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175 votes
2 answers
66k views

Estimating the size of solutions of a diophantine equation

A. Is there natural numbers $a,b,c$ such that $\frac{a}{b+c} + \frac{b}{a+c} + \frac{c}{a+b}$ is equal to an odd natural number ? (I do not know any such numbers). B. Suppose that $\frac{a}{b+c} + \...
alex alexeq's user avatar
  • 1,881
40 votes
1 answer
2k views

Diophantine equation for 2016: triangular $|{\rm GL}_2({\bf F}_q)|$

For a prime power $q$ the group ${\rm GL}_2({\bf F}_q)$ has $(q^2-1)(q^2-q)$ elements. This happens to be a triangular number for $q=2$ (being $6 = 1+2+3$), and $-$ more notably, especially this year ...
Noam D. Elkies's user avatar
40 votes
2 answers
3k views

$x^4+y^4$ powerful for relatively prime $x,y$

I asked this question on the NMBRTHRY mailing list on 17 February 2014, but it remains unsolved as far as I know. Recall that a "powerful number" is a positive integer whose prime ...
Noam D. Elkies's user avatar
26 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why do the $2$-Selmer ranks of $y^2 = x^3 + p^3 $ and $y^2 = x^3 - p^3 $ agree?

I was playing around with sage, when I found that the Mordell-Weil ranks (over $\mathbb{Q}$) of the elliptic curves $y^2=x^3+p^3$ and $y^2=x^3-p^3 $ almost always agree, for $p$ prime. The first few ...
Milton's user avatar
  • 582
21 votes
2 answers
2k views

State of knowledge of $a^n+b^n=c^n+d^n$ vs. $a^n+b^n+c^n=d^n+e^n+f^n$

As far as I understand, both of the Diophantine equations $$a^5 + b^5 = c^5 + d^5$$ and $$a^6 + b^6 = c^6 + d^6$$ have no known nontrivial solutions, but $$24^5 + 28^5 + 67^5 = 3^5+64^5+62^5$$ and $$3^...
Joseph O'Rourke's user avatar
21 votes
3 answers
872 views

Consecutive square values of cubic polynomials

Let $P(x)$ be a cubic polynomial with integer coefficients. Does there exist a constant $c$ such that at least one of the following values $P(0),P(1),...,P(c)$ is not a square? It is known that the ...
user47437's user avatar
  • 321
18 votes
3 answers
2k views

More elliptic curves for $a^4+b^4+c^4+d^4 = (a+b+c+d)^4$?

(Note: See also the $a^4+b^4+c^4 = 1$ version in this old MSE post.) The equation discussed in a paper by Jacobi and Madden, $$a^4+b^4+c^4+d^4 = (a+b+c+d)^4 = z^4\tag1$$ or equivalently, $$(p-2q + ...
Tito Piezas III's user avatar
18 votes
2 answers
2k views

What is the taxicab number for rational fourth powers?

The taxicab number is the smallest integer that can be expressed as a sum of two positive integer cubes in two different ways, and it is equal to $1729=12^3+1^3=10^3+9^3$. There are generalizations to ...
Bogdan Grechuk's user avatar
17 votes
2 answers
2k views

What is the smallest positive integer for which the congruent number problem is unsolved?

The congruent number problem is the problem of figuring out whether a given positive integer $N$ is the area of a right-angled triangle with all side lengths rational. According to Dickson's "History ...
Kevin Buzzard's user avatar
16 votes
2 answers
410 views

$3$-ranks of elliptic curves and representations $p=ax^3+by^3$

Let $p$ be a prime with $p\equiv2\pmod3$ and $E_p$ the elliptic curve $y^2=x^3+9p^2$ which has a rational $3$-torsion point. Let $\alpha$ from $E_p(\mathbb Q)$ to $\mathbb Q^*/{\mathbb Q^*}^3$ be the $...
Henri Cohen's user avatar
  • 13.1k
15 votes
1 answer
2k views

Fermat's Bachet-Mordell Equation

Fermat once claimed that the only integral solutions to $y^2 = x^3 - 2$ are $(3, \pm 5)$. Fermat knew Bachet's duplication formulas (more precisely, Bachet had a formula for computing what we call $-...
Franz Lemmermeyer's user avatar
14 votes
1 answer
408 views

Can you "slice" a triangular number into three equal slices?

Problem statement: Does there exist positive integers $a<b<c$ such that $$1 + 2 + \dots + (a-1) = (a+1) + \dots + (b-1) = (b+1) + \dots + c?$$ (Note that $a$ and $b$ are not in the sums.) ...
Benjamin Wang's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
1k views

On Euler's elliptic curve for $A^4+B^4 = C^4+D^4$?

