Diophantine equation with factorial

all at abouthugo.de all at abouthugo.de
Tue Jun 24 23:28:02 CEST 2003


Richard Guy <rkg at cpsc.ucalgary.ca> schrieb am 24.06.2003, 16:46:10:
> Hand-waving ...   Most of the primes dividing
> n!  do so only to the first power.  Half of
> these don't divide  x^2 - xy + y^2  and so
> would have to divide  x + y.  But  x + y  is small
> compared with the quadratic ...  Maybe you
> are allowing  y  to be negative, in which case
> this `proof' fails ??   R.
> 
> On Wed, 25 Jun 2003, Don McDonald wrote:
> 
> > In message  you write:
> > Richard Guy:
> > 
> > > Where angels fear to tread ?
> >   (Fools rush in??  )
> > > 
> > > x^3 + y^3 = (x + y)(x^2 - xy + y^2)   and all squarefree
> > > factors of the latter (paren) are  3  or of form  6k + 1.  R.
> > >
> > Sorry, I do not follow. Please Richard.
> > So intermediate factors  ..., 6k+5,... may be very thin, sparse?
> > 
> > Could you kindly say some more please? Thank you.

Richard, Don, SeqFans,

I also had (and still have) problems to find a
complete proof of "x^3+y^3=n! has only one solution."
I even think (guess after some computer seach),
that there is no solution if we admit negative y.

The easy cases are those when 6k+1 contains
a large prime factor p. Then n! has to contain
(p-1)*(p-2)*...and x+y is far too small to
deliver (p-1)*(p-2). To get an idea about the
other cases I wrote a little program:
(sorry, but for me nothing is obvious, until I can
write a program that spits out results)

C Try to understand  why x^3+y^3=n!
C has only one solution x=y=1,
C get idea for proof
C Hugo Pfoertner, http://www.pfoertner.org
C Input from Richard Guy used
C
      IMPLICIT INTEGER (A-Z)
C
C LOOPS OVER X AND Y
      DO 10 X = 1, 12
      X2 = X * X
      X3 = X2 * X
C
      DO 20 Y = 1, X-1
      Y2 = Y * Y
      Y3 = Y2 * Y
C X^3+Y^3 = (X+Y)*(X^2-X*Y+Y^2) = YPY*PAR = SUM
      XPY = X + Y
      PAR = X2 - X*Y + Y2
      SUM = X3 + Y3
      WRITE (*,1000) X, Y, XPY, PAR, SUM
1000  FORMAT ( I3, '^3+', I2, '^3=', I2, '*(', I3, ')=', I4 )
C
C TRY IF PAR IS OF THE FORM 6*K+1
C
      IF ( MOD ( PAR-1,6 ) .EQ. 0 ) THEN
        WRITE (*,1001) PAR, 1, (PAR-1)/6, 1, PAR
1001    FORMAT ( ' PAR=', I3, '=',
     &           I3, '*(6*', I2, '+1)', '=', I3, '*', I3 )
        GOTO 20
      ENDIF
C
C SEARCH PRODUCT OF SMALL FACTORS F
C
      F = 1
      PACOPY = PAR
C
C CHECK FOR FACTORS 3 IN PAR
C
30    CONTINUE
      IF ( MOD(PACOPY,3) .EQ. 0 ) THEN
        F  = 3 * F
        PACOPY = PACOPY/3
        GOTO 30
      ENDIF
C
C CHECK FOR FACTORS 2 IN PAR
C
40    CONTINUE
      IF ( MOD(PACOPY,2) .EQ. 0 ) THEN
        F  = 2 * F
        PACOPY = PACOPY/2
        GOTO 40
      ENDIF
C
C AFTER DIVIDING OFF FACTORS 2 AND 3 CHECK
C AGAIN FOR FORM 6*K+1
C
      IF ( MOD(PACOPY-1,6) .EQ. 0 ) THEN
C IF THIS TEST IS NOT PASSED, PAR WILL NOT BE PRINTED
        WRITE (*,1001) PAR, F, (PACOPY-1)/6, F, PACOPY
      ENDIF
C END LOOPS OVER X AND Y
20    CONTINUE
10    CONTINUE
C END OF PROGRAM
      END

which produces the following table:
(line limit exceeded? here is my
---- petition for mercy to Olivier Gerard ----)

