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ckck
Yang-Mills Theory
Yang-Mills Theory

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#1
Dividing...

Given that the gcd(a,b)=1, find all ordered pairs (m,n) such that a^{m}+b^{m} divides into a^{n}+b^{n}.


What I have so far
\frac{a^{n}+b^{n}}{a^{m}+b^{m}}=k where k is an integer. This fraction turns into \frac{(a-b)(a^{n-1}+a^{n-2}b+...+b^{n-1})}{(a-b)(a^{m-1}+a^{m-2}b+...+b^{m-1})}=k. From here since a\neq b we can divide a-b to have \frac{a^{n-1}+a^{n-2}b+...+b^{n-1}}{a^{m-1}+a^{m-2}b+...+b^{m-1}}=k. From here is where I am stuck...any help?

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:57 pm  Back to top 
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bbgun34
Riemann Hypothesis
Riemann Hypothesis


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#2
You need to show that n or m is odd, and the factorization does not work if there is an even exponent. Also, the factorization would only work for a^n - b^n, for evens. (it's fine if the power is odd).

One obvious solution is (m,n) = \boxed{(k,k)}, for some k.

Are there any restrictions about the actual numbers a,b,m,n themselves?
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:56 pm  Back to top 
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ckck
Yang-Mills Theory
Yang-Mills Theory

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#3
The only other restrictions that I forgot to mention were that a, and b are positive integers.
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:19 pm  Back to top 
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Potla
Yang-Mills Theory
Yang-Mills Theory


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#4
My approach

I have proceeded with this problem as follows:
Since a^m+b^m|a^n+b^n hence m\leq n\implies m+k=n
Plugging this value of n into the given relation we have a^m+b^m | a^m \cdot a^k +b^m\cdot b^k.
So now we let a^m \cdot a^k +b^m\cdot b^k=la^m+lb^m\implies a^m(a^k-l)+b^m(b^k-l)=0
\implies a^m(a^k-l)=b^m(l-b^k)
Now since \gcd (a,b)=1; hence this equation is only possible when a^k-l=l-b^k=0
\implies a^k=b^k\implies \boxed{k=0}.
Hence m=n is forced; \implies all possible pairs of m,n are
\boxed{(m,n)=(t,t)} where t is any positive integer.
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:02 pm  Back to top 
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andersonw
Yang-Mills Theory
Yang-Mills Theory

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#5
Re: My approach

Potla wrote:
Now since \gcd (a,b) = 1; hence this equation is only possible when a^k - l = l - b^k = 0
\implies a^k = b^k\implies \boxed{k = 0}.


This is not necessarily true, since all m,n odd with m|n also work.
Consider m=1, k=2, l=a^2-ab+b^2, for example.

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:58 pm  Back to top 
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JBL
Birch & Swinnerton Dyer
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#6
Re: My approach

Potla wrote:
So now we let a^m \cdot a^k + b^m\cdot b^k = la^m + lb^m
You might want to reconsider this step Wink
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 2:22 pm  Back to top 
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andersonw
Yang-Mills Theory
Yang-Mills Theory

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#7
hopefully correct

As above, let n=m+k. Since m=n obviously works, let k be positive.
Then we want a^ka^m+b^kb^m\equiv 0 \pmod{a^m+b^m}
a^ka^m+b^kb^m-(a^k+b^k)(a^m+b^m)\equiv 0 \pmod{a^m+b^m}
a^kb^m+b^ka^m\equiv 0 \pmod{a^m+b^m}
If k<m then we have
a^kb^k(a^{m-k}+b^{m-k})\equiv 0\pmod{a^m+b^m}.
Because gcd(a,b)=1, both a^k and b^k are relatively prime to a^m+b^m. This means we need
a^{m-k}+b^{m-k}\equiv 0\pmod{a^m+b^m}.
Which cannot be true because the LHS is greater than 0 and less than a^m+b^m.
This means we need k\ge m, in which case
a^mb^m(a^{k-m}+b^{k-m})\equiv 0\pmod{a^m+b^m}, or
a^{k-m}+b^{k-m}\equiv 0\pmod{a^m+b^m}.
Now we need k-m\ge m, so this is the same situation as the beginning, except n is replaced by k-m. We have the solution k-m=m, or k=2m, and then we can repeat the exact same process with k-m=m+l where l is positive, to get l-m\ge m. The solution l-m=m \implies l=2m\implies k-2m=2m\implies k=4m works, and then we can let l-m=m+a, where a is another positive number, etc. Therefore, the only possible solutions are k=0, 2m, 4m, 6m,\cdots, and they also all work. This implies n=m, 3m, 5m, \cdots so the final answer is any ordered pair of the form (m, (2c-1)m), where m and c are positive integers.

This could probably be stated in a simpler and shorter way, but oh well.

PostPosted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 5:01 pm  Back to top 
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Potla
Yang-Mills Theory
Yang-Mills Theory


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#8
Potla wrote:
\implies a^m(a^k - l) = b^m(l - b^k)
Now since \gcd (a,b) = 1; hence this equation is only possible when a^k - l = l - b^k = 0

I think my previous step is incorrect .... Sad Because of anderson's counter example:
andersonw wrote:
Potla wrote:
Now since \gcd (a,b) = 1; hence this equation is only possible when a^k - l = l - b^k = 0
\implies a^k = b^k\implies \boxed{k = 0}.

This is not necessarily true, since all m,n odd with m|n also work.
Consider m=1, k=2, l=a^2-ab+b^2, for example.


JBL wrote:
Potla wrote:
So now we let a^m \cdot a^k + b^m\cdot b^k = la^m + lb^m
You might want to reconsider this step Wink

Can you explain JBL, why I can't assume a^m \cdot a^k + b^m\cdot b^k = l(a^m + b^m) where l\in\mathbb N ? I think it is correct here since (a^m + b^m)|(a^m \cdot a^k + b^m\cdot b^k)....

@ all: sorry for that stupid mistake Sad

PostPosted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:59 pm  Back to top 
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JBL
Birch & Swinnerton Dyer
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#9
@Potla: my apologies, I was reading quickly and misunderstood what you wrote.
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 8:10 am  Back to top 
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