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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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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
Interesting inequalities
sqing   2
N 2 minutes ago by lbh_qys
Source: Own
Let $ a,b> 0 $ and $ a+b\leq  2ab . $ Prove that
$$\frac{ 9a^2- ab +9b^2 }{ a^2(1+b^4)}\leq\frac{17 }{2}$$$$\frac{a- ab+b }{ a^2(1+b^4)}\leq\frac{1 }{2}$$$$\frac{2a- 3ab+2b }{ a^2(1+b^4)}\leq\frac{1 }{2}$$
2 replies
1 viewing
sqing
20 minutes ago
lbh_qys
2 minutes ago
Set: {f(r,r):r in S}=S
Sayan   7
N 4 minutes ago by kamatadu
Source: ISI (BS) 2007 #6
Let $S=\{1,2,\cdots ,n\}$ where $n$ is an odd integer. Let $f$ be a function defined on $\{(i,j): i\in S, j \in S\}$ taking values in $S$ such that
(i) $f(s,r)=f(r,s)$ for all $r,s \in S$
(ii) $\{f(r,s): s\in S\}=S$ for all $r\in S$

Show that $\{f(r,r): r\in S\}=S$
7 replies
Sayan
Apr 11, 2012
kamatadu
4 minutes ago
26 or 30 coins in a circle
NO_SQUARES   0
8 minutes ago
Source: Kvant 2025 no. 2 M2833
There are a) $26$; b) $30$ identical-looking coins in a circle. It is known that exactly two of them are fake. Real coins weigh the same, fake ones too, but they are lighter than the real ones. How can you determine in three weighings on a cup scale without weights whether there are fake coins lying nearby or not??
Proposed by A. Gribalko
0 replies
NO_SQUARES
8 minutes ago
0 replies
f(x,y)=0 iff (x,y) \in S, where |S|=2024
NO_SQUARES   0
14 minutes ago
Source: Kvant 2025 no. 2 M2832
There are $2024$ points of general position marked on the coordinate plane (i.e., points among which there are no three lying on the same straight line). Is there a polynomial of two variables $f(x,y)$ a) of degree $2025$; b) of degree $2024$ such that it equals to zero exactly at these marked points?
Proposed by Navid Safaei
0 replies
NO_SQUARES
14 minutes ago
0 replies
Tangents forms triangle with two times less area
NO_SQUARES   0
18 minutes ago
Source: Kvant 2025 no. 2 M2831
Let $DEF$ be triangle, inscribed in parabola. Tangents in points $D,E,F$ forms triangle $ABC$. Prove that $S_{DEF}=2S_{ABC}$. ($S_T$ is area of triangle $T$).
From F.S.Macaulay's book «Geometrical Conics», suggested by M. Panov
0 replies
NO_SQUARES
18 minutes ago
0 replies
IMO ShortList 2002, number theory problem 1
orl   76
N 24 minutes ago by NerdyNashville
Source: IMO ShortList 2002, number theory problem 1
What is the smallest positive integer $t$ such that there exist integers $x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_t$ with \[x^3_1+x^3_2+\,\ldots\,+x^3_t=2002^{2002}\,?\]
76 replies
orl
Sep 28, 2004
NerdyNashville
24 minutes ago
Number of lucky numbers
NO_SQUARES   0
25 minutes ago
Source: Kvant 2025 no. 2 M2830
There are coins in denominations of $a$ and $b$ doubloons, where $a$ and $b$ are given mutually prime natural numbers, with $a < b < 100$. A non-negative integer $n$ is called lucky if the sum in $n$ doubloons can be scored with using no more than $1000$ coins. Find the number of lucky numbers.
From the folklore
0 replies
NO_SQUARES
25 minutes ago
0 replies
Woaah a lot of external tangents
egxa   3
N an hour ago by NO_SQUARES
Source: All Russian 2025 11.7
A quadrilateral \( ABCD \) with no parallel sides is inscribed in a circle \( \Omega \). Circles \( \omega_a, \omega_b, \omega_c, \omega_d \) are inscribed in triangles \( DAB, ABC, BCD, CDA \), respectively. Common external tangents are drawn between \( \omega_a \) and \( \omega_b \), \( \omega_b \) and \( \omega_c \), \( \omega_c \) and \( \omega_d \), and \( \omega_d \) and \( \omega_a \), not containing any sides of quadrilateral \( ABCD \). A quadrilateral whose consecutive sides lie on these four lines is inscribed in a circle \( \Gamma \). Prove that the lines joining the centers of \( \omega_a \) and \( \omega_c \), \( \omega_b \) and \( \omega_d \), and the centers of \( \Omega \) and \( \Gamma \) all intersect at one point.
3 replies
egxa
Apr 18, 2025
NO_SQUARES
an hour ago
2023 Hong Kong TST 3 (CHKMO) Problem 4
PikaNiko   3
N an hour ago by lightsynth123
Source: 2023 Hong Kong TST 3 (CHKMO)
Let $ABCD$ be a quadrilateral inscribed in a circle $\Gamma$ such that $AB=BC=CD$. Let $M$ and $N$ be the midpoints of $AD$ and $AB$ respectively. The line $CM$ meets $\Gamma$ again at $E$. Prove that the tangent at $E$ to $\Gamma$, the line $AD$ and the line $CN$ are concurrent.
3 replies
PikaNiko
Dec 3, 2022
lightsynth123
an hour ago
Continuity of function and line segment of integer length
egxa   2
N an hour ago by NO_SQUARES
Source: All Russian 2025 11.8
Let \( f: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R} \) be a continuous function. A chord is defined as a segment of integer length, parallel to the x-axis, whose endpoints lie on the graph of \( f \). It is known that the graph of \( f \) contains exactly \( N \) chords, one of which has length 2025. Find the minimum possible value of \( N \).
2 replies
egxa
Apr 18, 2025
NO_SQUARES
an hour ago
Disjoint Pairs
MithsApprentice   41
N an hour ago by NerdyNashville
Source: USAMO 1998
Suppose that the set $\{1,2,\cdots, 1998\}$ has been partitioned into disjoint pairs $\{a_i,b_i\}$ ($1\leq i\leq 999$) so that for all $i$, $|a_i-b_i|$ equals $1$ or $6$. Prove that the sum \[ |a_1-b_1|+|a_2-b_2|+\cdots +|a_{999}-b_{999}|  \] ends in the digit $9$.
41 replies
MithsApprentice
Oct 9, 2005
NerdyNashville
an hour ago
Help my diagram has too many points
MarkBcc168   27
N 2 hours ago by Om245
Source: IMO Shortlist 2023 G6
Let $ABC$ be an acute-angled triangle with circumcircle $\omega$. A circle $\Gamma$ is internally tangent to $\omega$ at $A$ and also tangent to $BC$ at $D$. Let $AB$ and $AC$ intersect $\Gamma$ at $P$ and $Q$ respectively. Let $M$ and $N$ be points on line $BC$ such that $B$ is the midpoint of $DM$ and $C$ is the midpoint of $DN$. Lines $MP$ and $NQ$ meet at $K$ and intersect $\Gamma$ again at $I$ and $J$ respectively. The ray $KA$ meets the circumcircle of triangle $IJK$ again at $X\neq K$.

