^2+i$ is a nonresidue mod $p_i$,$\forall i\in \{1,2,..,2014\}$;but then we have that $-1007^2-i$ IS a quadratic residue mod $p_i$.

Now,for any $i\in \{1,2,..,2014\}$,we can pick $a_i$ so that $a_i^2\equiv -1007^2-i\equiv -1007^2-x(\mathrm{mod}\ p_i)$.One of the numbers $a_i,a_i+p_i,...,a_i+p_i(p_i-1)$,we call him $b_i$,will then satisfy $b_i^2 \equiv -1007^2-x(\mathrm{mod}\ p_i^2)$.Now we choose $a$ by $CRT$ as $a \equiv b_i(\mathrm{mod}\ p_i^2)$;it will obviously satisfy the relations $a^2 \equiv -1007^2-x(\mathrm{mod}\ p_i^2)$,thus it satisfies $a^2 \equiv -1007^2-x(\mathrm{mod}\ \prod p_i^2)$,which is exactly $a^2+1007^2=x+k\prod p_i^2$ written in modulo terms.Thus we have found our $a$,and thus the solution is complete.
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Aiscrim
409 posts
#9 • 5 Y
Y by biomathematics, SidVicious, nguyenhaan2209, Adventure10, Mango247
Lemma: For any number $1\le i\le 2014$, we can find an infinite number of primes $p$ such that $p\equiv 3(\mathrm{mod}\ 8)$ and $\left ( \dfrac{1007^2+i}{p} \right )=-1$ Proof.

Fix some primes $p_1,...,p_{2014}$ such that they are all distinct (and greater than $1008^2$) and $p_i\equiv 3(\mathrm{mod}\ 8)$ and $\left ( \dfrac{1007^2+i}{p_i} \right )=-1$. By CRT, the system $x+i\equiv p_i(\mathrm{mod}\ p_i^2)$ for $1\le i\le 2014$ has a solution $x\equiv k (\mathrm{mod}\ p_1^2p_2^2....p_k^2)\ \ (*)$. Obviously, any number satisfying this system has the property that $x+i$ cannot be written as the sum of two squares for any $1\le i\le 2014$. Note that $$\left ( \dfrac{k-1007^2}{p_i} \right )=\left ( \dfrac{-i-1007^2}{p_i} \right )=-\left ( \dfrac{1007^2+i}{p_i} \right )=1$$so there exists $x_i$ such that $x_i^2\equiv k-1007^2(\mathrm{mod}\ p_i)$. As $p_i$ does not divide $k-1007^2$ ($p_i>1008^2>1007^2+i$), we have that $p_i$ does not divide $x_i$ either. Taking $t\equiv -\dfrac{x_i-(k-1007^2)}{p}\cdot (2x_i)^{-1} (\mathrm{mod}\ p)$, we have that $p_i^2$ divides $(x_i+pt)^2-(k-1007^2)$. Denote $t_i=x_i+pt$. By CRT, we can find infinitely many positive integers $a$ such that $a\equiv t_i (\mathrm{mod}\ p_i^2)$. By the way we chose $a$, we have that
$$p_1^2p_2^2...p_{2014}^2|a^2-(k-1007^2)\Leftrightarrow a^2-(k-1007^2)=\beta_ap_1^2p_2^2...p_{2014}^2$$
We are now done: take $n=\beta_ap_1^2p_2^2...p_{2014}^2+k$. As $n$ satisfies the system $(*)$, the numbers $n+1,...,n+2014$ cannot be written as the sum of two squares. In the same time $n=a^2+1007^2$ and $n+2015=a^2+1008^2$. By making $a$ very big, $n$ can become arbitrarily large, whence the conclusion.
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nikolapavlovic
1246 posts
#10 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
I'll work with numbers $5(y^2+202^2),5(y^2+201^2)$ for $y$ to be choosen later.Firstly note that they are both sum of two squares as $5=2^2+1^2$ and the set of the numbers being sum of two squares is closed under $\cdot$ and hence the desired.On the other hand their difference is $5(202-201)(201+202)=2015$.Now pick some 2014 prime numbers so that $p_i\equiv 3 \pmod 4$ where $p_i$ is much larger that $5\cdot 202^2$ and $\left(\tfrac{(5\cdot 201^2+1)\cdot 5^{-1}}{p_i}\right)=-1$.Now select $y$ as the solution to the :
$$y^2\equiv \frac{p_i-1}{5}-201^2 \pmod {p_i^2} \forall i\leq 2014$$Notice that as $y^2=-\tfrac{(5\cdot 201^2+1)}{5}$ has a solution in $\mathbb{Z}_{p_i}$ by Hensel's it has one in $Z_{p_i^2}$ and and hence we can pick by $y$ by CRT so that it satisfies previous conditions.Now let's show that in $(5(y^2+202^2),5(y^2+201^2))$ no number is the sum of two squares.This however follows immidiately after the construction as for $\forall a\in (5(y^2+202^2),5(y^2+201^2))$ we have $a\equiv p_i \pmod {p_i^2}$ for some $p_i$ a contradiction as it's well known that $v_{p_i}$ is either zero or even.So our constructed $y$ satisfies the conditions.Now just pick another 2014 primes each $\equiv 3\pmod 4$ to construct how many $y$ we want and hence there are infinitely many of them.$\blacksquare$
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MaySayToc124
53 posts
#11 • 2 Y
Y by pavel kozlov, Adventure10
I found a solution which not related to Dirichlet's Theorem or some unfamiliar quadratic-residue properties in my high school days but was too lazy to write down. Recently, one of my students has asked me about the problem in this post so I'd like to share it here.

