MHB Show that the equation $2a^3 - 7b^2 = 1$ has no solution over the integers

  • Thread starter Thread starter Euge
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary
The equation 2a^3 - 7b^2 = 1 has been posed as a problem of the week, but no solutions were provided by participants. The discussion centers around proving that there are no integer solutions for the equation. A solution has been presented by the thread's author, which details the reasoning behind the impossibility of finding integer values for a and b that satisfy the equation. The lack of responses indicates a challenging nature of the problem. The thread concludes with the author's solution, inviting readers to review it for understanding.
Euge
Gold Member
MHB
POTW Director
Messages
2,072
Reaction score
245
Here is this week's POTW:

-----
Show that the equation $2a^3 - 7b^2 = 1$ has no solution over the integers.

-----

 
Physics news on Phys.org
No one answered this week's problem. You can read my solution below.
Reducing the equation modulo $7$ yields $2a^3 \equiv 1 \pmod{7}$, or $a^3 \equiv 4 \pmod{7}$. Note that $\pm 1, \pm 2$, and $\pm 3$ all have cubes that are $\equiv \pm 1\pmod{7}$. Hence, the congruence $a^3 \equiv 3\pmod{7}$ has no solution. This implies the original Diophantine equation has no solution.