Prove that $\angle BXP = \angle CXQ$.

Kian Moshiri, United Kingdom
27 replies
MarkBcc168
Jul 17, 2024
Om245
2 hours ago
Geometry, SMO 2016, not easy
Zoom   18
N 3 hours ago by SimplisticFormulas
Source: Serbia National Olympiad 2016, day 1, P3
Let $ABC$ be a triangle and $O$ its circumcentre. A line tangent to the circumcircle of the triangle $BOC$ intersects sides $AB$ at $D$ and $AC$ at $E$. Let $A'$ be the image of $A$ under $DE$. Prove that the circumcircle of the triangle $A'DE$ is tangent to the circumcircle of triangle $ABC$.
18 replies
Zoom
Apr 1, 2016
SimplisticFormulas
3 hours ago
A touching question on perpendicular lines
Tintarn   2
N 3 hours ago by pi_quadrat_sechstel
Source: Bundeswettbewerb Mathematik 2025, Round 1 - Problem 3
Let $k$ be a semicircle with diameter $AB$ and midpoint $M$. Let $P$ be a point on $k$ different from $A$ and $B$.

The circle $k_A$ touches $k$ in a point $C$, the segment $MA$ in a point $D$, and additionally the segment $MP$. The circle $k_B$ touches $k$ in a point $E$ and additionally the segments $MB$ and $MP$.

Show that the lines $AE$ and $CD$ are perpendicular.
2 replies
Tintarn
Mar 17, 2025
pi_quadrat_sechstel
3 hours ago
weird looking system of equations
Valentin Vornicu   37
N Mar 30, 2025 by deduck
Source: USAMO 2005, problem 2, Razvan Gelca
Prove that the system \begin{align*}
x^6+x^3+x^3y+y & = 147^{157} \\
x^3+x^3y+y^2+y+z^9 & = 157^{147}
\end{align*} has no solutions in integers $x$, $y$, and $z$.
37 replies
Valentin Vornicu
Apr 21, 2005
deduck
Mar 30, 2025
weird looking system of equations
G H J
Source: USAMO 2005, problem 2, Razvan Gelca
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Valentin Vornicu
7301 posts
#1 • 10 Y
Y by Adventure10, HWenslawski, megarnie, Mango247, dikugrjfvufytdktfjymtd, and 5 other users
Prove that the system \begin{align*}
x^6+x^3+x^3y+y & = 147^{157} \\
x^3+x^3y+y^2+y+z^9 & = 157^{147}
\end{align*} has no solutions in integers $x$, $y$, and $z$.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by Valentin Vornicu, Sep 27, 2005, 9:45 PM
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jmerry
12096 posts
#2 • 5 Y
Y by mijail, Adventure10, HWenslawski, Mango247, and 1 other user
Here's a solution.
First, add and subtract the equations to get
$(x^3+y+1)^2-1+z^9=147^{157}-157^{147}$
$(x^3-y)(x^3+y)-z^9=147^{157}-157^{147}$

Now, assume that $x,y,z$ are a solution and work mod 19. $147^{157}\equiv2$ and $157^{147}\equiv11,$ so
$(x^3+y+1)^2+z^9\equiv14$,
Since 9th powers are congruent to $\pm1$, either $(x^3+y+1)^2\equiv13$ or $(x^3+y+1)^2\equiv15$. Neither of these values is a square mod 19, so there is no solution and we are done.