First, we have three lemmas.
Lemma: A positive integer $n$ can be written as a sum of two squares if and only if $v_p(n)$ is even for all prime number $p$ of the form $4k+3$.
Lemma: Let $p$ be an odd prime number and $n$ be a integer that $p$ does not divide $n$. Then exists two integer $a,b$ that
$$a^2+b^2 \equiv n \pmod {p^2}$$Lemma: Let $a,b,c$ be positive integers. Then exist a integer $k$ that $(a+kb,c)=1$ if and only if $(a,b,c)=1$.

The first one is quite well-known. The second one can be approached by many ways. We can prove it for modulo $p$, then lift to $p^2$ by the idea of Hensel's lemma. In the last one, we can decompose the number $c$ to prime divisors, choose $k$ for individual prime divisor of $c$, and use CRT to choose a common $k$.

Back to the problem. We will prove this: for a positive integer $n$, there is a positive number $x$ that $x,x+n$ are both sum of two squares, but none of $x+1,\ldots,x+n-1$ is.

Note that there are infinitely many primes of the form $4k+3$, so we can choose $n-1$ distinct prime numbers $p_i$ of this form and larger than $n$ (we use this condition later). Let $X = (\prod_i^{n-1} p_i)^2$. Note that $p_i$ does not divide $p_i-i$ since $p_i > n > i$ (we need $p_i>n$ here), so by the second lemma, we can choose two integers $a,b$ that $p_i^2 | a^2+b^2+i-p_i$.

Now we will choose $4$ number $c,d,A,B$ satisfy $(A,B)=1$ and this equation
$$(a+cX)^2+(b+dX)^2 +n = (a+cX+A)^2+(b+dX+b)^2$$This equivalent to
$$\dfrac{n+a^2+b^2-(a+A)^2-(b+B)^2}{2X} = Ac+Bd ~~~ (*)$$
Let discuss why we come to this weird equation. If we take $x=(a+cX)^2+(b+dX)^2$, then $v_{p_i}(x+i)=1$ since $a+cX$ and $b+dX$ remains the same as $a$ and $b$ modulo $X$, so $x+i$ can not be sum of two squares. Moreover, $x+n =  (a+cX+A)^2+(b+dX+b)^2$ is sum of two square. Then the number $x$ is what we need!

Back to the equation $(*)$. First, we will choose $A,B$ modulo $2X$ that the fraction in the left of $(*)$ be integer. To handle the number $X$, once again we use the second lemma for every divisor $p_i^2$ of $X$ (note that $n+a^2+b^2 \equiv n-i \not\equiv 0 \pmod {p_i}$). For the number $2$, we can choose $A,B$ satisfy the condition and $A-B$ is odd. Then using CRT, we can choose common $A,B$ modulo $2X$ for all these condition.