To solve, $$A^4+B^4 = C^4+D^4$$ we use Euler's method. Let, $$(p+q)^4+(r-s)^4=(p-q)^4+(r+s)^4$$ and define $p = (a^3 - b),\, q = a y,\, r = b (a^3 - b),\, s = y.\,$ The equation above transforms to ...
Tito Piezas III's user avatar
13 votes
1 answer
499 views

On the equation $a^6+b^6+c^6=d^2$

I have been studying the equation $a^6+b^6+c^6=d^2$, trying to find rational solutions. I know it is a K3 surface, with high Picard rank, so there should be rational or elliptic curves on it. When ...
Thomas's user avatar
  • 2,811
12 votes
2 answers
1k views

What is the rank of the Mordell equation $y^2 = x^3 - 2$?

The mordell equation $E$ defined by $y^2 = x^3 - 2$ over $\mathbb{Q}$ is known to have only one non-trivial integer solution $P = (3,5)$ from here. However, the rank of Mordell-Weil group $E(\mathbb{Q}...
Avram Grant's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
3k views

How many Pythagorean triples are there in which every member is triangular?

How many Pythagorean triples $(a,b,c)$ are there such that $a, b$ and $c$ are triangular? Any two solutions with only $a$ and $b$ interchanged are considered equivalent. The question of existence ...
Ricardo Buring's user avatar
12 votes
0 answers
704 views

Why are solutions to $\sqrt[k]{x_1^k+x_2^k+x_3^k+x_4^k}$ for $k=2,3$ curiously smooth?

Given an integer solution $s_m$ to the system, $$x_1^2+x_2^2+\dots+x_n^2 = y^2$$ $$x_1^3+x_2^3+\dots+x_n^3 = z^3$$ and define the function, $$F(s_m) = x_1+x_2+\dots+x_n$$ For $n\geq3$, using an ...
Tito Piezas III's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
1k views

Sum of consecutive cubes

I'm investigating when the sum of $n$ consecutive cubes equals a cube, i.e., for which $n$ does $$\sum_{i=0}^{n-1} (k+i)^3 = k^3 + (k+1)^3 + \cdots + (k+n-1)^3 = Y^3 $$ have nontrivial solutions $(k,...
Derek Orr's user avatar
  • 239
11 votes
5 answers
2k views

Analysis of a quadratic diophantine equation

Hi! This is my first post on Math Overflow. I have two equations: $a(3a-1) + b(3b-1) = c(3c-1)$ and $a(3a-1) - b(3b-1) = d(3d-1)$. I'm trying to find properties of $a$ and $b$ that lead to solutions, ...
apples's user avatar
  • 113
11 votes
1 answer
664 views

how many consecutive integers $x$ can make $ax^2+bx+c$ square ?

The following problem was raised in a Mathlinks thread: If $a,b,c\in\mathbb Z$ such that $a\ne0$ and $b^2-4ac\ne 0$, for how many consecutive integers $x$ can $ax^2+bx+c$ ba a perfect square ? The ...
Wolfgang's user avatar
  • 13.4k
10 votes
0 answers
259 views

Integral points on elliptic curve and the Lee norm

This question is based on small experiments I have done in Sagemath and if it is not research level, I will move it to MSE: Let $E$ be an elliptic curve defined with coefficients in $\mathbb{Z}$. The ...
user avatar
9 votes
3 answers
531 views

Diophantine equations $ax^4+by^2=c$ in rational numbers

Are there general ways for given rational coefficients $a,b,c$ (I am particularly interested in $a=3,b=1,c=8076$, but in general case too) to answer whether this equation has a rational solution or ...
Fedor Petrov's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
643 views

Around the diophantine equation $\frac{a}{2b+3c}+\frac{b}{2c+3a}+\frac{c}{2a+3b}=\text{odd integer}$, over positive integers

I am interested to know if a similar theorem that shows this answer of the post Estimating the size of solutions of a diophantine equation (this MathOverflow, January 5th 2016) is feasible for a ...
user142929's user avatar
8 votes
4 answers
2k views

Status of $x^3+y^3+z^3=6xyz$

In Erik Dofs, Solutions of $x^3 + y^3 + z^3 = nxyz$, Acta Arithmetica 73 (1995) pp. 201–213, doi:10.4064/aa-73-3-201-213, EuDML the author has studied the Diophantine equation \begin{equation} x^3+y^...
Haran's user avatar
  • 371
8 votes
2 answers
730 views

An elliptic curve for Ramanujan-type cubic identities?