Edit- I'm having trouble calculating. My previous argument used the wrong value for $147^{157}$. Since it worked, I didn't realize it was wrong at the time.
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by jmerry, Nov 2, 2016, 8:18 AM
Reason: Fixed a buggy bit of code
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jmerry
12096 posts
#3 • 3 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247, ehuseyinyigit
One more correction: 0 is also a 9th power, 14 is also not a square. I don't know what it is about this problem, but I just can't calculate straight.
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darktreb
732 posts
#4 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
The other viable solution which I used when I took the contest was considering things modulo 13.

Basically, the only possible residues mod 13 for cubes (and ninth powers) are 0, 1, 5, -1, -5, so by plugging these in as possible values for $x^3$ in the first system are those. Plugging them in gives corresponding values for $y$, but plugging them in to the second equation produces no viable solutions for $z^9$.
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JSteinhardt
947 posts
#5 • 3 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247, Natrium
jmerry wrote:
One more correction: 0 is also a 9th power, 14 is also not a square. I don't know what it is about this problem, but I just can't calculate straight.

What was the rationale between choosing 13 and 19 as mods? Did you just keep trying ones and these had nice residues, or was there something that led you to use them? My first intuition was mod 3 and 7, then CRT into mod 21 and reach a contradiction (which worked, but took about 2.5 hours to get; luckily #1 was trivialized by massive Graph theory).
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Elemennop
1421 posts
#6 • 11 Y
Y by swimmer, THE.UNEXPECTED, Nelu2003, Kanep, myh2910, mijail, Adventure10, Bakhtier, Mango247, Natrium, Math_legendno12
In general, when you want to minimize the number of residues of a power $k$ in a modular congruence $m$, then you want to choose an $m$ such that $k|\phi(m)$. In this case, $k=9$, so we choose $19$ because $\phi(19)=18$, and $9|18$.

For $13$, it's less obvious.
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Davron
484 posts
#7 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10 and 1 other user
This problem is nice we had solved it with our teacher...

Davron Latipov
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Davron
484 posts
#8 • 3 Y
Y by vsathiam, Adventure10, Mango247
Elemennop wrote:
In general, when you want to minimize the number of residues of a power $k$ in a modular congruence $m$, then you want to choose an $m$ such that $k|\phi(m)$. In this case, $k=9$, so we choose $19$ because $\phi(19)=18$, and $9|18$.

For $13$, it's less obvious.

where can i get a file or a link to study this method ?

Sincerely Davron :)
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kops723
87 posts
#9 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
Hmm.. I was doing this problem as practice and ended up with a really long winded solution, which I believe works but would like to confirm this if anyone would be so kind.

Consider equation 1, factoring we have:
$ (x^3+y)(x^3+1) = 147^{157}$
Equation 2 factors to:
$ (x^3+y)(y+1) = 157^{147}-z^9$
Since both LHS's have a common term, we now examine it. In particular, we know
$ x^3+y|147^{157}$
And so we have 3 cases:

Case 1:
$ x^3+1=\pm 1$
Then $ \pm(x^3+1)=147^{157}$
So either $ 147^{157}+1,147^{157}-1$ is a perfect cube. In addition, 147 is odd, so both of those terms are even, so they must be divisible by 8. However, it is easy to check that neither one is ($ 147^{157} \equiv 147 \equiv 3 \pmod 8$).

Case 2:
$ 7|x^3+y$
Plugging this into the second equation, we see that
$ 7|157^{147}-z^9 \Rightarrow z^9 \equiv 157^{147} \Rightarrow z^3 \equiv 157^{49} \equiv 3^{49} \equiv 3 \pmod 7$
However, any perfect cube modulo 7 must be congruent to one of $ -1,0,1$ by Fermat, so we have a contradiction.

Case 3:
$ 3|x^3+y$
This is the most painful case... but we will proceed with algebraic manipulations on equation 1:
${ \pm 3^k(x^3+1)=147^{157}
x^3+1=\pm \frac{146^{157}}{3^k}}$
So there must exist a perfect cube of the form:
$ 3^{157-k}7^{2*157} \pm 1$
This must be even, so must be divisible by 8, and we have
$ 3^{157-k}7^{2*157} \equiv 3^{\{0,1\}}$
Thus, if we are to have a perfect cube, 157-k must be even, and the "$ \pm$" must denote a minus one. We now have:
$ 3^{2r}7^{2*157} - 1=a^3$ for some a. This is a contradiction to Mihailescu's Theorem so we're done.