You will wonder why we need $A-B$ is odd. Now we take $A$ to $A+k2X$ to get $(A+k2X,B)=1$, and also remain $A,B$ modulo $2X$. Since we have the third lemma, we have to show that $(A,B,2X)=1$ (we need $X-Y$ odd and also $p_i>n$ here). It is quite obviously so we omit it.

So now we have $A,B$ satisfy the left side of the equation $(*)$ is an integer and $(A,B)=1$. To get $c,d$, recall a familiar theorem which state that if $(A,B)=1$, there are integers $u,v$ that $uA+vB=1$. Now take $c,d$ equal to $u,v$ times the number on the left side to finish the proof.

The infinitely-condition can be done by taking $p_i$ arbitrary large. The proof above do not show how large of the number $x$, but if we take $p_1$ to be sufficiently large, since $p_1$ divides $x+1$, then $x$ must be "large" as $p_1$.

P/s: I’m working on improving my English, so please excuse any mistakes.
This post has been edited 8 times. Last edited by MaySayToc124, Oct 29, 2020, 2:04 PM
Reason: typo
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Aryan-23
558 posts
#12 • 2 Y
Y by AlastorMoody, pavel kozlov
We prove the statement for general odd $2k+1$ .

We prove that there exist infinitely many $N$ such that none of the numbers $\{N^2+k^2+j\}_{j=1}^{2k}$ are representable as the sum of two perfect squares .

The main idea of the proof is that we will construct primes $\{p_j\}_{j=1}^{2k}$ such that $p_j \equiv 3 \pmod 4 $ and $\nu_{p_j}(N^2+k^2+j)=1$ . This obviously finishes .


We will use two well known lemmas :

Lemma 1 : Given a positive integer $a$ which is not a perfect square , there exist infinitely many primes $p \equiv 3 \pmod 4$ such that $\left( \frac ap \right)=-1$ .

We omit the proof as it is quite classical and well known .

Lemma 2 : Given a quadratic residue $r$ modulo $p$ , there exists a positive integer $x$ with $0<x<2p$ with $p \nmid x$ such that the following congruences hold:

$$ x^2 \equiv r \pmod p \quad x^2 \neq r \pmod {p^2}$$
Proof : Simply note that $x^2$ and $(x+p)^2$ are congruent to the same quadratic residue modulo $p$ . However :

$$ (x+p)^2-x^2 = 2px + p^2 \neq 0 \pmod {p^2}$$Hence atleast one of $x$ and $x+p$ is a solution. $\blacksquare$

Now we return to the problem at hand .

Pick $2k$ primes $p_1,p_2, \dots p_{2k}$ such that all of them are of the form $3 \pmod 4$ and $$ \left ( \frac {k^2+j}{p_j} \right) =-1 \quad \forall 1\leq j \leq 2k$$
Allow $k^2+j \equiv -r_j \pmod {p_j}$ . Note that $r_j$ is a quadratic residue modulo $p_j$ .

By the lemma 2 , we can find a $k_j$ with $(k_j,p_j)=1$ and $0<k_j<2p_j$ , for all $1\leq j\leq 2k$ such that :

$$ {k_j}^2 \equiv r_j \pmod {p_j} \quad {k_j}^2 \neq r_j \pmod {p_j^2}$$
Now we let $$N= k_j \pmod {p_j^2} \quad \forall 1\leq j \leq 2k $$
Hence we observe that each of the numbers in the sequence $\{N^2+k^2+j\}_{j=1}^{2k}$ are fully divisible by a odd exponent of a $3  \pmod 4$ prime and hence can never be represented as the sum of two perfect squares . We finish by noting $$2k+1=(N^2+(k+1)^2)-(N^2+k^2)$$
We are done . $\blacksquare$
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by Aryan-23, Jul 26, 2020, 9:23 AM
Reason: Typo
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TheUltimate123
1740 posts
#13
Y by
Solved with nukelauncher.

Say a number is fit if it is the sum of two squares, and unfit otherwise. Observe that if \(n\) is divisible by a prime \(p\equiv3\pmod4\) but not \(p^2\), then \(n\) is unfit. Note that for all integers \(x\), the numbers \(x^2+1007^2\) and \(x^2+1008^2\) are fit and differ by 2015. It will suffice to show there are infinitely many \(x\) such that the numbers \(x^2+1007^2+1\), \(x^2+1007^2+2\), \ldots, \(x^2+1007^2+2014\) are unfit.