Given the roots $x_i$ of the depressed cubic, $$x^3+px+q=0$$ with rational coefficients. It can be shown that, in general, one can find rational $u,v$ such that, $$(u-x_1)^{1/3}+ (u-x_2)^{1/3}+ (u-...
Tito Piezas III's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
206 views

Integral complete 4-partite graphs

For given block sizes $a<b<c<d$, consider the complete 4-partite graph $K_{a,b,c,d }$. Can such a graph be integral, i.e. have only integer eigenvalues? It is easy to see that the ...
Wolfgang's user avatar
  • 13.4k
7 votes
4 answers
884 views

Extending rational Diophantine triples to sextuples

(This is a follow-up to a previous post.) A rational Diophantine $m$-tuple is a set of rationals {$a_1,a_2,\dots a_m$} such that (with $i\neq j$), all $a_i a_j+1$ is a square. Problem: Find a class of ...
Tito Piezas III's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
581 views

Uniform bounds on the number of integer points on a family of elliptic curves

Let $P(x,y)$ be a binary cubic polynomial with integer coefficient. Let $n$ be an integer. Suppose the (complex) curve $P(x,y)=n$ is nonsingular, so is an elliptic curve. Is there any bound on the ...
Fan Zheng's user avatar
  • 5,169
7 votes
1 answer
389 views

Why are some solutions of these diophantine equations off the usual patterns?

This is inspired by a recent question about complete multipartite integral graphs. I am wondering if more can be said about tripartite integral graphs with block sizes $a<b<c$. It is easy to see ...
Wolfgang's user avatar
  • 13.4k
7 votes
1 answer
463 views

A parametric elliptic curve for $x^4+y^4+z^4 = 1$?

Noam Elkies found that $x^4+y^4+z^4 = 1$ has infinitely many rational points $xyz \neq 0$ using an elliptic curve. We use a different approach that will produce pairs of solutions and a parametric ...
Tito Piezas III's user avatar
7 votes
0 answers
237 views

Magic hourglass of squares hyperelliptic equation

I have been looking into the problem of the magic square of squares, or more specifically, the magic hourglass of squares, like so: $a^2$ $b^2$ $c^2$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $d^2$ $e^2$ $f^2$ $g^2$ ...
Thomas's user avatar
  • 2,811
7 votes
0 answers
533 views

$a^5+b^5=c^5+d^5$ and polynomial identities

No nontrivial integer solutions to $$ a^5+b^5=c^5+d^5 \qquad (1)$$ are known. (1) has infinitely many solutions in an extension of $\mathbb{Z}$ (root of $9-15x+37x^2 $ ) resulting from a genus 0 ...
joro's user avatar
  • 25.4k
6 votes
3 answers
1k views

Are there Heronian triangles that can be decomposed into three smaller ones?

Is there anything known about the existence of Heronian triangles ABC (i.e. with rational side lengths and rational area) that can be decomposed into three Heronian triangles ABD, BCD, CAD? ...
Wolfgang's user avatar
  • 13.4k
6 votes
2 answers
482 views

Difficult elliptic curves for $a^4+b^4+c^4+d^4 = (a+b+c+d)^4$?

Similar to the case $x^4+y^4+z^4 = 1$ discussed in this MO post, define the system, $$x^4+y^4+z^4+1 = (x+y+z+1)^4\tag1$$ $$\frac{x^2+x+1}{(x+y+1)(x+z+1)}=u\tag2$$ $$\frac{y^2+y+1}{(y+z+1)(y+x+1)}=v\...
Tito Piezas III's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
964 views

The elliptic curve for $x_1^9+x_2^9+\dots+x_6^9 = y_1^9+y_2^9+\dots+y_6^9$

I. Theorem: "If there are $a,b,c,d,e,f$ such that, $$a+b+c = d+e+f\tag1$$ $$a^2+b^2+c^2 = d^2+e^2+f^2\tag2$$ $$3u^3-3uv+w=-def\qquad\tag3$$ with $(u,v,w)$ as the symmetric polynomials $u=a+b+c,\; ...
Tito Piezas III's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
363 views

Are there integer solutions of $m^4+m^2n^2+n^4=k^2$?

The recent question about Sets of integers with same sum and same sum of reciprocals, with its wealth of solutions, raises naturally the question: Can we require all those numbers to be squares? Of ...
Wolfgang's user avatar
  • 13.4k
5 votes
1 answer
826 views

Does the following Diophantine equation have nontrivial rational solutions?

