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Silk Road Mathematics Competition

number theory

Problem

Determine all prime numbers for which there are integers and such that and .
Solution
Considering all integers we can get the solutions , and . Now, let's prove that there is no other prime numbers satisfying the statement. We have Hence, or , and from last we conclude that , if we set . In a first case we have: i.e. which is a contradiction. In a second case: i.e. which is a contradiction.
Final answer
2, 5, 13

Techniques

Prime numbersTechniques: modulo, size analysis, order analysis, inequalitiesSymmetric functions