Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 5 / 174 of 400 #774 of 1964

Problem 774

AIME late
Number theory Difficulty 5.4 Prove it

Prove that the equation 2x3−7y=12 x^{3}-7 y=1 has no integer solution pairs (x;y)(x ; y)!

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, then read the official solution and mark yourself. Be honest about it: the record is only any use to you if it is.

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Official solution

Assume there exists an integer solution pair (x;y)(x ; y) for the equation 2x2−7y=12 x^{2}-7 y=1.

Then, because 7y≡0( mod 7)7 y \equiv 0(\bmod 7), it must hold that 2x3≡1( mod 7)2 x^{3} \equiv 1(\bmod 7), which means x3≡4( mod 7)x^{3} \equiv 4(\bmod 7). However, this is a contradiction to the fact that x3≡0( mod 7)x^{3} \equiv 0(\bmod 7) for x≡0( mod 7)x \equiv 0(\bmod 7) and x3≡±1( mod 7)x^{3} \equiv \pm 1(\bmod 7) for x≠0x \neq 0 ( mod 7)(\bmod 7), so x3≠4( mod 7)x^{3} \neq 4(\bmod 7) for any integer xx.

Thus, the assumption is disproven.

Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty, ordering) added by this project.