Did I screw up stupidly anywhere?
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supercomputer
491 posts
#10 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
Hi I was just wondering; how do you think of using $\pmod{13}$?
Also for the CRT solution that @JSteinhardt mentioned, would you just find all possibilities for $x,y,z$ $\pmod{3}$ and $\pmod{7}$ and then CRT them and show that the resulting $\pmod{21}$ congruences don't work?
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flyingpurplepeopleeater
333 posts
#11 • 2 Y
Y by Adventure10, Mango247
i used mod 9 and it seems to have worked fine...
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rkm0959
1721 posts
#12 • 5 Y
Y by vsathiam, ooozeqes, myh2910, mijail, Adventure10
Add the two equations and work modular $19$.
We get $(x^3+y+1)^2+z^9 \equiv 14 \pmod{19}$, and $z^9 \equiv 0, \pm 1 \pmod{19}$.
However, we can check the quadratic residues $\left(\frac{13}{19}\right), \left(\frac{14}{19}\right), \left(\frac{15}{19}\right)$ so we are done.
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arshiya381
158 posts
#14 • 1 Y
Y by Adventure10
Valentin Vornicu wrote:
Prove that the system \begin{align*}
x^6+x^3+x^3y+y & = 147^{157} \\
x^3+x^3y+y^2+y+z^9 & = 157^{147}
\end{align*}has no solutions in integers $x$, $y$, and $z$.

proving that $x^3+y=3^k$ will easily solve the question since then $x^3+1 \geq 7^{314}*3$ which is clearly bigger than $3^{147}$ so it will give us a contradiction and well proving that is just by checking modulo 7 in the second equation
This post has been edited 2 times. Last edited by arshiya381, Feb 8, 2020, 8:27 PM
Reason: stupid mistake
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SenorIncongito
307 posts
#15
Y by
How does one know they should work $mod$ $19$?
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by SenorIncongito, Oct 22, 2020, 9:52 PM
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Pitagar
67 posts
#24
Y by
Another a lot lenghtier approach:
Factoring the first equation gives you $(x^3 + y)(x^3 + 1)=147^{157}=3^{157}\cdot 7^{314} $ . Now you get that there exists nonnegative integers $a,b$ for which $(x^3+1)=\pm 3^{a}\cdot 7^{b}$, which when solving the diophantine equation gives you some little solutions for $x$($x=0,2,-2,-4$) and also the corresponding values of $y$, which are not very hard to check off using the second equation and small modulos(like 7 and 9).
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lahmacun
259 posts
#25
Y by
SenorIncongito wrote:
How does one know they should work $mod$ $19$?

Well, if $ ab=p-1 $ where $p$ is an odd prime, then $a$-th powers give exactly $b$ non-zero remainders mod $p$.
In particular, $9*2=19-1$, so ninth powers give only a few remainders (0,1,-1) and $z$ appears only in $z^9$, so it is reasonable to take mod 19.
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GeronimoStilton
1521 posts
#26
Y by
yuck

We actually compute the choices of $x$ with $x^3+1\mid 147^{157}$, which must occur if $147^{157}=x^6+x^3+x^3y+y = (x^3+y)(x^3+1)$. Remark that $x>1$ because $x=1$ fails. Observe that the only prime factors of $x^3+1$ are $3$ and $7$. Observe that $9\nmid x^2-x+1$ because $3\nmid x^2-x+1$ if $x\equiv 0,1\pmod 3$ and $9$ does not divide any of $2^2-2+1=3,5^2-5+1=21,8^2-8+1=57$. Remark that $3\mid x+1$ if and only if $3\mid x^2-x+1$. Moreover,
\[\gcd(x+1,x^2-x+1) = \gcd(x+1,(-1)^2-(-1)+1) = \gcd(x+1,3),\]so if $3$ did not divide $x+1$ it would have to be $1$, as $x^2-x+1$ would be at least $3^2-3+1=7$ and therefore divisible by $7$ because it is not divisible by $3$. This is absurd, so $3\mid x+1$. By the gcd condition, we can write $x+1=3^p$ and $x^2-x+1=3\cdot 7^q$ for some integers $p\ge 1$ and $q\ge 0$. Write
\[3\cdot 7^q = (3^p-1)^2 - (3^p-1)+1 = 3^{2p}-3^{p+1}+3.\]This implies $7^q-1 = 3^{2p-1}- 3^p = (3^{p-1}-1)3^p$. Assume for now that $q>0$. It is clear that $2p-1> q$ because otherwise $7^q = 3^{2p-1}-3^p+1 \le 3^{2p-1} \le 3^q$, absurd. But we also have $p = \nu_3(q)+1$ by LTE. Thus $2\log_e q + 1\ge 2\log_3 q+1\ge 2\nu_3(q)+1> q$. Remark that $2\log_e q+1-q$ has derivative $\frac 2q-1$, so it is decreasing if $q>2$. Moreover, the inequality does not hold at $q=5$ because we would have to have $2\log_e 5 \ge 4$ otherwise, which would be true if and only if $e^2 \le 5$. But in fact $e\ge 2.7$, so indeed the result does not hold for $q=5$. For $q=1,2,3,4$ manually check, noting that at $q=1,2,3,4$ we get $2\nu_3(q)<q$. Thus $q=0$, so $3^{p-1}-1=0$, meaning $p=1$. This yields the one solution of $x=2$. However, we did not consider the situation in which $x$ is negative or zero (in which case $x=0$ works). In that case, let $a=-x$ and observe that for essentially the same reasons as before, $a^3-1=(a-1)(a^2+a+1)$ must either have $a=2$ (which is a solution) or $a=3^p$ and $a^2+a+1 = 3\cdot 7^q$. By the same machinations as before, we get $(3^{p-1}+1)3^p = 7^q-1$. Again, we have $p = \nu_3(q)+1$. This time we remark that either $p=1$ (which yields no solution) or $7^q = 3^{2p-1}+3^p+1< 3^{2p-1}+3^{p+1} < 3^{2p}$, meaning that $q< 2p = 2\nu_3(q)+2$. That is, $q\le 2\nu_3(q)+1\le 2\log_3 q+1 \le 2\log_e q+1$. Again, $q<5$ by the argument from before, so $q\in \{1,2,3,4\}$ because $q=0$ would be absurd. Again, note that $q$ cannot be in $\{2,4\}$ because then $q\le 1=2\nu_3(q)+1$, absurd. If $q=1$ we get $p=1$ so $a=4$ and we do not have $7^3 = 3^3 + 3^2 + 1$. Thus the possible values of $x$ are $\{2,0,-2,-4\}$.

