MHB Total ordered pair in factorial equation

  • Thread starter Thread starter juantheron
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Factorial Pair
AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on finding integer ordered pairs (x, y) for the equations x^2 - y! = 2001 and x^2 - y! = 2013. For the first equation, it is established that x must be a multiple of 3, and y must be less than 6 due to the constraints of factorials and divisibility. The smallest square greater than 2001 is identified as 2025, providing a potential solution. A similar analysis applies to the second equation, where 2013 is also a multiple of 3 but not 9, leading to comparable restrictions on y. The exploration highlights the significant limitations on possible solutions due to the properties of factorials and divisibility.
juantheron
Messages
243
Reaction score
1
(A) Total no. of integer ordered pairs $(x,y)$ in $x^2-y! = 2001$

(B) Total no. of integer ordered pairs $(x,y)$ in $x^2-y! = 2013$

My Trail :: (A) Given $x^2-y! = 2001 = 3 \times 23 \times 29 \Rightarrow x^2 -y! = \left(3\times 23 \times 29\right)$

means $(x^2-y!)$ must be divisible by $3$ So $x = 3k$ anf $y\geq 3$, where $k\in \mathbb{Z}$

So $9k^2-y! = 3\times 23 \times 29$

Now How can i solve after that

Thanks
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
[sp]The smallest square greater than $2001$ is $45^2 = 2025 = 4! + 2001$. So that gives you one solution.

You have shown that $x$ is a multiple of $3$, and so $x^2$ is a multiple of $9$. But $2001$ is not a multiple of $9$. So if $x^2 - y! = 2001$ then $y!$ must not be a multiple of $9$. Therefore $y<6$. That severely limits the number of possible solutions!

For (B), $2013$ is also a multiple of $3$ but not a multiple of $9$. So you can apply a very similar argument in that case too.[/sp]
 
Seemingly by some mathematical coincidence, a hexagon of sides 2,2,7,7, 11, and 11 can be inscribed in a circle of radius 7. The other day I saw a math problem on line, which they said came from a Polish Olympiad, where you compute the length x of the 3rd side which is the same as the radius, so that the sides of length 2,x, and 11 are inscribed on the arc of a semi-circle. The law of cosines applied twice gives the answer for x of exactly 7, but the arithmetic is so complex that the...

Similar threads

Back
Top