Lemma: [Well-known QR] For every \(i\) that is not a perfect square, there is a prime \(p\equiv3\pmod4\) with \(p-i\) a quadratic residue modulo \(p^2\).

Proof. By Hensel's lemma, it is sufficient to show there is a \(p\equiv3\pmod4\) prime with \(-i\) a quadratic residue modulo \(p\); that is, \(i\) not a quadratic residue modulo \(p\).

Let \(i=q_1q_2\cdots q_k\cdot(\text{square})\), where \(q_1\), \ldots, \(q_k\) are distinct. Then \[\left(\frac ip\right)=\prod_{i=1}^k\left(\frac{q_i}p\right)=\pm\prod_{i=1}^k\left(\frac p{q_i}\right),\]It is obvious by Dirichlet theorem we can find \(p\) with the above expression equal to \(-1\). \(\blacksquare\)

Now for each \(i=1,\ldots,2014\), let \(p_i\) be a prime with \(p_i-(i+1007^2)\) a quadratic residue modulo \(p_i^2\) by the lemma. Then take \(P=p_1p_2\cdots p_{2014}\) and \(c\) a constant with \[c^2\equiv p_i-(i+1007^2)\pmod{p_i^2}\quad\text{for all }i=1,\ldots,2014.\]It follows that for all \(j\), the number \(x=P^2j+c\) has the property that \(x^2+1007^2+i\equiv p_i\pmod{p_i^2}\) for \(i=1,\ldots,2014\); that is, each \(x^2+1007^2+i\) is divisible by a \(3\pmod4\) prime but not its square, so it is unfit.

There are infinitely many such \(x\) of the form \(P^2j+c\), so this completes the proof.
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CANBANKAN
1301 posts
#14
Y by
Some motivation: It's easy to force 2014 consecutive numbers to not be sum of two squares, but it's not so easy to force two numbers to be sum of two squares. So we force the sum of two numbers to be sum of two squares via algebraic methods, and force the 2014 consecutive numbers to not be sum of two squares in a similar way.

When I experimented with $(a+1)^2+(a-1)^2=2a^2+2$, I am inspired to use $2a=b+1005, x=a^2+b^2, x+2015=(a+2)^2+(b-1)^2$. Then we can see $x+k=a^2+(2a-1005)^2+k=5a^2-4020a+1005^2+k=5(a-402)^2+k+C$ for some constant $C$.

We force $5(a-402)^2+k+C\equiv p_k(\bmod\; p_k^2)$ for $1\le k\le 2014, p_k\equiv -1(\bmod\; 4)$. This is equivalent to $5(a-402)^2\equiv p_k-k-C(\bmod\; p_k^2)$. This is not hard to just do; pick $p_k>500,$ first find $5(a-402)^2\equiv -(k+C) (\bmod\; p_k)$, which is viable through dirichlet and quadratic reciprocity. Then, for that $a$, we consider $5(a-402)^2, 5(a+p-402)^2,\cdots, 5(a+(p-1)p-402)^2$. It's not hard to verify they are distinct mod $p^2$ but same mod $p$, so we can pin down $a$ mod $p_k^2$, then finish with Chinese Remainder Theorem.
This post has been edited 2 times. Last edited by CANBANKAN, Feb 28, 2021, 8:25 PM
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Sprites
478 posts
#15
Y by
Note that if $2b  - a = 1005$ then $(a-1)^2 + (b+2)^2 - a^2 - b^2 = 2015$ so it suffices to show that $a^2 + b^2 + 1 , ..., a^2 + b^2 + 2014$ cannot be represented as sum of two squares.
By Generalized Chestnut Ramification Theorem,choose \begin{align*}
a^2 \equiv -b^2-1 \pmod {p_1^2}
\\
a^2 \equiv -b^2-2 \pmod {p_2^2}
\\
.
\\
.
\\
.
\\
                                  .
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a^2 \equiv -b^2-2014 \pmod {{p_{2014}^2} }
\end{align*}and it's easy to guarantee that the congruencies have solutions so we are done$\blacksquare$
Edit:350th post!!!!!!!! :pilot:
This post has been edited 8 times. Last edited by Sprites, Sep 5, 2021, 3:18 PM
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ihategeo_1969
205 posts
#17
Y by
Pretty standard. This is the main claim.