Write $147^{157} = (x^3+1)(x^3+y),157^{147}=(x^3+y)(y+1)+z^9$. It is clear that $27\mid x^3+y$, so
\[z^9\equiv 157^{147}\equiv 22^{147}\equiv 22^3\equiv (-5)^3 \equiv -125\equiv 10\pmod{27}.\]Since $10$ is not a $9$-th power modulo $27$, we are done.
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puntre
159 posts
#27 • 2 Y
Y by MatBoy-123, PickleSauce
Wait, isn't this just $\bmod{4}$ ?

It's not hard to prove that $x,y,z$ are all odd. (by subtracting the first equation by the second)
Hence, by Euler;
\begin{align*}
x+xy+y & \equiv 2 \\
x+xy+y+z & \equiv 0
\end{align*}So $z\equiv 2$ and $x+y+xy\equiv 2\implies (x+1)(y+1)\equiv 3$.
This means the pair $(x+1,y+1)\equiv (1,3),(3,1)\implies x,y$ are even integers.
But $x^6+x^3+x^3y+y = 147^{157}$ is not, which is a contradiction.
This post has been edited 2 times. Last edited by puntre, Apr 23, 2022, 8:05 AM
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megarnie
5590 posts
#28
Y by
Add the two equations.

$x^6+2x^3+2x^3y+y^2+2y+z^9=147^{157}+157^{147}$, so \[(x^3+y)(x^3+y+2)+z^9=147^{157}+157^{147}\]
We work in $\pmod{19}$. First, we have $147^{157}\equiv 14^{13}\equiv 2\pmod {19}$ and $157^{147}\equiv 5^3\equiv 11\pmod{19}$.

So $(x^3+y)(x^3+y+2)+z^9\equiv 13\pmod{19}$.

Clearly $z^9\equiv \{-1,0,1\}\pmod{19}$.

Case 1: $z^9\equiv 1\pmod{19}$.
Then $(x^3+y)(x^3+y+2)\equiv 12\pmod{19}\implies (x^3+y+1)^2\equiv 13\pmod{19}$. This is a contradiction because $13$ is not a QR mod $19$.

Case 2: $z^9\equiv 0\pmod{19}$.
Then $(x^3+y+1)^2\equiv 14\pmod{19}$. $14$ is not QR mod $19$.

Case 3: $z^9\equiv -1\pmod{19}$.
Then $(x^3+y+1)^2\equiv 15\pmod{19}$. $15$ is not QR mod $19$.


We have exhausted all cases, so there are no solutions.
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ZETA_in_olympiad
2211 posts
#29
Y by
We can show in any one preferable modular and do casework to show that there is no solution for such a system. Nonetheless I did in $\pmod {13}.$
This post has been edited 1 time. Last edited by ZETA_in_olympiad, Apr 23, 2022, 7:37 AM
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kootrapali
4527 posts
#30 • 2 Y
Y by Mango247, Mango247
Upon factoring, our equations become
$$(x^3+1)(x^3+y)=147^{157}$$$$(y+1)(x^3+y)+z^9=157^{147}$$We work in modulo $19$. Note that $147^{157}\equiv 2$ (mod $19$) and $157^{147}\equiv 11$ (mod $19$).
The cubic residues mod $19$ are $0,1,7,8,11,12,18$, so the corresponding residues of $x^3+1$ are $1,2,8,9,12,13$, since $147^{157}$ isn’t divisible by $19$. Then we must have $x^3+y$ have corresponding possible residues of $2,1,5,15,16,6$, yielding corresponding residues of $y+1$ as $3,1,18,8,6,14$.

Then, in our second equation, the possible residues of $(y+1)(x^3+y)$ mod $19$ are $1,6,8,14$, so we must have $z^3$ equivalent to $3,5,10,16$ mod $19$, but since none of these are nonic residues, there are no integer solutions to our system, as desired.
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bobthegod78
2982 posts
#31 • 1 Y
Y by Mango247
Pretty weird problem.

