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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
Beautiful problem
luutrongphuc   11
N a few seconds ago by whwlqkd
Let triangle $ABC$ be circumscribed about circle $(I)$, and let $H$ be the orthocenter of $\triangle ABC$. The circle $(I)$ touches line $BC$ at $D$. The tangent to the circle $(BHC)$ at $H$ meets $BC$ at $S$. Let $J$ be the midpoint of $HI$, and let the line $DJ$ meet $(I)$ again at $X$. The tangent to $(I)$ parallel to $BC$ meets the line $AX$ at $T$. Prove that $ST$ is tangent to $(I)$.
11 replies
luutrongphuc
Apr 4, 2025
whwlqkd
a few seconds ago
Vector geometry with unusual points
Ciobi_   1
N a few seconds ago by ericdimc
Source: Romania NMO 2025 9.2
Let $\triangle ABC$ be an acute-angled triangle, with circumcenter $O$, circumradius $R$ and orthocenter $H$. Let $A_1$ be a point on $BC$ such that $A_1H+A_1O=R$. Define $B_1$ and $C_1$ similarly.
If $\overrightarrow{AA_1} + \overrightarrow{BB_1} + \overrightarrow{CC_1} = \overrightarrow{0}$, prove that $\triangle ABC$ is equilateral.
1 reply
Ciobi_
Apr 2, 2025
ericdimc
a few seconds ago
Collinearity with orthocenter
Retemoeg   9
N 14 minutes ago by X.Luser
Source: Own?
Given scalene triangle $ABC$ with circumcenter $(O)$. Let $H$ be a point on $(BOC)$ such that $\angle AOH = 90^{\circ}$. Denote $N$ the point on $(O)$ satisfying $AN \parallel BC$. If $L$ is the projection of $H$ onto $BC$, show that $LN$ passes through the orthocenter of $\triangle ABC$.
9 replies
+1 w
Retemoeg
Mar 30, 2025
X.Luser
14 minutes ago
Parallel Lines and Q Point
taptya17   14
N 35 minutes ago by Haris1
Source: India EGMO TST 2025 Day 1 P3
Let $\Delta ABC$ be an acute angled scalene triangle with circumcircle $\omega$. Let $O$ and $H$ be the circumcenter and orthocenter of $\Delta ABC,$ respectively. Let $E,F$ and $Q$ be points on segments $AB,AC$ and $\omega$, respectively, such that
$$\angle BHE=\angle CHF=\angle AQH=90^\circ.$$Prove that $OQ$ and $AH$ intersect on the circumcircle of $\Delta AEF$.

Proposed by Antareep Nath
14 replies
taptya17
Dec 13, 2024
Haris1
35 minutes ago
The last nonzero digit of factorials
Tintarn   4
N 42 minutes ago by Sadigly
Source: Bundeswettbewerb Mathematik 2025, Round 1 - Problem 2
For each integer $n \ge 2$ we consider the last digit different from zero in the decimal expansion of $n!$. The infinite sequence of these digits starts with $2,6,4,2,2$. Determine all digits which occur at least once in this sequence, and show that each of those digits occurs in fact infinitely often.
4 replies
Tintarn
Mar 17, 2025
Sadigly
42 minutes ago
P2 Geo that most of contestants died
AlephG_64   2
N 44 minutes ago by Tsikaloudakis
Source: 2025 Finals Portuguese Mathematical Olympiad P2
Let $ABCD$ be a quadrilateral such that $\angle A$ and $\angle D$ are acute and $\overline{AB} = \overline{BC} = \overline{CD}$. Suppose that $\angle BDA = 30^\circ$, prove that $\angle DAC= 30^\circ$.
2 replies
AlephG_64
Yesterday at 1:23 PM
Tsikaloudakis
44 minutes ago
Geometry
youochange   0
an hour ago
m:}
Let $\triangle ABC$ be a triangle inscribed in a circle, where the tangents to the circle at points $B$ and $C$ intersect at the point $P$. Let $M$ be a point on the arc $AC$ (not containing $B$) such that $M \neq A$ and $M \neq C$. Let the lines $BC$ and $AM$ intersect at point $K$. Let $P'$ be the reflection of $P$ with respect to the line $AM$. The lines $AP'$ and $PM$ intersect at point $Q$, and $PM$ intersects the circumcircle of $\triangle ABC$ again at point $N$.

