Difference between revisions of "2007 JBMO Problems/Problem 4"

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==Problem 4==
 
==Problem 4==
Prove that if <math> p</math> is a prime number, then <math> 7p+3^{p}-4</math> is not a perfect square.
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Prove that if <math>p</math> is a prime number, then <math>7p+3^{p}-4</math> is not a perfect square.
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==Solution==
 
==Solution==
 
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By Fermat's Little Theorem, <math>7p+3^p-4\equiv3-4\equiv-1\mod p</math>. By quadratic residues, this is true if and only if <math>p\equiv1\mod4</math>, except for <math>p=2</math> (which doesn't work). Then, <math>7p+3^p-4\equiv3+3-4=2\mod4</math>, but this implies <math>v_2(7p+3^{p}-4)</math> is odd, so <math>7p+3^{p}-4</math> cannot be a perfect square.
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
 
{{JBMO box|year=2007|num-b=3|after=Last Problem|five=}}
 
{{JBMO box|year=2007|num-b=3|after=Last Problem|five=}}
  
 
[[Category:Intermediate Number Theory Problems]]
 
[[Category:Intermediate Number Theory Problems]]

Latest revision as of 13:33, 16 April 2024

Problem 4

Prove that if $p$ is a prime number, then $7p+3^{p}-4$ is not a perfect square.

Solution

By Fermat's Little Theorem, $7p+3^p-4\equiv3-4\equiv-1\mod p$. By quadratic residues, this is true if and only if $p\equiv1\mod4$, except for $p=2$ (which doesn't work). Then, $7p+3^p-4\equiv3+3-4=2\mod4$, but this implies $v_2(7p+3^{p}-4)$ is odd, so $7p+3^{p}-4$ cannot be a perfect square.

See also

2007 JBMO (ProblemsResources)
Preceded by
Problem 3
Followed by
Last Problem
1 2 3 4
All JBMO Problems and Solutions