Find all positive integers a and b such that 7^a-3(2^b)=1

profesorluissp

profesorluissp

Answered question

2022-09-06

Find all positive integers a and b such that 7 a 3 ( 2 b ) = 1
I am looking for all positive integers satisfying the equation
7 a 3 ( 2 b ) = 1
I used the fact that (1,1) is a solution and got
( 7 a 7 ) = 3 ( 2 b 2 )
I thaught about using Gauss Theorem in vain. Thanks in advance for any idea.

Answer & Explanation

ko1la2h1qc

ko1la2h1qc

Beginner2022-09-07Added 18 answers

Step 1
If b 3 then
( 1 ) a 8 1 a 2 0
so a = 2 c and now we have
( 7 c 1 ) ( 7 c + 1 ) = 3 2 b
Step 2
Clearly, since 7 c 1 and 7 c + 1 are two consecutive even numbers exactly one is not divisible by 4.
Skye Hamilton

Skye Hamilton

Beginner2022-09-08Added 14 answers

Step 1
An argument mod 7 shows that b + 2 is divisible by 3, then let b = 3 n 2.
We can take the two cases a = 2 m , a = 2 m + 1.
The problem can be reduced to finding the integer points on elliptic curves as follows.
-   a = 2 m
Let X = 3 2 n , Y = 6 7 m , then we get
Y 2 = X 3 + 36.
According to LMFDB, this elliptic curve has integral solutions ( X , Y ) = ( 3 , ± 3 ) , ( 0 , ± 6 ) , ( 4 , ± 10 ) , ( 12 , ± 42 ) .
From ( 12 , ± 42 ) we get ( m , n ) = ( 1 , 2 ) ( a , b ) = ( 2 , 4 ) .
Step 2
-   a = 2 m + 1
Let X = 21 2 n , Y = 294 7 m , then we get
Y 2 = X 3 + 12348.
According to LMFDB, this elliptic curve has integral solutions ( X , Y ) = ( 14 , ± 98 ) , ( 3 , ± 111 ) , ( 21 , ± 147 ) , ( 37 , ± 251 ) , ( 42 , ± 294 ) , ( 378 , ± 7350 ) , ( 11802 , ± 1282134 ) ..
From ( 42 , ± 294 ) we get ( m , n ) = ( 0 , 1 ) ( a , b ) = ( 1 , 1 ) .
Hence there are only integral solutions ( a , b ) = ( 1 , 1 ) , ( 2 , 4 ) .

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