Prove that the point $Q$ lies on the circumcircle of $\triangle ANK$.
0 replies
youochange
an hour ago
0 replies
comp. geo starting with a 90-75-15 triangle. <APB =<CPQ, <BQA =<CQP.
parmenides51   1
N an hour ago by Mathzeus1024
Source: 2013 Cuba 2.9
Let ABC be a triangle with $\angle A = 90^o$, $\angle B = 75^o$, and $AB = 2$. Points $P$ and $Q$ of the sides $AC$ and $BC$ respectively, are such that $\angle APB =  \angle CPQ$ and $\angle BQA = \angle CQP$. Calculate the lenght of $QA$.
1 reply
parmenides51
Sep 20, 2024
Mathzeus1024
an hour ago
Fridolin just can't get enough from jumping on the number line
Tintarn   2
N an hour ago by Sadigly
Source: Bundeswettbewerb Mathematik 2025, Round 1 - Problem 1
Fridolin the frog jumps on the number line: He starts at $0$, then jumps in some order on each of the numbers $1,2,\dots,9$ exactly once and finally returns with his last jump to $0$. Can the total distance he travelled with these $10$ jumps be a) $20$, b) $25$?
2 replies
Tintarn
Mar 17, 2025
Sadigly
an hour ago
Geometry
Captainscrubz   2
N an hour ago by MrdiuryPeter
Source: Own
Let $D$ be any point on side $BC$ of $\triangle ABC$ .Let $E$ and $F$ be points on $AB$ and $AC$ such that $EB=ED$ and $FD=FC$ respectively. Prove that the locus of circumcenter of $(DEF)$ is a line.
Prove without using moving points :D
2 replies
Captainscrubz
3 hours ago
MrdiuryPeter
an hour ago
inequality ( 4 var
SunnyEvan   4
N an hour ago by SunnyEvan
Let $ a,b,c,d \in R $ , such that $ a+b+c+d=4 . $ Prove that :
$$ a^4+b^4+c^4+d^4+3 \geq \frac{7}{4}(a^3+b^3+c^3+d^3) $$$$ a^4+b^4+c^4+d^4+ \frac{252}{25} \geq \frac{88}{25}(a^3+b^3+c^3+d^3) $$equality cases : ?
4 replies
SunnyEvan
Apr 4, 2025
SunnyEvan
an hour ago
Find the constant
JK1603JK   1
N an hour ago by Quantum-Phantom
Source: unknown
Find all $k$ such that $$\left(a^{3}+b^{3}+c^{3}-3abc\right)^{2}-\left[a^{3}+b^{3}+c^{3}+3abc-ab(a+b)-bc(b+c)-ca(c+a)\right]^{2}\ge 2k\cdot(a-b)^{2}(b-c)^{2}(c-a)^{2}$$forall $a,b,c\ge 0.$
1 reply
JK1603JK
5 hours ago
Quantum-Phantom
an hour ago
2025 - Turkmenistan National Math Olympiad
A_E_R   4
N an hour ago by NODIRKHON_UZ
Source: Turkmenistan Math Olympiad - 2025
Let k,m,n>=2 positive integers and GCD(m,n)=1, Prove that the equation has infinitely many solutions in distict positive integers: x_1^m+x_2^m+⋯x_k^m=x_(k+1)^n
4 replies
A_E_R
2 hours ago
NODIRKHON_UZ
an hour ago
hard problem
Cobedangiu   15
N 2 hours ago by Nguyenhuyen_AG
problem
15 replies
Cobedangiu
Mar 27, 2025
Nguyenhuyen_AG
2 hours ago
(2^n + 1)/n^2 is an integer (IMO 1990 Problem 3)
orl   105
N 5 hours ago by cursed_tangent1434
Source: IMO 1990, Day 1, Problem 3, IMO ShortList 1990, Problem 23 (ROM 5)
Determine all integers $ n > 1$ such that
\[ \frac {2^n + 1}{n^2}
\]is an integer.
105 replies
orl
Nov 11, 2005
cursed_tangent1434
5 hours ago
(2^n + 1)/n^2 is an integer (IMO 1990 Problem 3)
G H J
Source: IMO 1990, Day 1, Problem 3, IMO ShortList 1990, Problem 23 (ROM 5)
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shendrew7
793 posts
#102
Y by
ddot1 wrote:
I think that's missing a little detail: How do you know that $3$ divides $n$ only once? Otherwise, you could have something like $$\gcd(2n,p_2-1)=18.$$