  2^3+ 1^3= 3*(  3)=   9
 PAR=  3=  3*(6* 0+1)=  3*  1
  3^3+ 1^3= 4*(  7)=  28
 PAR=  7=  1*(6* 1+1)=  1*  7
  3^3+ 2^3= 5*(  7)=  35
 PAR=  7=  1*(6* 1+1)=  1*  7
  4^3+ 1^3= 5*( 13)=  65
 PAR= 13=  1*(6* 2+1)=  1* 13
  4^3+ 2^3= 6*( 12)=  72
 PAR= 12= 12*(6* 0+1)= 12*  1
  4^3+ 3^3= 7*( 13)=  91
 PAR= 13=  1*(6* 2+1)=  1* 13
  5^3+ 1^3= 6*( 21)= 126
 PAR= 21=  3*(6* 1+1)=  3*  7
  5^3+ 2^3= 7*( 19)= 133
 PAR= 19=  1*(6* 3+1)=  1* 19
  5^3+ 3^3= 8*( 19)= 152
 PAR= 19=  1*(6* 3+1)=  1* 19
  5^3+ 4^3= 9*( 21)= 189
 PAR= 21=  3*(6* 1+1)=  3*  7
  6^3+ 1^3= 7*( 31)= 217
 PAR= 31=  1*(6* 5+1)=  1* 31
  6^3+ 2^3= 8*( 28)= 224
 PAR= 28=  4*(6* 1+1)=  4*  7
  6^3+ 3^3= 9*( 27)= 243
 PAR= 27= 27*(6* 0+1)= 27*  1
  6^3+ 4^3=10*( 28)= 280
 PAR= 28=  4*(6* 1+1)=  4*  7
  6^3+ 5^3=11*( 31)= 341
 PAR= 31=  1*(6* 5+1)=  1* 31
  7^3+ 1^3= 8*( 43)= 344
 PAR= 43=  1*(6* 7+1)=  1* 43
  7^3+ 2^3= 9*( 39)= 351
 PAR= 39=  3*(6* 2+1)=  3* 13
  7^3+ 3^3=10*( 37)= 370
 PAR= 37=  1*(6* 6+1)=  1* 37
  7^3+ 4^3=11*( 37)= 407
 PAR= 37=  1*(6* 6+1)=  1* 37
  7^3+ 5^3=12*( 39)= 468
 PAR= 39=  3*(6* 2+1)=  3* 13
  7^3+ 6^3=13*( 43)= 559
 PAR= 43=  1*(6* 7+1)=  1* 43
  8^3+ 1^3= 9*( 57)= 513
 PAR= 57=  3*(6* 3+1)=  3* 19
  8^3+ 2^3=10*( 52)= 520
 PAR= 52=  4*(6* 2+1)=  4* 13
  8^3+ 3^3=11*( 49)= 539
 PAR= 49=  1*(6* 8+1)=  1* 49
  8^3+ 4^3=12*( 48)= 576
 PAR= 48= 48*(6* 0+1)= 48*  1
  8^3+ 5^3=13*( 49)= 637
 PAR= 49=  1*(6* 8+1)=  1* 49
  8^3+ 6^3=14*( 52)= 728
 PAR= 52=  4*(6* 2+1)=  4* 13
  8^3+ 7^3=15*( 57)= 855
 PAR= 57=  3*(6* 3+1)=  3* 19
  9^3+ 1^3=10*( 73)= 730
 PAR= 73=  1*(6*12+1)=  1* 73
  9^3+ 2^3=11*( 67)= 737
 PAR= 67=  1*(6*11+1)=  1* 67
  9^3+ 3^3=12*( 63)= 756
 PAR= 63=  9*(6* 1+1)=  9*  7
  9^3+ 4^3=13*( 61)= 793
 PAR= 61=  1*(6*10+1)=  1* 61
  9^3+ 5^3=14*( 61)= 854
 PAR= 61=  1*(6*10+1)=  1* 61
