Difference between revisions of "2017 USAJMO Problems/Problem 4"

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Are there any triples <math>(a,b,c)</math> of positive integers such that <math>(a-2)(b-2)(c-2) + 12</math> is prime that properly divides the positive number <math>a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + abc - 2017</math>?
 
Are there any triples <math>(a,b,c)</math> of positive integers such that <math>(a-2)(b-2)(c-2) + 12</math> is prime that properly divides the positive number <math>a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + abc - 2017</math>?
  
==Solution==
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==Solution 1==
  
Yes. Let <math>p = (a-2)(b-2)(c-2)+12 = abc - 2(ab+ac+bc)+4(a+b+c)+4</math>. Also define <math>\alpha=a+b+c</math>.
 
We want <math>p</math> to divide the positive number <math>a^2+b^2+c^2+abc-2017=(\alpha-47)(\alpha+43)+p</math>. This equality can be verified by expanding the righthand side.
 
Because <math>a^2+b^2+c^2+abc-2017</math> will be trivially positive if <math>(\alpha-47)(\alpha+43)</math> is non-negative, we can just assume that <math>\alpha=47</math>.
 
Analyzing the structure of <math>p</math>, we see that <math>a-2</math>,<math>b-2</math>, and <math>c-2</math> must be <math>1</math> or <math>5</math> mod <math>6</math>, or <math>p</math> will not be prime (divisibility by <math>2</math> and <math>3</math>).
 
Thus, we can guess any <math>a</math>,<math>b</math>, and <math>c</math> which satisfies those constraints.
 
For example, <math>a = 21</math>,<math>b=13</math>, and <math>c=13</math> works. <math>p=2311</math> is prime, and it divides the positive number <math>a^2+b^2+c^2+abc-2017=2311</math>.
 
  
This solution is wrong.  No <math>p</math> actually exist.
 
 
{{MAA Notice}}
 
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
 
{{USAJMO newbox|year=2017|num-b=3|num-a=5}}
 
{{USAJMO newbox|year=2017|num-b=3|num-a=5}}

Revision as of 08:21, 18 January 2021

Problem

Are there any triples $(a,b,c)$ of positive integers such that $(a-2)(b-2)(c-2) + 12$ is prime that properly divides the positive number $a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + abc - 2017$?

Solution 1

See also

2017 USAJMO (ProblemsResources)
Preceded by
Problem 3
Followed by
Problem 5
1 2 3 4 5 6
All USAJMO Problems and Solutions