Follows from the LTE statement - $0 < v_3(n) \leq 1$.
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ddot1
24367 posts
#103
Y by
Oh, duh - sorry, I didn't read it carefully enough.
Z K Y
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BestAOPS
707 posts
#104
Y by
The answer is $n=1,3$. We show that there are no other solutions. Since $n$ must be odd, assume $n \geq 5$.
Let $p$ be the least prime factor of $n$. We have $p > 2$ since $n$ is odd. Furthermore, $2^n + 1 \equiv 0 \implies 4^n \equiv 1 \pmod{p}$.

We claim the order of $4$ mod $p$ is $1$. This is because the order must divide $\gcd{n, p-1}$, which must equal $1$ otherwise $\gcd{n, p-1}$ must have smaller prime factors which also divide $n$, contradicting $p$'s minimality. Thus, $4 \equiv 1 \pmod{p}$, so $p = 3$.

In order for $n^2$ to divide $2^n + 1$, we must have $\nu_3(n^2) = 2\nu_3(n) \leq \nu_3(2^n + 1)$. Since $3 \mid 2 + 1$, using the lifting the exponent lemma yields $\nu_3(2^n + 1) = 1 + \nu_3(n)$. We then conclude that $\nu_3(n) \leq 1$, but since $3$ is the smallest prime factor of $n$, we must have $\nu_3(n) = 1$.

Now, we write $n = 3k$ for some $k$ not divisible by $2$ or $3$. Since $n \geq 5$, we have $k > 1$ and we can let $p$ be the smallest prime factor of $k$. But similarly to before, we see that $2^{6k} \equiv 1 \pmod{p}$ and thus $64 \equiv 1 \pmod{p}$. This means $p \mid 63$. Since $p \geq 5$, we must have $p = 7$.

This tells us that $n^2$ is divisible by $7$. However, $2^n + 1 \equiv 8^k + 1 \equiv 2 \pmod{7}$, so we are done.
Z K Y
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ATGY
2502 posts
#105
Y by
Say $p$ is the smallest prime dividing $n$, so we have $2^n + 1 \equiv 0 \mod{p} \implies 2^{2n} \equiv 1\mod{p}$. Clearly $p \neq 2$. Let $k$ denote the order of $2 \mod{p}$. Observe that $k \mid 2n$, and since $2^{p - 1} \equiv 1 \mod{p}$, we have $k \mid (2n, p - 1) \implies k = 1, 2$. $k = 1$ is impossible, which means $k = 2 \implies 2^2 \equiv 1 \mod{p} \implies p = 3$.

If $q$ is the next smallest prime dividing $2^n + 1$, we have $\text{ord}_q(2) \mid (2n, q - 1) = 3, 6$. $q = 7$ fails upon checking.

