Coprime pythagorean quadruples or higher tuples?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the possibility of finding coprime Pythagorean quadruples and higher tuples, specifically examining the conditions under which such tuples can exist. Participants explore examples and methods related to Pythagorean triples, quadruples, and quintuples, as well as related mathematical concepts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether Pythagorean quadruples of the form a^2 + b^2 + c^2 = d^2 can be pairwise coprime, noting that existing methods suggest at least two numbers must be even, which may contradict coprimality.
  • Another participant proposes a simple example of a Pythagorean quintuple (1^2 + 1^2 + 1^2 + 1^2 = 2^2) but seeks examples where all numbers are greater than 1.
  • A later reply claims to have found a pairwise coprime Pythagorean quintuple (5^2 + 7^2 + 31^2 + 101^2 = 106^2) with all numbers greater than 1.
  • One participant introduces a related topic about the sum of consecutive squares equating to a square, stating that the only case is when n=24, and notes that these numbers are not pairwise coprime.
  • The same participant suggests exploring the sum of composite squares and testing conditions under which they could yield a coprime square.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the existence of coprime Pythagorean tuples, with some examples provided but no consensus on the general case. The discussion includes both agreement on specific examples and disagreement on broader implications.

Contextual Notes

Participants note limitations in existing methods for generating tuples and the implications of evenness on coprimality, but these remain unresolved within the discussion.

JesseM
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Kind of a random question, but it came up in an online discussion I was having recently about a supposed proof that hinged on pythagorean triples and whether it could be generalized...I know it's possible to find pythagorean triples of the form a^2 + b^2 = c^2 such that a,b,c are all pairwise coprime (no two share a common factor larger than 1), for example 3^2 + 4^2 = 5^2. But is this possible with quadruples of the form a^2 + b^2 + c^2 = d^2, or quintuples of the form a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + d^2 = e^2, or any higher tuples? If so can anyone find some examples? I see this page has a method for generating higher tuples but I can't really follow it...

edit: according to this page the parametrization for generating all primitive pythagorean quadruples apparently implies that at least two of them must be divisible by 2, so in this case it won't work...but I'm still wondering about quintuples and higher...
 
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It occurred to me that a simple example of a Pythagorean quintuple that's pairwise coprime would just be 1^2 + 1^2 + 1^2 + 1^2 = 2^2. But I wonder if there are any examples where all the numbers are larger than 1.
 
Didn't get any response to this one, but so no one wastes their time in the future, just wanted to say that I did find a pairwise coprime pythagorean quintuplet with all numbers greater than 1:

5^2 + 7^2 + 31^2 + 101^2 = 106^2
 
This is a little off the subject, but I think there is only one case where consecutive squares starting with 1 is a square:

[tex]1^2+2^2 +3^2++++n^2 = \frac{(n)(n+1)(2n+1)}{6} = X^2[/tex]

And that case is n=24. Obviously they are not all pairwise coprime.
 
robert Ihnot said:
This is a little off the subject, but I think there is only one case where consecutive squares starting with 1 is a square:

[tex]1^2+2^2 +3^2++++n^2 = \frac{(n)(n+1)(2n+1)}{6} = X^2[/tex]

And that case is n=24. Obviously they are not all pairwise coprime.
But it easily would be on topic to add up all the composite squares 16 + 36 + 81 + ... + 576. If that sum is not a coprime square, test if an even number of the prime squares, or if 4 and an even number of odd prime squares, could be added to this sum to make a square and be coprime with the remaining prime squares.
 
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