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PrintMathematica competitions in Croatia
Croatia number theory
Problem
Find all positive integers such that for some positive integers .
Solution
Without loss of generality, assume .
If , then is divisible by , and and are also divisible by for . Thus, is divisible by , but for , is divisible by and higher powers of .
Let us check small values of :
If : But , so . , which is not a power of .
If : Try : So is a solution with (and permutations).
Try : : No other powers of .
If : , : So is a solution with (and permutations).
: : : : : No other powers of .
If : : : : : : : So is a solution with (and permutations).
: : : :
If : : : : : : : : So is a solution with (and permutations).
: : : : : : : :
For , is divisible by , and is much smaller than , so cannot be a power of .
Therefore, the possible values of are .
If , then is divisible by , and and are also divisible by for . Thus, is divisible by , but for , is divisible by and higher powers of .
Let us check small values of :
If : But , so . , which is not a power of .
If : Try : So is a solution with (and permutations).
Try : : No other powers of .
If : , : So is a solution with (and permutations).
: : : : : No other powers of .
If : : : : : : : So is a solution with (and permutations).
: : : :
If : : : : : : : : So is a solution with (and permutations).
: : : : : : : :
For , is divisible by , and is much smaller than , so cannot be a power of .
Therefore, the possible values of are .
Final answer
[2, 3, 5, 7]
Techniques
Factorization techniquesTechniques: modulo, size analysis, order analysis, inequalities