So $p = 3$ is the only prime dividing $n$. We need $v_3(2^n + 1) \geq v_3(n^2) = 2v_3(n)$, for $n^2 \mid 2^n + 1$. By LTE, $v_3(2^n + 1) = v_3(3) + v_3(n) \implies 1 + v_3(n) \geq 2v_3(n) \implies v_3(n) \leq 1$.

$v_3(n) = 0 \implies n = 1$, which clearly works. $v_3(n) = 1 \implies n = 3$, which works as well. So, we are done.
This post has been edited 3 times. Last edited by ATGY, Jul 13, 2024, 11:03 AM
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SomeonesPenguin
123 posts
#106
Y by
The problem is equivalent to $2^n\equiv -1\pmod{n^2}$. This implies that $2^{2n}\equiv 1\pmod{n^2}$. Also note that $n=1$ is a solution so suppose $n\neq 1$. Now take the smallest prime factor of $n$ (notice that this can’t be $2$). We have that $ord_p(2)\mid 2n$ and also note that $ord_p(2) \le p-1$ so this order must be equal to $2$. Hence $p$=3.

Now let $n=3^ab$ where $a\ge 1$ and $b$ is an odd integer. We have: $$\nu_3(n^2)\le \nu_3(2^n+1)$$But we clearly have $\nu_3(n^2)=2a$ and from LTE $\nu_3(2^n+1)=a+1$ hence $a$ must be qual to $1$ so we get that $n=3b$.

Plugging this back in, we get that $9k^2\mid 2^{3k}+1$. Now $k=1$ is a solution ($n=3$) so suppose that $k\neq 1$. Let $q$ be the smallest prime factor of $k$ and note that this isn’t $2$ or $3$. We similarly get that $2^{6k}\equiv 1\pmod q$ so $ord_q(2)\mid 6k$ so from minimality this implies $ord_q(2)\mid 6$. Hence $ord_q(2)\in \{3,6\}$. In either case, we get that $q=7$ so $7\mid 2^n+1$ which isn’t possible. Therefore the only solutions are $n=1$ and $n=2$.
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Eka01
204 posts
#109
Y by
Obviously $n$ is odd.
Consider the smallest prime $p$ dividing $n$ then order of $p$ modulo $2$ divides $2n$ but not $n$ and it also divides $p-1$ implying the order must be $3$ giving that the smallest prime must be the smallest prime.
However $LTE$ gives us that $\nu_3(2^n +1)$ =$\nu_3(n) +1$ which is greater than $2\nu_3(n)$ implying $n=3k$ where $k$ is an odd number not divisible by $3$. Plugging this and using similar order arguments, we get that $7$ divides $2^n +1$ which is false implying $k=1$.

Hence $\boxed{n=3}$ is the only solution.
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pie854
243 posts
#110
Y by
The answer is $n=1,3$ which clearly works.

Suppose $n>1$ and let $p_0$ be the smallest prime divisor of $n=p_0^{e_0} p_1^{e_1} \cdots p_k^{e_k}$ with $e_i\geq 0$ for $i>0$. Let $a=\text{ord}_{p_0^2}(2)$. Since $p_0^2\mid 2^n+1$, it follows that $a\nmid n$ and $a\mid 2n$. So $a=2p_0^{f_0}p_1^{f_1} \cdots p_k^{f_k}$ where $f_i\leq e_i$ for all $0\leq i\leq k$. But $a\mid p_0(p_0-1)$ and thus $a\leq p_0(p_0-1)$. From this it follows that $a\in \{2, 2p_0, 2p_i\}$ for some $1\leq i\leq k$. If $a=2$ then $p_0^2\mid 2^2-1=3$ which is absurd. If $a=2p_i$ then from $2p_i\mid p_0(p_0-1)$ it follows that $p_i\mid p_0-1$ which is absurd as well.

