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Bulgaria

Bulgaria counting and probability

Problem

Do there exist positive integers and , , such that
Solution
By applying the formula we obtain the equation Hence , which implies that is a perfect square. Let , where . We have Using that and we conclude that . Let (the left hand side of this inequality follows from the condition of the problem). If , we have i.e. the equation has no solution in this case. When we obtain , hence , , . Direct computation shows that and is not a solution. If we have , so , , and as above we conclude that no solution exists. Therefore positive integers and satisfying the equation do not exist.

Techniques

Algebraic properties of binomial coefficientsTechniques: modulo, size analysis, order analysis, inequalities