  9^3+ 6^3=15*( 63)= 945
 PAR= 63=  9*(6* 1+1)=  9*  7
  9^3+ 7^3=16*( 67)=1072
 PAR= 67=  1*(6*11+1)=  1* 67
  9^3+ 8^3=17*( 73)=1241
 PAR= 73=  1*(6*12+1)=  1* 73
 10^3+ 1^3=11*( 91)=1001
 PAR= 91=  1*(6*15+1)=  1* 91
 10^3+ 2^3=12*( 84)=1008
 PAR= 84= 12*(6* 1+1)= 12*  7
 10^3+ 3^3=13*( 79)=1027
 PAR= 79=  1*(6*13+1)=  1* 79
 10^3+ 4^3=14*( 76)=1064
 PAR= 76=  4*(6* 3+1)=  4* 19
 10^3+ 5^3=15*( 75)=1125
 PAR= 75=  3*(6* 4+1)=  3* 25
 10^3+ 6^3=16*( 76)=1216
 PAR= 76=  4*(6* 3+1)=  4* 19
 10^3+ 7^3=17*( 79)=1343
 PAR= 79=  1*(6*13+1)=  1* 79
 10^3+ 8^3=18*( 84)=1512
 PAR= 84= 12*(6* 1+1)= 12*  7
 10^3+ 9^3=19*( 91)=1729
 PAR= 91=  1*(6*15+1)=  1* 91
 11^3+ 1^3=12*(111)=1332
 PAR=111=  3*(6* 6+1)=  3* 37
 11^3+ 2^3=13*(103)=1339
 PAR=103=  1*(6*17+1)=  1*103
 11^3+ 3^3=14*( 97)=1358
 PAR= 97=  1*(6*16+1)=  1* 97
 11^3+ 4^3=15*( 93)=1395
 PAR= 93=  3*(6* 5+1)=  3* 31
 11^3+ 5^3=16*( 91)=1456
 PAR= 91=  1*(6*15+1)=  1* 91
 11^3+ 6^3=17*( 91)=1547
 PAR= 91=  1*(6*15+1)=  1* 91
 11^3+ 7^3=18*( 93)=1674
 PAR= 93=  3*(6* 5+1)=  3* 31
 11^3+ 8^3=19*( 97)=1843
 PAR= 97=  1*(6*16+1)=  1* 97
 11^3+ 9^3=20*(103)=2060
 PAR=103=  1*(6*17+1)=  1*103
 11^3+10^3=21*(111)=2331
 PAR=111=  3*(6* 6+1)=  3* 37
 12^3+ 1^3=13*(133)=1729
 PAR=133=  1*(6*22+1)=  1*133
 12^3+ 2^3=14*(124)=1736
 PAR=124=  4*(6* 5+1)=  4* 31
 12^3+ 3^3=15*(117)=1755
 PAR=117=  9*(6* 2+1)=  9* 13
 12^3+ 4^3=16*(112)=1792
 PAR=112= 16*(6* 1+1)= 16*  7
 12^3+ 5^3=17*(109)=1853
 PAR=109=  1*(6*18+1)=  1*109
 12^3+ 6^3=18*(108)=1944
 PAR=108=108*(6* 0+1)=108*  1
 12^3+ 7^3=19*(109)=2071
 PAR=109=  1*(6*18+1)=  1*109
 12^3+ 8^3=20*(112)=2240
 PAR=112= 16*(6* 1+1)= 16*  7
 12^3+ 9^3=21*(117)=2457
 PAR=117=  9*(6* 2+1)=  9* 13
 12^3+10^3=22*(124)=2728
 PAR=124=  4*(6* 5+1)=  4* 31
 12^3+11^3=23*(133)=3059
 PAR=133=  1*(6*22+1)=  1*133