Thus $a=2p_0$ and $2^{2p_0}\equiv 1\pmod{p_0^2}$. From here it's easy to get that $p_0=3$. So $n=3m$ (by LTE $2v_3(n)\leq v_3(2^n+1)=v_3(2+1)+v_3(n)$ and thus $v_3(n)\leq 1$ and so $3\nmid m$) and $m^2\mid 8^m+1$. We have $m=p_1^{e_1} p_2^{e_2}\cdots p_k^{e_k}$ and let's assume $m>1$ and that $p_1$ is the smallest prime divisor. Let $b=\text{ord}_{p_1^2}(8)$ and as before we get $b\in \{2,2p_1\}$ ($b$ cannot be $2p_i$ because of the same reason as before). If $b=2$ then $p_1^2\mid 8^2-1=3^2\cdot 7$ but this is impossible. So $b=2p_1$ and $p_1^2\mid 8^{2p_1}-1$. From this we get $p_1\mid 8^2-1=3^2\cdot 7$ and so $p_1=7$. Note that $7^2\mid 42799\cdot 7^2=8^7-1$, so $b\leq 7$ but this is a contradiction since $b=2\cdot 7=14$. From this contradiction it follows that $m=1$ and we get the desired solution set.
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EVKV
43 posts
#111
Y by
For min prime p|n
p≠3
2^2n = 1 mod p
Ord2 mod p | 2n

ord 2 mod p = 2,,2n,n,d,2d
Here d|n d>1
So it can only be 2,2d

As ord2 mod p ≤ p-1
d≥p
2d≥ 2p> p-1
Thus ord 2 mod p ≠ 2d for any d>1
Thus ord 2 mod p = 2

4= 1 mod p
So p = 3

Thus 3| n

Let q be second smallest prime
Ord 2 mod q = 2,2d,6,2n,n,3d
Where d|n
If d>3
3d>q-1
So d≤3
Now 3 cases
d= 3 X
d=2 X
d= 1 works
So ord 2 mod q = 3

Same reasoning with 2d gives
ord 2 mod q = 6

Implies q=7

Which is not possible

Hence no such q exists
Thus only 3|n
So
2vp(n) ≤ vp(3) + vp(n)
n = 3
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AshAuktober
967 posts
#112
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We claim the only solution is $n = 3$, which clearly works.

Note that $2^{2n} \equiv 1 \pmod{p}$, where $p$ is the smallest prime factor of $n$. But $2^{p-1} \equiv 1 \pmod p$, and thus $2^2 = 2^{\gcd(2n, p-1)} \equiv 1 \pmod{p} \implies \boxed{p = 3}.$

Now note that we have from LTE and $\nu_p$ stuff that

$$2\nu_p(n) \le \nu_p(2^n + 1) = \nu_p(3) + \nu_p(n) = 1 + \nu_p(n) \implies \nu_p(n) = 3.$$Now let $n = 2m$ where $\gcd(m, 3) = 1$.
Then we have $m^2 \mid 8^m + 1 \implies 8^{2m} \equiv 1 \pmod{q}$ where $q$ is the smallest prime divisor of $m$.
But $8^{q-1} \equiv 1 \pmod{q} \implies 8^2 \equiv 1 \pmod{q} \implies q \in \{3, 7\}$.
$q = 3$ is impossible because then $\nu_p(n) \ge 2$, and $q = 7$ is impossible because $8^m + 1 \equiv 2 \pmod{7}$, and so $7$ can never divide the numerator. Thus in fact no such prime exists, and $m = 1 \implies \boxed{n = 3}$.
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ItsBesi
139 posts
#116
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Solution:

$\frac{2^n+1}{n^2}$ is an integer $\implies n^2 \mid 2^n+1$

Let $p$ be the smallest prime divisor of $n$ (such a prime exists because $n > 1$).

