Find all integer/s $n$ such that $\displaystyle{\frac{5^n-1}{3}}$ is a prime or a perfect square of an integer. Proposed by Prajit Adhikari, Nepal
Problem
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Tags: number theory
17.03.2024 17:30
17.03.2024 17:41
17.03.2024 19:40
Answer : $ n = 0 $. Solution : Case 1 : $ \frac {5^n - 1} {3} = p $ (prime). We know that $\frac {5^n - 1} {3} = \frac {4.(5^{n-1} + ... + 1)} {3} = p.$ But we know that $ gcd(3,4) = 1 \Rightarrow 4 | p $. Contradiction. Case 2 : $ \frac {5^n - 1} {3} = a^2 \Rightarrow 5^n -1 = 3a^2 $. We khow that $ a^2 = {-1 , 0 ,1} $(mod 5) . But $ LHS = 4 $ (mod 5) $ \Rightarrow $ Contradiction unless $ n = 0 $.
28.03.2024 16:11
We claim that $n=0$ is the only solution. First let $\frac{5^{n-1}}{3}=q^2$ In this case we have $5^n-1=3q^2$. Viewing the equation modulo $5$, we see that there are no possible solutions. Now let $\frac{5^{n-1}}{3}=p$ ($p$ is a prime) As $5^{n-1} \equiv 0 \pmod 4$ (for $n\geq 1$), we see that $\frac{5^{n-1}}{3}$ if an integer is always $0 \pmod 4$ \for $n\geq 1$. We see that $n=0$ works and thus it is the only possible solution.
18.08.2024 19:56
Sketch: if prime then has to be 2, impossible; now n>= 0 ofc and n = 0 work so consider n >0 then mod 5 kills
16.01.2025 17:10
This is $0\pmod 4$ and $3\pmod 5$ and hence it cannot be a prime or a perfect square.
17.01.2025 00:30