Does that help to find a proof?

Hugo  2^3+ 1^3= 3*(  3)=   9
 PAR=  3=  3*(6* 0+1)=  3*  1
  3^3+ 1^3= 4*(  7)=  28
 PAR=  7=  1*(6* 1+1)=  1*  7
  3^3+ 2^3= 5*(  7)=  35
 PAR=  7=  1*(6* 1+1)=  1*  7
  4^3+ 1^3= 5*( 13)=  65
 PAR= 13=  1*(6* 2+1)=  1* 13
  4^3+ 2^3= 6*( 12)=  72
 PAR= 12= 12*(6* 0+1)= 12*  1
  4^3+ 3^3= 7*( 13)=  91
 PAR= 13=  1*(6* 2+1)=  1* 13
  5^3+ 1^3= 6*( 21)= 126
 PAR= 21=  3*(6* 1+1)=  3*  7
  5^3+ 2^3= 7*( 19)= 133
 PAR= 19=  1*(6* 3+1)=  1* 19
  5^3+ 3^3= 8*( 19)= 152
 PAR= 19=  1*(6* 3+1)=  1* 19
  5^3+ 4^3= 9*( 21)= 189
 PAR= 21=  3*(6* 1+1)=  3*  7
  6^3+ 1^3= 7*( 31)= 217
 PAR= 31=  1*(6* 5+1)=  1* 31
  6^3+ 2^3= 8*( 28)= 224
 PAR= 28=  4*(6* 1+1)=  4*  7
  6^3+ 3^3= 9*( 27)= 243
 PAR= 27= 27*(6* 0+1)= 27*  1
  6^3+ 4^3=10*( 28)= 280
 PAR= 28=  4*(6* 1+1)=  4*  7
  6^3+ 5^3=11*( 31)= 341
 PAR= 31=  1*(6* 5+1)=  1* 31
  7^3+ 1^3= 8*( 43)= 344
 PAR= 43=  1*(6* 7+1)=  1* 43
  7^3+ 2^3= 9*( 39)= 351
 PAR= 39=  3*(6* 2+1)=  3* 13
  7^3+ 3^3=10*( 37)= 370
 PAR= 37=  1*(6* 6+1)=  1* 37
  7^3+ 4^3=11*( 37)= 407
 PAR= 37=  1*(6* 6+1)=  1* 37
  7^3+ 5^3=12*( 39)= 468
 PAR= 39=  3*(6* 2+1)=  3* 13
  7^3+ 6^3=13*( 43)= 559
 PAR= 43=  1*(6* 7+1)=  1* 43
  8^3+ 1^3= 9*( 57)= 513
 PAR= 57=  3*(6* 3+1)=  3* 19
  8^3+ 2^3=10*( 52)= 520
 PAR= 52=  4*(6* 2+1)=  4* 13
  8^3+ 3^3=11*( 49)= 539
 PAR= 49=  1*(6* 8+1)=  1* 49
  8^3+ 4^3=12*( 48)= 576
 PAR= 48= 48*(6* 0+1)= 48*  1
  8^3+ 5^3=13*( 49)= 637
 PAR= 49=  1*(6* 8+1)=  1* 49
  8^3+ 6^3=14*( 52)= 728
 PAR= 52=  4*(6* 2+1)=  4* 13
  8^3+ 7^3=15*( 57)= 855
 PAR= 57=  3*(6* 3+1)=  3* 19
  9^3+ 1^3=10*( 73)= 730
 PAR= 73=  1*(6*12+1)=  1* 73
  9^3+ 2^3=11*( 67)= 737
 PAR= 67=  1*(6*11+1)=  1* 67
  9^3+ 3^3=12*( 63)= 756
 PAR= 63=  9*(6* 1+1)=  9*  7
  9^3+ 4^3=13*( 61)= 793
 PAR= 61=  1*(6*10+1)=  1* 61
  9^3+ 5^3=14*( 61)= 854
 PAR= 61=  1*(6*10+1)=  1* 61
  9^3+ 6^3=15*( 63)= 945