Claim: If $x \in \mathbb{N}$ such that it is not a perfect square then there exists infinitely many primes $p \equiv 3 \pmod 4$ such that $x$ is NQR $\bmod p$.
Proof: If we remove the $3 \pmod 4$ condition on $p$, then we proceed the normal way, that is using QR law and manually choosing what we want $\left(\frac{p}q \right)$ to be where $\nu_q(x)$ is odd (and $q$ is odd); which only depends on $q$.

So see that when we take the CRT at the end, for the odd $q$ we are fine but the problem we will have is choosing $\left(\frac 2p \right)$ but see that if we want it to be QR then choose $p \equiv 7 \pmod 8$ and $p \equiv 3 \pmod 8$ otherwise. Now do a big aah Dirichlet at the end. $\square$

Let $b=B^2+1007^2$ and $b+2015=B^2+1008^2$.

Let $p_i \equiv 3 \pmod 4$ be large primes (from $1$ to $2014$) such that \[\left(\frac{1007^2+i}{p_i} \right)=-1\]by our above lemma; which is possible as $1007^2+2014<1008^2$.

Hence see that we need $B$ such that \[f_i(B)=B^2+1007^2+i \equiv p_i \pmod {p_i^2}\]for all $1 \le i \le 2014$ which is true by Hensel's lemma (see that $f_i(B)$ has a solution $\bmod p_i$ and doesn't satisfy $f_i'(B) \equiv 0$ as $p_i$ is large) and CRT at the end.

And so by Fermat's Christmas theorem, we get that $b+1$, $\dots$, $b+2014$ can not be written as sum of $2$ squares.
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bin_sherlo
705 posts
#18 • 1 Y
Y by MS_asdfgzxcvb
Lemma: We can find infinitely many primes $\equiv 3(mod \ 4)$ where a non-perfect square $a\in \mathbb{Z}^+$ is not a quadratic residue.
Proof: We will use Chinese Remainder Theorem and Drichlet. Let $q_1\dots q_k$ be the squarefree part of $a$. Pick $p\equiv 1(mod \ q_1\dots q_{k-1})$ and $p\equiv 7(mod \ 8)$. If $\nu_2(a)$ is odd, note that $(\frac{2a}{p})=(\frac{a}{p})$ hence assume that $q_i'$s are odd. Then, $(\frac{a}{p})=(\frac{q_1}{p})\dots (\frac{q_k}{p})=(-1)^k(\frac{p}{q_1})\dots (\frac{p}{q_k})=(-1)^k(\frac{p}{q_k})$. If $k$ is even, then pick $p$ non-quadratic residue mod $q_k$ and if $k$ is odd, pick $p\equiv 1(mod \ q_k)$.

Let $1007^2=\ell$, note that none of $\ell+1,\dots, \ell+2014$ is a perfect square and let $2025!\ell^{2024}<p_1<\dots <p_{2014}$ be $2014$ primes $\equiv 7(mod \ 8)$ such that $(\frac{-\ell-i}{p_i})=-(\frac{\ell+i}{p_i})=1$. Let $m_i^2\equiv -l-i(mod \ p_i)$ such that $p_i^2\not | m_i^2+\ell+i$ which can be provided since if $p_i^2|m_i^2+\ell+i$, then $p_i^2\not | (p_i-m)^2+\ell+i$. We have
$m_i^2+\ell+i\equiv p_it_i(mod \ p_i^2)$ where $(p_i,t_i)=1$ hence $m_i^2\equiv t_ip_i-\ell-i(mod \ p_i^2)$ for all $1\leq i\leq 2014$. Pick $k\equiv m_i(mod \ p_i^2)$ which exists by Chinese Remainder Theorem. This implies $k^2\equiv m_i^2\equiv t_ip_i-\ell-i(mod \ p_i^2)$ thus, $\nu_{p_i}(k^2+\ell+i)=1$ and this gives that none of $k^2+\ell+1,\dots, k^2+\ell+2014$ can be written as sum of two squares and $k^2+1007^2,k^2+1007^2+2015=k^2+1008^2$ can be written as desired.$\blacksquare$
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