Add up both equations to get $(x^3+y+1)^2 + z^9 = 147^{157} + 157^{147} +1$. We can take both sides mod $19$. We know that $z^9 \equiv -1, 0, 1 \pmod{19}$ since $z^{18} \equiv 0,1 \pmod{19}$. The right side can be found pretty easily mod 19: $$147^{157}+157^{147} + 1 \equiv (-5)^{13} + 5^{3} +1 \equiv 2 + 11 + 1\equiv 14 \pmod{19}.$$The quadratic residues mod 19 are $0, 1, 4, 9, 16, 6, 17, 11, 7, 5$. We can see that adding $0, -1, 1$ to any of these will not yield $14$, so it is impossible.

It is funny how each individual equation is unnecessary as the problem can be solved using just the sum.
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john0512
4183 posts
#32
Y by
Adding the two equations and completing the square, we have $$(x^3+y+1)^2+z^9=147^{157}+157^{147}+1.$$We take mod 19. By FLT, the right side becomes $14^{13}+5^3+1$, and we can compute $14^{13}\equiv 14^8\cdot 14^4\cdot 14\equiv14\cdot-2\cdot4\equiv 2,$ so $14^{13}+5^3+1\equiv 14\pmod 19.$ Therefore, we then have $$(x^3+y+1)^2+z^9\equiv 14\pmod {19}.$$Since $(z^9)^2\equiv 0,1\pmod {19}$, we have $z^9\equiv -1,0,1\pmod {19}$. However, neither of $13,14,15$ are quadratic residues mod 19, so there are no solutions and we are done.
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kamatadu
478 posts
#33 • 4 Y
Y by IAmTheHazard, GeoKing, HoripodoKrishno, AlexCenteno2007
Her: He must be cheating on me :mad:
Meanwhile me: Fakesolving this problem for 4 times straight and then finally making up my mind to case bash 18 total cases and literally compute thousands of modulos for 4 straight hours :ninja:

here is my solution that literally bases our every possible modulo all in a single problem you might have ever seen before :ninja:

Firstly manipulate the equations to get, $(x^3+1)(x^3+y)=147^{157}$ and $(y+1)(x^3+y)+z^9=157^{147}$.

We have $\boxed{x^9\equiv\{0,\pm 1\}\pmod{27}}$ and $\boxed{x^9\equiv\{0,\pm 1\}\pmod{19}}$, which can be verified as $\varphi(27)=\varphi(19)=18$. Also, $\boxed{x^3\in\{0,1,7,8,11,12,18\}\pmod{19}}$ and $\boxed{x^3\in\{0,1,8,10,17,19,26\}\pmod{27}}$, which can be verified by case bashing each and every $\mod 19$ and $\mod 27$. Now if $27\mid x^3+y$, then taking the second equation $\mod{27}$ gives contradiction.

Also notice that $\operatorname{ord}_{19}(3)=18$, $\operatorname{ord}_{19}(7)=3$ and $\operatorname{ord}_{27}(7)=3$. Now we case bash for $x^3+y$, with the powers of $3$ in each one of them and powers of $7$ taken $\mod 3$.

Apart from this, we also have,
\begin{align*}
    147^{157}&\equiv 2\pmod{19}\\
    157^{147}&\equiv 11\pmod{19}\\
    147^{157}&\equiv 0\pmod{27}\\
    157^{147}&\equiv 10\pmod{27}.
\end{align*}
$\textbf{\underline{Case 1.1.1}: }x^3+y=1\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i}$ and $x^3+1=3^{157}\cdot 7^{3i}$.

Gives $x^3\equiv 7\pmod{19}$ and $y\equiv 4\pmod{19}$. But this contradicts $z^9\pmod{19}$.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 1.1.2}: }x^3+y=3\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i}$ and $x^3+1=3^{156}\cdot 7^{3i}$.

Gives $x^3\equiv 8\pmod{19}$ and $y\equiv 6\pmod{19}$. But this contradicts $z^9\pmod{19}$.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 1.1.3}: }x^3+y=9\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i}$ and $x^3+1=3^{155}\cdot 7^{3i}$.

Second one fails $\mod 19$.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 1.2.1}: }x^3+y=1\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i-1}$ and $x^3+1=3^{157}\cdot 7^{3i+1}$.

Second one fails $\mod 19$.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 1.2.2}: }x^3+y=3\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i-1}$ and $x^3+1=3^{156}\cdot 7^{3i+1}$.

Second one fails $\mod 19$.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 1.2.3}: }x^3+y=9\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i-1}$ and $x^3+1=3^{155}\cdot 7^{3i+1}$.

Gives $x^3\equiv 1\pmod{19}$ and $y\equiv 5\pmod{19}$. But this contradicts $z^9\pmod{19}$.
$\textbf{\textcolor{blue}{\underline{Case 1.3.1}:} }x^3+y=1\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i-2}$ and $x^3+1=3^{157}\cdot 7^{3i+2}$.