Note that $p \neq 2$ because RHS$=2^n+1 \equiv 1 \pmod 2$

So $p \mid n^2 \mid 2^n+1 \implies p  \mid 2^n+1 \iff 2^n+1 \equiv 0 \pmod p \implies 2^n \equiv -1 \pmod p \implies$ $$\boxed{2^{2n} \equiv 1 \pmod p}$$
Also by Fermat's Little Theorem we have that : $$\boxed{2^{p-1} \equiv 1 \pmod p} (\because p \neq 2 \implies gcd(2,p)=1)$$
Hence $$2^{\gcd(2n,p-1)} \equiv 1 \pmod p$$
Note that since $p$ is the smallest prime divisor of $n$ we get that $\gcd(n,p-1)=1$ so $\gcd(2n,p-1)=1 \vee 2$

Note that since $2n \equiv 0 \pmod 2$ and $p-1 \equiv 0 \pmod 2$ we get:

$\gcd(2n,p-1)=2 \implies 2^2 \equiv 1 \pmod p \implies p \mid 3 \implies p=3 (\because p$-prime)

Hence $3=p \mid n \implies n=3k \implies 9k^2 \mid 8^k+1$

Now suppose that $k >1$ so simmilarly as before let $q$ be the smallest prime divisor of $k$ hence we find that $$8^{\gcd(2k,q-1)} \equiv 1 \pmod q $$
$\gcd(2k,q-1)=2 \implies 8^2 \equiv 1 \pmod q \implies q \mid 63=7 \cdot 3^2 \implies q=3 \vee q=7$ however if $q=7$ then:
$7=q \mid 9k^2 \mid 8^k+1 \implies 7 \mid 8^k+1$ but RHS$=8^k+1 \equiv 1+1=2 \pmod 7$ so $7 \nmid RHS \rightarrow \leftarrow$

So $3=q \mid k \implies k=3 \ell \implies$ $$81 \ell^2 \mid 8^{3 \ell}+1$$
Now by taking $\nu_3$ we get:

$4+2 \cdot \nu_3(\ell)=\nu_3(81 \ell^2) \leq \nu_3(8^{3 \ell}+1) \stackrel{LTE}{=} \nu_3(8+1)+\nu_3(3 \cdot \ell)=3+\nu_3(\ell) \implies 4+2 \cdot \nu_3(\ell) \leq 3+\nu_3(\ell) \implies$ $$\nu_3(\ell) \leq -1 \rightarrow \leftarrow$$
Hence there doesn't exist a prime $q$ such that $q \mid k$ hence $k=1 \implies n=3$ which obviously works $\blacksquare$
This post has been edited 2 times. Last edited by ItsBesi, Jan 22, 2025, 2:21 PM
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mathfortaleza23
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#117
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what is r ?
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smileapple
1010 posts
#118
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Observe that $n$ must be odd, and suppose that $n>1$. Letting $p$ be the minimal prime divisor of $n$, we have $2^n\equiv-1\pmod p$ and thus $4^n\equiv1\pmod p$. We also have $4^{p-1}\equiv1\pmod p$. By minimality $\gcd(n,p-1)=1$, so it follows that $p=3$.

Let $k=\nu_3(n)$ and $m=\frac{n}{3^k}$. Then $\nu_3(2^n+1)=\nu_3(2^{3^km}-(-1)^{3^km})=v_3(3^km)+v_3(3)=k+1$ from exponent lifting, giving $2k=\nu_3(n^2)\le\nu_3(2^n+1)=k+1$. Thus $k=1$.

Hence, write $n=3m$ for $3\nmid m$, so that $n^2\mid 2^n+1$ occurs if and only if $m^2\mid 8^m+1$. Let $q$ be the smallest prime factor of $m$. Then similarly $64\equiv64^{\gcd(m,q-1)}\equiv1\pmod q$. Hence $q\in\{3,7\}$, but $q\neq 3$ as $3\nmid m$. and $q\neq 7$ as $8^m\equiv-1\pmod q$. Thus $q$ cannot exist; in other words, we have $m=1$.

