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Solve in Positive Integers (Posted on 2024-08-10) Difficulty: 1 of 5
Solve in positive integers:
1/x+1/y+1/z= 7/15

No Solution Yet Submitted by K Sengupta    
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Solution Analytic Solution | Comment 2 of 4 |
If any of x, y, or z is 1 or 2 then the sum already exceeds 7/15.
If all of x, y, and z are 7 or bigger then we have 1/x+1/y+1/z<=1/7+1/7+1/7<7/15.  So at least one of x, y, or z is 6 or less.
Without loss of generality assume x<=y<=z.  Then x is one of 3, 4, 5, or 6.

Case 1: x=3.  Then 1/y+1/z=2/15
I can grind the algebra a bit to rewrite this equation into (2y-15)*(2z-15)=15^2=225.
The factorizations of 225 are (1,225), (3,75), (5,45), (9,25) and (15,15).  Then y and z are the corresponding pairs (8,120), (9,45), (10,30), (12,20), and (15,15).
The first five solutions with x<y<z are (3,8,120), (3,9,45), (3,10,30), (3,12,20), and (3,15,15).

Case 2: x=4.  Then 1/y+1/z=13/60
I can grind the algebra a bit to rewrite this equation into (13y-60)*(13z-60)=60^2=3600.  There are a lot of possible pairs but we need factorizations with each factor congruent to 5 mod 13 to have integer solutions.
The valid factorizations of 3600 are (5,720) and (18,200).
Then y and z are the corresponding pairs (5,60) and (6,20).
The next two solutions with x<y<z are (4,5,60) and (4,6,20).

Case 3: x=5.  Then 1/y+1/z=4/15
I can grind the algebra a bit to rewrite this equation into (4y-15)*(4z-15)=15^2=225.  This time we need factorizations congruent to 1 mod 4.
The valid factorizations of 225 are (1,225), (5,45), and (9,25).
Then y and z are the corresponding pairs (4,60), (5,15), and (6,10).
The first pair has x>y and is a repeat from case 2.
The next two solutions with x<y<z are (5,5,15) and (5,6,10).

Case 4: x=6.  Then 1/y+1/z=3/10
I can grind the algebra a bit to rewrite this equation into (3y-10)*(3z-10)=10^2=100.  This time we need factorizations congruent to 2 mod 3.
The valid factorizations of 100 are (2,50) and (5,20).
Then y and z are the corresponding pairs (4,20) and (5,10).
Both of these pairs have x>y and are repeats from earlier cases.
No new solutions in this case.

In summary, the solutions of positive integers with x<=y<=z are (3,8,120), (3,9,45), (3,10,30), (3,12,20), (3,15,15), (4,5,60), (4,6,20), (5,5,15) and (5,6,10).

  Posted by Brian Smith on 2024-08-10 21:47:12
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