arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Nikos Tzanakis.
In this paper we study the equation $$ x^k + (x+1)^k = y^n,\quad n\geq 3, $$ when $k\equiv 2\pmod{4}$. We prove that the only solutions are for $x=0, -1$ when $6\leq k\leq 100$ or for a $k$ with odd prime factors congruent to $3\pmod{4}$. We use linear forms in logarithms, the modular method and the resolution of Thue equations.
We call an integer a \emph{near-square} if its absolute value is a square or a prime times a square. We investigate such near-squares in the binary recurrence sequences defined for integers $a \geq 3$ by $u_{0}(a)=0$, $u_{1}(a)=1$ and $u_{n+2}(a)=au_{n+1}(a)-u_{n}(a)$ for $n \geq 0$. We show that for a given $a \geq 3$, there is at most one $n \geq 5$ such that $u_{n}(a)$ is a near-square. With the exceptions of $u_{6}(3)=12^{2}$ and $u_{7}(6)=239 \cdot 13^{2}$, any such $u_{n}(a)$ can only be a near-square if $a \equiv 2 \bmod 4$, $n \equiv 3 \bmod 4$ is prime and $n \geq 19$. This is part of a more general phenomenon regarding near-squares in non-degenerate recurrence sequences defined for integers $a$ and $b=-b_{1}^{2}$ by $u_{0}(a,b)=0$, $u_{1}(a,b)=1$ and $u_{n+2}(a,b)=au_{n+1}(a,b)+bu_{n}(a,b)$ for $n \geq 0$ (see our Conjecture 1.1). It arises from a new Aurifeuillean-like factorization of elements of recurrence sequences that we have discovered (see relation (1.1)).
In this paper we determine the perfect powers that are sums of three fifth powers in an arithmetic progression. More precisely, we completely solve the Diophantine equation $$ (x-d)^5 + x^5 + (x + d)^5 = z^n,~n\geq 2, $$ where $d,x,z \in \mathbb{Z}$ and $d = 2^a5^b$ with $a,b\geq 0$.
The title equation is completely solved in integers $(n,x,y,a,b)$, where $n\geq 3$, $\gcd(x,y)=1$ and $a,b\geq 0$. The most difficult stage of the resolution is the explicit resolution of a quintic Thue-Mahler equation. Since it is for the first time -to the best of our knowledge- that such an equation is solved in the literature, we make a detailed presentation of the resolution; this gives our paper also an expository character.
Using lower bounds for linear forms in elliptic logarithms we determine the integral points of the modular curve associated to the normalizer of a non-split Cartan group of level 11. As an application we obtain a new solution of the class number one problem for complex quadratic fields.
We find explicitly all rational solutions of the title equation for all integers $k$ in the range $|k|\leq 50$ except for $k=-47,-39$. For the solution, a variety of methods is applied, which, depending on $k$, may range from elementary, such as divisibility and congruence considerations, to elliptic Chabauty techniques and highly technical computations in algebraic number fields, or a combination thereof. For certain sets of values of $k$ we can propose a more or less uniform method of solution, which might be applied successfully for quite a number of cases of $k$, even beyond the above range. It turns out, however, that in the range considered, six really challenging cases have to be dealt with individually, namely $k = 15,43,-11,-15,-39,-47$. More than half of the paper is devoted to the solution of the title equation for the first four of these values. For the last two values the solution of the equation, at present, has resisted all our efforts. The case with these six values of $k$ shows that one cannot expect a general method of solution which could be applied, even in principle, for {\em every} value of $k$. A summary of our results is shown at the end of the paper.
Let P and Q be non-zero integers. The Lucas sequence U_n(P,Q), n=0,1,2,... is defined by U_0=0, U_1=1, U_n= P U_{n-1}-Q U_{n-2} for n>1. For each positive integer n<8 we describe all Lucas sequences with (P,Q)=1 having the property that U_n(P,Q) is a perfect square. The arguments are elementary. The main part of the paper is devoted to finding all Lucas sequences such that U_8(P,Q) is a perfect square. This reduces to a number of problems of similar type, namely, finding all points on an elliptic curve defined over a quartic number field subject to a ``Q-rationality'' condition on the X-coordinate. This is achieved by p-adic computations (for a suitable prime p) using the formal group of the elliptic curve.
Let P and Q be non-zero relatively prime integers. The Lucas sequence {U_n(P,Q) is defined by U_0=0, U_1=1, U_n = P U_{n-1}-Q U_{n-2} for n>1. The sequence {U_n(1,-1)} is the familiar Fibonacci sequence, and it was proved by Cohn that the only perfect square greater than 1 in this sequence is $U_{12}=144$. The question arises, for which parameters P, Q, can U_n(P,Q) be a perfect square? In this paper, we complete recent results of Ribenboim and MacDaniel. Under the only restriction GCD(P,Q)=1 we determine all Lucas sequences {U_n(P,Q)} with U_{12}= square. It turns out that the Fibonacci sequence provides the only example. Moreover, we also determine all Lucas sequences {U_n(P,Q) with U_9= square.