Our solution set for $n$ is thus $\boxed{\{1,3\}}$. $\blacksquare$
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John_Mgr
59 posts
#119
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smileapple wrote:
Observe that $n$ must be odd, and suppose that $n>1$. Letting $p$ be the minimal prime divisor of $n$, we have $2^n\equiv-1\pmod p$ and thus $4^n\equiv1\pmod p$. We also have $4^{p-1}\equiv1\pmod p$. By minimality $\gcd(n,p-1)=1$, so it follows that $p=3$.

Let $k=\nu_3(n)$ and $m=\frac{n}{3^k}$. Then $\nu_3(2^n+1)=\nu_3(2^{3^km}-(-1)^{3^km})=v_3(3^km)+v_3(3)=k+1$ from exponent lifting, giving $2k=\nu_3(n^2)\le\nu_3(2^n+1)=k+1$. Thus $k=1$.

Hence, write $n=3m$ for $3\nmid m$, so that $n^2\mid 2^n+1$ occurs if and only if $m^2\mid 8^m+1$. Let $q$ be the smallest prime factor of $m$. Then similarly $64\equiv64^{\gcd(m,q-1)}\equiv1\pmod q$. Hence $q\in\{3,7\}$, but $q\neq 3$ as $3\nmid m$. and $q\neq 7$ as $8^m\equiv-1\pmod q$. Thus $q$ cannot exist; in other words, we have $m=1$.

Our solution set for $n$ is thus $\boxed{\{1,3\}}$. $\blacksquare$

$n>1$
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John_Mgr
59 posts
#120
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I too posted it.
Attachments:
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cursed_tangent1434
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#121
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We claim that the only positive integers $n$ which satisfy the given condition are $n=1$ and $n=3$. It is clear that these solutions work, so we shall now show that they are the only ones.

Since $n=1$ clearly works, we consider $n>1$ in what follows. Further, the left hand side is clearly odd for all $n \ge 1$ so we must have $n$ being odd. We first show the following.

Claim : For any positive integer $n$ which satisfies the given divisibility, $3$ must be the smallest prime divisor of $n$.

Proof : Let $q$ denote the smallest prime divisor of $n$. Since $q \mid n^2 \mid 2^n+1$ it follows that $2^{2n} \equiv 1 \pmod{q}$. Thus, $\text{ord}_q(2) \mid 2n$. Also, $\text{ord}_q(2) \mid q-1$ so if there exists an odd prime $r \mid \text{ord}_q(2)$ we have $r \mid 2n$ so $r \mid n$. But, $r \mid q-1$ so $r \le q-1 <q$ which contradicts the minimality of $q$. Thus, $\text{ord}_q(2)$ is a perfect power of two. Now, since $\nu_2(2n)=1$ as $n$ is odd we must have $\text{ord}_q(2) =2$. Thus,
\[0 \equiv 2^n+1 \equiv 2 +1 \equiv 3 \pmod{q}\]which holds if and only if $q=3$ as desired.

Now note,
\[2\nu_3(n)=\nu_3(n^2) \le \nu_3(2^n+1) = \nu_3(2+1)+\nu_3(n)=\nu_3(n)+1\]which implies that $\nu_3(n)=1$. Thus, if $n$ is a power of $3$ it must be $3$ itself, which works. Next, we consider $n>3$ and hence, there exists a second smallest prime divisor $s>3$ of $n$. As before note that if $\text{ord}_s(2)$ is not a power of two, $n$ must have a smaller prime divisor than $s$. Thus, $\text{ord}_s(2)$ can only have factors of $2$ and $3$ in it's prime factorization. However, as noted before, $\nu_2(2n) =1$ and $\nu_3(2n)=1$ so the only possibilities are $\text{ord}_s(2)=2$ and $\text{ord}_s(2)=6$. The former implies that $s=3$ which is a contradiction while the second implies $2^6 \equiv 1 \pmod{s}$ which requires $s \mid 63$. Thus we must have $s=7$. But it is not hard to check that $2^n+1 \not \equiv 0 \pmod{7}$ over all positive integers $n$ so this is a contradiction and we are done.
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