Are there any solutions to the equation $s^{2}(1+t^{2})^{2}+t^{2}(1+s^{2})^{2}=u^2$ where $s,t,u\in \mathbb{Q}$ and $0 < s,t<1$? If so, is there a simple way to parametrize them all? If I am ...
Pace Nielsen's user avatar
  • 18.7k
5 votes
1 answer
470 views

On the elliptic curve $x(x+a^2)(x+b^2) = y^2$

Ajai Choudhry showed that special cases of the elliptic curve, $$x(x+a^2)(x+b^2)=y^2\tag1$$ can be used to prove that, $$u_1^7+u_2^7+\dots + u_9^7 = 0\tag2$$ has an infinite number of primitive ...
Tito Piezas III's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
526 views

Integer solutions of $ z^3 y^2 = x(x-1)(x+1)$

According to a conjecture there are no three consecutive powerful numbers. Necessary condition for this is integer solution of $$ z^3 y^2 = x(x-1)(x+1) \qquad (1) $$ What are integer solutions of ...
joro's user avatar
  • 25.4k
5 votes
1 answer
462 views

Solutions of a general diophantine equation

So it turns out that there exist positive integers a, b, c and n, such that $\frac{a}{b+c}+\frac{b}{a+c}+\frac{c}{a+b}=n.$ See Estimating the size of solutions of a diophantine equation Now I am ...
Dmitry Kamenetsky's user avatar
4 votes
4 answers
608 views

Integral points on a particular family of curves

This is a follow-up to this question (and comments thereon). Namely, it follows from Felipe Voloch's comment that for any $n>2$ there is a finite set of integral $(x, y),$ such that $$ \prod_{i=1}^...
Igor Rivin's user avatar
  • 96.4k
4 votes
1 answer
352 views

Squares in the set $\{\sum_{j=1}^m j^2: m\in\mathbb{N}\}$ [closed]

Are there infinitely many squares in the set $$\{\sum_{j=1}^m j^2: m\in\mathbb{N}\} ?$$
Dominic van der Zypen's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
563 views

The number of perfect squares which can occur in an arithmetic progression of length n

This is a similar question to https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/2023399/the-maximum-number-of-perfect-squares-that-can-be-in-an-arithmetic-progression/3693487#3693487 Let f(n) be the maximum ...
Thomas's user avatar
  • 2,811
3 votes
1 answer
246 views

Fermat's cubic equation in quadratic extension of $\mathbb{Q}$

Is still relevant or interesting be capable to bring a criteria in order to classifly quadratic extensions of $\mathbb{Q}$ based on the existence or not existence of non-trivial solutions of Fermat's ...
E. Pech's user avatar
  • 31
3 votes
3 answers
444 views

Pairs of quadratic polynomials taking values pairs of consecutive squares

Let $f,g \in \mathbb{Z}[x]$ be quadratic and neither square. For $x,y,z \in \mathbb{Z}$ what is the maximal number of solutions to $f(x)=z^2,g(y)=(z+1)^2$? Solutions are integral points on the genus ...
joro's user avatar
  • 25.4k
3 votes
1 answer
222 views

Large integral points on the quadratic twist $ D y^2=x^3+A x +B$

For integers $A,B,D$ and $D$ squarefree let $E : y^2=x^3+A x + B$ and $E_D$ be the quadratic twist of the elliptic curve $E$: $$ E_D : D y^2=x^3+Ax +B$$ $E_D$ is isomorphic to $ E'_D : y^2=x^3+D^2 A ...
joro's user avatar
  • 25.4k
3 votes
1 answer
164 views

Existence of Pillai equations with Catalan type solutions?

In Catalan's conjecture we have $$x^m-y^n=1$$ having solution $(3,2,1,1)$ and $(3,2,2,3)$. Call $$ax^m-by^n=k$$ to be Pillai Diophantine equation. Is it true no Pillai Diophantine equation exists ...
Turbo's user avatar
  • 13.9k
3 votes
0 answers
176 views

For which primes $p$ in $\mathbb Z$ is $p\omega$ the sum of two cubes in $\mathbb Q(\omega)$?

This is related to an earlier question I posed —"Possible extensions of a conjecture …". Now that my note arXiv:2309.00162 has appeared I'll use it as a reference. Elementary results(along ...
paul Monsky's user avatar
  • 5,422
3 votes
0 answers
126 views

FLT and integral points on elliptic curves

For integers $x,y,z,t,n$ define $S_n : xy(x+y)=t^n$. For $ n > 2$, Fermat's Last Theorem implies there are no integral solution on $S_n$ with $x,y$ coprime and $xy(x+y) \ne 0$ since $x,y,x+y$ are ...
joro's user avatar
  • 25.4k
3 votes
0 answers
326 views

Solving $(u-x_1)^{1/3}+ (u-x_2)^{1/3}+ (u-x_3)^{1/3} = {v}^{1/3}$ with elliptic curves

Let $x_1$,$x_2$,$x_3$ be the roots of the cubic $x^3+px+q$ over $\mathbb Q$, the idea is that rational solutions $(u,v)$ of the equation $$(u-x_1)^{1/3}+ (u-x_2)^{1/3}+ (u-x_3)^{1/3} = {v}^{1/3} \...
davidoff303's user avatar