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jmc

algebra senior

Problem

Find all positive integers with the following property:

For all positive integers and that make the roots of rational, the roots of will also be rational.

Enter all the possible values of separated by commas.
Solution
The roots of are rational if and only if the discriminant is a perfect square.

Similarly, the roots of are rational if and only if its discriminant is a perfect square.

To narrow down the possible values of we look at specific examples. Take and Then is a perfect square, and we want to be a perfect square, which means is a perfect square. We can check that this occurs only for 20, 27, 32, 35, and 36.

Now, take and Then is a perfect square, and we want to be a perfect square, which means is a perfect square. We can check that this occurs only for 36, 51, 64, 75, 84, 91, 96, 99, 100. The only number in both lists is

And if is a perfect square, then is a perfect square. Hence, the only such value of is
Final answer
36