Gives $x^3\equiv 11\pmod{19}$ and $y\equiv 9\pmod{19}$. This works.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 1.3.2}: }x^3+y=3\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i-2}$ and $x^3+1=3^{156}\cdot 7^{3i+2}$.

Second one fails $\mod 19$.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 1.3.3}: }x^3+y=9\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i-2}$ and $x^3+1=3^{155}\cdot 7^{3i+2}$.

Second one fails $\mod 19$.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 2.1.1}: }x^3+y=-1\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i}$ and $x^3+1=-3^{157}\cdot 7^{3i}$.

Second one fails $\mod 19$.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 2.1.2}: }x^3+y=-3\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i}$ and $x^3+1=-3^{156}\cdot 7^{3i}$.

Second one fails $\mod 19$.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 2.1.3}: }x^3+y=-9\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i}$ and $x^3+1=-3^{155}\cdot 7^{3i}$.

Second one fails $\mod 19$.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 2.2.1}: }x^3+y=-1\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i-1}$ and $x^3+1=-3^{157}\cdot 7^{3i+1}$.

Gives $x^3\equiv 0\pmod{19}$ and $y\equiv 12\pmod{19}$. But this contradicts $z^9\pmod{19}$.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 2.2.2}: }x^3+y=-3\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i-1}$ and $x^3+1=-3^{156}\cdot 7^{3i+1}$.

Gives $x^3\equiv 12\pmod{19}$ and $y\equiv 5\pmod{19}$. But this contradicts $z^9\pmod{19}$.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 2.2.3}: }x^3+y=-9\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i-1}$ and $x^3+1=-3^{155}\cdot 7^{3i+1}$.

Second one fails $\mod 19$.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 2.3.1}: }x^3+y=-1\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i-2}$ and $x^3+1=-3^{157}\cdot 7^{3i+2}$.

Second one fails $\mod 19$.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 2.3.2}: }x^3+y=-3\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i-2}$ and $x^3+1=-3^{156}\cdot 7^{3i+2}$.

Second one fails $\mod 19$.
$\textbf{\underline{Case 2.3.3}: }x^3+y=-9\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i-2}$ and $x^3+1=-3^{155}\cdot 7^{3i+2}$.

Second one fails $\mod 19$.
We just have $\textbf{\textcolor{blue}{\underline{Case 1.3.1}:} }x^3+y=1\cdot 7^{2\cdot 157-3i-2}$ and $x^3+1=3^{157}\cdot 7^{3i+2}$ to check :) .

Now for this case, we get $x^3\equiv -1\pmod{27}$ and $y\equiv 2\pmod{27}$. Now put this in the initial second equation and we now get a contradiction $z^9\pmod{27}$ YAYY!!
This post has been edited 3 times. Last edited by kamatadu, Feb 25, 2023, 10:24 AM
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EthanWYX2009
854 posts
#34
Y by
We can get $\begin{cases}147^{157}=(x^3+1)(x^3+y)\\157^{147}=(y+1)(x^3+y)+z^9\end{cases}$.
Add up the two equations, we have $(x^3+y)(x^3+y+2)+z^9=147^{157}+157^{147}$.
Let $n=x^3+y+1$, then $n^2+z^9=147^{157}+157^{147}+1\equiv 14\pmod {19}$.
However, as $z^9\equiv\pm 1\pmod{19}$, $n^2\equiv 0,1,4,9,16,6,17,11,7,5\pmod {19}$, it is not true.$\blacksquare$
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HamstPan38825
8857 posts
#35 • 1 Y
Y by chenghaohu
The key is to take mod $19$. Adding the two equations, $$(x^3+y+1)^2+z^9 \equiv 14 \pmod {19}.$$Now as $z^9 \equiv -1, 0, 1 \pmod {19}$, we must have $(x^3+y+1)^2 \equiv 13, 14, 15 \pmod {19}$. But none of these are quadratic residues.
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chenghaohu
70 posts
#36
Y by
Add the equations, we see that it can be factored as (x^3 +y +1)^2 + z^9 = 147^157 +157^147 +1. Note that z^9 In mod 19 is either 1 or -1 or 0. So this means that (x^3 +y+1)^2 is 13, 14, or 15 mod 19. Non of this are quadratic residues so there are 0 solutions.
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huashiliao2020
1292 posts
#37
Y by
evan why rate 10 MOHS :clap: :ewpu:

Adding the equations, $$(x^3+y+1)^2+z^9 \equiv 14 \pmod {19};\quad z^9 \equiv\{ -1, 0, 1 \}\implies (x^3+y+1)^2 \equiv \{13, 14, 15\} \pmod {19},$$but none of these are quadratic residues, contradiction, so there are no solutions.
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peppapig_
281 posts
#38 • 1 Y
Y by sargamsujit
Note that by factoring, we have that
\[(x^3+1)(x^3+y)=147^{157}\]\[(y+1)(x^3+y)+z^9=157^{147}.\]Since the latter is odd and $x$ and $y$ are integers, we have that $x$ must be even (because $x^3+1$ must be odd), meaning that $x^3\equiv 0 \mod 8$. Since $147^{157}\equiv3^{157}\equiv3\mod8$, we have that
\[(x^3+1)(x^3+y)=147^{157}\equiv x^3+y \equiv 1+y \equiv 3 \mod 8 \iff y\equiv 2\mod8.\]Finally, note that $157^{147}\equiv5^{157}\equiv 5\mod 8$. Since both $y+1$ and $x^3+y$ are $3$ mod $8$, we have that $(y+1)(x^3+y)$ is $1$ mod $8$. Since
\[(y+1)(x^3+y)+z^9=157^{147} \iff (y+1)(x^3+y)+z^9\equiv5 \mod8 \iff 1+z^9\equiv 5\mod8,\]this gives us that $z^9\equiv 4\mod8$, which is impossible. This is because the equation implies that $z$ is even, however, if $z$ was even, that would mean that $z^9$ would be $0$ mod $8$, a contradiction. Therefore there are no integer solutions to this system of equations, finishing the problem.
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shendrew7
794 posts
#39
Y by
Factoring and adding the two equations, we get
\[(x^3+y+1)^2 = 147^{157}+157^{147}+1-z^9.\]
The use for modulo 19 becomes apparent, as $z^9 \pmod{19} \equiv \{-1,0,1\}$. Therefore the RHS is equivalent to $\{13,14,15\} \text{ mod } 19$, none of which quadratic residues modulo 19. $\blacksquare$
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joshualiu315
2513 posts
#40
Y by
Adding the two equations and factoring, we get

\[(x^3+y+1)^2 + z^9 = 147^{157}+157^{147}+1\]\[\implies (x^3+y^2+1)^2 \equiv \{13,14,15\} \pmod{19}.\]
This results in no integer solutions as none of them are quadratic nonresidues modulo $19$. $\square$
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dolphinday
1323 posts
#41
Y by
Add both equations and add $1$ to both sides to get
$x^6 + 2x^3y + 2x^3 + y^2 + 2y + 1 + z^9 = 147^{157} + 157^{147} + 1$.
Factoring gets us
$\newline$
\[(x^3 + y + 1)^2 + z^9 = 147^{157} + 157^{147} + 1\]Taking the expression modulo $19$ results in
\[(x^3 + y + 1)^2 + z^9 \equiv 14\pmod{19}\]Notice that All QRs of $z^k$ modulo $2k + 1$ are $2k$, $0$, and $1$.
So then we have
\[(x^3 + y + 1)^2 + z^9 \equiv \{13, 14, 15\}\pmod{19}\]None of these being a QR, so there are no solutions.
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de-Kirschbaum
196 posts
#42
Y by
Really profound problem.

Summing both equations and manipulating we end up with $$(x^3+y+1)^2+z^9-1 = 157^{147}+147^{157}$$
Now consider $\mod{19}$, in which case we can restrict $z^9$ to $\{1,0,-1\}$. Then we can calculate by hand the QR of $\mod{19}$ which is $\{0,1,4,9,6,17,30,7,5\}$. Then we can calculate that $157^{147} \equiv 30 \equiv 11 \mod{19}$ and $147^{157} \equiv 17^3(-5) \equiv 40 \equiv 2 \mod{19}$. So we need $\{1,0,-1\}+\{0,1,4,9,6,17,30,7,5\} \equiv 14 \mod{19}$ which is clearly not possible.
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Danielzh
490 posts
#44
Y by
Motivation
Add and subtract with equation. Note that when adding, you get a format for perfect squares like $x^6+2x^3$ and $y^2+2y$, but you also have $2x^3y$ left over. Thus, can we combine this into one expression? Yes! Let's try $(x^3+y+1)^2$. Now, what modulo do we take? After testing classics such as $3,7,9$, let's pick one such that $p-1$ is divisible by $9$ by FLT. Let's pick base $19$!

Solution
Continuing,

\begin{align*}
(x^3+y+1)^2 +z^9 \equiv 14 \pmod{19} \\ 
\end{align*}
Now note that $z^9 \equiv 0,1,-1 \pmod{19}$. Thus, we get $$(x^3+y+1)^2 +z^9 \equiv 14 \pmod{19}$$which is not possible.
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megahertz13
3182 posts
#45
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what is this :P

Adding the equations and adding $1$ to both sides gives $$z^9+x^6+2x^3y+2x^3+y^2+2y+1=147^{157}+157^{147}+1$$$$\implies z^9+(x^3+y+1)^2=147^{157}+157^{147},$$but $\pmod {19}$ there are no solutions.
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Maximilian113
550 posts
#46
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Adding the equations yields $(x^3+y+1)^2+z^9 = 147^{157}+157^{147}+1.$ However, $z^9 \equiv \{-1, 0, 1\} \pmod{19},$ so it follows that $$(x^3+y+1)^2 \equiv \{13, 14, 15 \} \pmod{19}.$$However, none of these are quadratic residues mod $19,$ so we are done. QED
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Marcus_Zhang
979 posts
#47
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Super easy but why mod 19...
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deduck
204 posts
#48
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@above for me hardest part was realizing the factorization and easy part was taking mod 19 cause wut else are we gonna do with z^9 xd
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