Prove that 5n2 = 36a2 + 18b2 + 6c2 has no integer solutions except a = b = c = n = 0.
Solution
The rhs is divisible by 3, so 3 must divide n. So 5n2 - 36a2 - 18b2 is divisible by 9, so 3 must divide c. We can now divide out the factor 9 to get: 5m2 = 4a2 + 2b2 + 6d2. Now take m, a, b, d to be the solution with the smallest m, and consider residues mod 16. Squares = 0, 1, 4, or 9 mod 16. Clearly m is even so 5m2 = 0 or 4 mod 16. Similarly, 4a2 = 0 or 4 mod 16. Hence 2b2 + 6d2 = 0, 4 or 12 mod 16. But 2b2 = 0, 2 or 8 mod 16 and 6d2 = 0, 6 or 8 mod 16. Hence 2b2 + 6d2 = 0, 2, 6, 8, 10 or 14 mod 16. So it must be 0. So b and d are both even. So a cannot be even, otherwise m/2, a/2, b/2, d/2 would be a solution with smaller m/2 < m.
So we can divide out the factor 4 and get: 5k2 = a2 + 2e2 + 6f2 with a odd. Hence k is also odd. So 5k2 - a2 = 4 or 12 mod 16. But we have just seen that 2e2 + 6 f2 cannot be 4 or 12 mod 16. So there are no solutions.
© John Scholes
jscholes@kalva.demon.co.uk
11 Apr 2002