Find all pairs of positive integers $(x,n) $ that are solutions of the equation $3 \cdot 2^x +4 =n^2$.
Problem
Source: Greece JBMO TST 2019 p2
Tags: number theory, Diophantine equation, positive integers
29.04.2019 04:49
08.11.2022 22:29
Write the given expression as $2^x \cdot 3=(n+2)(n-2)$. Taking $\bmod 3$ on both sides we get $n \equiv 1,3 (\bmod 3)$. $\underline{\textbf {Case 1:}}$ If $n=3k+1$, then replace $n$ to get $2^x=(k+1)(3k-1)$. If $k$ is odd then $k+1$ and $3k-1$ both are even. For integer $k$, $k+1 \leq 3 k-1$ and as they are perfect powers of $2$, so $k+1|3 k-1 \Rightarrow k+1| 3 k-1-3 k-3 \Rightarrow k+1 \mid 4$ $\implies k+1=\pm 4, \pm 2, \pm 1$. Of these, for $k+1= 2,4$ gives $n=4,10$. Plugging these into the original equation gives $\boxed{(x,n)=(2,4), (5,10)}$. If $k$ is even then $k+1$ odd, so $k+1= 2^0=1 \implies n=1$ which yields no solution. $\underline{\textbf {Case 2:}}$ $n=3k+2$. Plugging in the value of $n$, we get $k(3k+4)=2^x$. Again, by similar logic as before $k \mid 3k+4 \implies k \mid 4$. So, $k=1,2,4$. From these, for $k=4$ we get $n=14$ and plugging in the value, we get $\boxed{(x,n)=(6,14)}$