 PAR= 63=  9*(6* 1+1)=  9*  7
  9^3+ 7^3=16*( 67)=1072
 PAR= 67=  1*(6*11+1)=  1* 67
  9^3+ 8^3=17*( 73)=1241
 PAR= 73=  1*(6*12+1)=  1* 73
 10^3+ 1^3=11*( 91)=1001
 PAR= 91=  1*(6*15+1)=  1* 91
 10^3+ 2^3=12*( 84)=1008
 PAR= 84= 12*(6* 1+1)= 12*  7
 10^3+ 3^3=13*( 79)=1027
 PAR= 79=  1*(6*13+1)=  1* 79
 10^3+ 4^3=14*( 76)=1064
 PAR= 76=  4*(6* 3+1)=  4* 19
 10^3+ 5^3=15*( 75)=1125
 PAR= 75=  3*(6* 4+1)=  3* 25
 10^3+ 6^3=16*( 76)=1216
 PAR= 76=  4*(6* 3+1)=  4* 19
 10^3+ 7^3=17*( 79)=1343
 PAR= 79=  1*(6*13+1)=  1* 79
 10^3+ 8^3=18*( 84)=1512
 PAR= 84= 12*(6* 1+1)= 12*  7
 10^3+ 9^3=19*( 91)=1729
 PAR= 91=  1*(6*15+1)=  1* 91
 11^3+ 1^3=12*(111)=1332
 PAR=111=  3*(6* 6+1)=  3* 37
 11^3+ 2^3=13*(103)=1339
 PAR=103=  1*(6*17+1)=  1*103
 11^3+ 3^3=14*( 97)=1358
 PAR= 97=  1*(6*16+1)=  1* 97
 11^3+ 4^3=15*( 93)=1395
 PAR= 93=  3*(6* 5+1)=  3* 31
 11^3+ 5^3=16*( 91)=1456
 PAR= 91=  1*(6*15+1)=  1* 91
 11^3+ 6^3=17*( 91)=1547
 PAR= 91=  1*(6*15+1)=  1* 91
 11^3+ 7^3=18*( 93)=1674
 PAR= 93=  3*(6* 5+1)=  3* 31
 11^3+ 8^3=19*( 97)=1843
 PAR= 97=  1*(6*16+1)=  1* 97
 11^3+ 9^3=20*(103)=2060
 PAR=103=  1*(6*17+1)=  1*103
 11^3+10^3=21*(111)=2331
 PAR=111=  3*(6* 6+1)=  3* 37
 12^3+ 1^3=13*(133)=1729
 PAR=133=  1*(6*22+1)=  1*133
 12^3+ 2^3=14*(124)=1736
 PAR=124=  4*(6* 5+1)=  4* 31
 12^3+ 3^3=15*(117)=1755
 PAR=117=  9*(6* 2+1)=  9* 13
 12^3+ 4^3=16*(112)=1792
 PAR=112= 16*(6* 1+1)= 16*  7
 12^3+ 5^3=17*(109)=1853
 PAR=109=  1*(6*18+1)=  1*109
 12^3+ 6^3=18*(108)=1944
 PAR=108=108*(6* 0+1)=108*  1
 12^3+ 7^3=19*(109)=2071
 PAR=109=  1*(6*18+1)=  1*109
 12^3+ 8^3=20*(112)=2240
 PAR=112= 16*(6* 1+1)= 16*  7
 12^3+ 9^3=21*(117)=2457
 PAR=117=  9*(6* 2+1)=  9* 13
 12^3+10^3=22*(124)=2728
 PAR=124=  4*(6* 5+1)=  4* 31
 12^3+11^3=23*(133)=3059
 PAR=133=  1*(6*22+1)=  1*133

Does this help to get a proof?

Hugo





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