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smc

number theory senior

Problem

Let and be two-digit integers such that is obtained by reversing the digits of . The integers and satisfy for some positive integer . What is ?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
Solution
let , then where and are nonzero digits. By difference of squares, For this product to be a square, the factor of must be repeated in either or , and given the constraints it has to be . The factor of is already a square and can be ignored. Now must be another square, and since cannot be or greater then must equal or . If then , , , which is not a digit. Hence the only possible value for is . Now we have , , , then , , , , and
Final answer
E