Decimal integers with nonzero digits and sum of powers puzzle

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The discussion focuses on finding positive decimal integers P, where P is equal to the sum of its digits raised to their own powers, with the condition that all digits are non-zero and distinct. Participants clarify that each digit corresponds to an individual component of P, and leading zeros are not allowed. A brute force method has been used to identify potential solutions, but only two valid solutions have been found so far. There is also a debate about the value of 0^0, which affects the calculations. The upper limit for P is estimated to be around 3.4 billion due to the rapid increase in the sum of the powers compared to the number itself.
K Sengupta
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Determine all possible positive decimal integer(s) P = X1X2X3….Xn, where P>=2 with none of the digits in P being zero, that satisfy this equation:

P = X1^X1 + X2^X2 + ……+ Xn^Xn

(For example, P = 234 cannot be a solution since 2^2 + 3^3 + 4^4 is equal to 287, not 234.)

Notes:

(i) X1X2X3….Xn denotes the concatenation of the digits X1, X2, …, Xn and do not represent the product of the digits.

(ii) P cannot admit any leading zero.
 
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I'm assuming that X1, X2, X3 are all the individual *digits* of P?

DaveE
 
Last edited:
davee123 said:
I'm assuming that X1, X2, X3 are all the individual *digits* of P?

DaveE

Yes, each of X1,X2, ...,Xn correspond to an individual digit of P.
 
Can any digit be the same as another digit?
 
K Sengupta said:
(ii) P cannot admit any leading zero.
...or presumably, any other zeros.
 
Here are a few:
1
3435
438579088
Of these only the first meets the unstated condition that all digits be distinct. The third one fails to meet the unstated condition that no digits be 0. I used a brute force method to get this partial solution. I do not know if this list is complete.
 
That also assumes that 0^0 = 0-- I thought the more accepted solution was that 0^0 = 1?

Otherwise, I think there's an upper bound of roughly 3.4 billion. Beyond that I think the rate at which the sum of the powers increases is capped (since 9^9 is the highest sum a digit can contribute), and the number itself is increasing more quickly.

DaveE
 
davee123 said:
That also assumes that 0^0 = 0-- I thought the more accepted solution was that 0^0 = 1?

Good catch. There was a bug in my code. So I have only found 2 solutions.
 
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