How can we solve a!b! = a! + b! + c^2 for positive integers a, b, and c?

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
4 replies · 3K views
msudidi
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Given that a, b, and c are positive integers solve the following equation.

a!b! = a! + b! + c^2

anyone?
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
I found the answer through brute force: a=2, b=3, c=2.

Not sure if there is a more elegant solution though.
 
vorde, thanks for trying, I am getting the same answer too:smile:

but I'm seeking for method to solve it: how to relate multiplication of 2 factorials and their sums? if we can, then c wouldn't be a problem.

there should be a way to solve it:rolleyes:
 
"Brute force" is a method! Please clarify what you are looking for.
 
msudidi said:
Given that a, b, and c are positive integers solve the following equation.

a!b! = a! + b! + c^2

anyone?

Doesn't it work for all positive integers c such that [itex]c = \sqrt{a!b! -a! -b!}[/itex]? :biggrin:

Spit-balling here, we have [itex]a!b! = a! + b! + c^2[/itex]? Doesn't that imply that [itex]\displaystyle a! = 1 + \frac{a! + c^2}{b!} = 1 + \frac{a(a-1)(a-2)(a-3)...}{b(b-1)(b-2)...} + \frac{c^2}{b!} = 1 + \prod_{k = (b+1)}^a k + \frac{c^2}{b!}[/itex]. Don't know where I'm going with that...