Exercise 5.4.9 (Equation $x^3 + 2 y^3 = 7 (u^3 + 2v^3)$)

Show that the equation x 3 + 2 y 3 = 7 ( u 3 + 2 v 3 ) has no nontrivial integral solution.

Answers

Proof. Assume for the sake of contradiction that

x 3 + 2 y 3 = 7 ( u 3 + 2 v 3 ) , where  ( x , y , u , v ) ≠ ( 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 ) .

Let d = x ∧ y ∧ u ∧ v . Then d ≠ 0 , so there are integers X , Y , U , V such that

x = dX , y = dY , u = dU , v = dV , X ∧ Y ∧ U ∧ V = 1 ,

and simplifying by d 3 ,

X 3 + 2 Y 3 = 7 ( U 3 + 2 V 3 ) , where  X ∧ Y ∧ U ∧ V = 1 .

Reducing modulo 7 , we obtain

X 3 + 2 Y 3 ≡ 0 ( mod 7 )

The cubes in ℤ ∕ 7 ℤ are 0 ¯ , 2 ¯ , 6 ¯ , thus − 2 ¯ = 5 ¯ is not a cube in ℤ ∕ 7 ℤ . If Y ≢ 0 ( mod 7 ) , then − 2 ¯ = ( X ¯ Y ¯ − 1 ) 3 , which is impossible since − 2 ¯ is not a cube. So Y ≡ 0 ( mod 7 ) , thus 7 ∣ X 3 and 7 ∣ X . In conclusion,

X 3 + 2 Y 3 ≡ 0 ( mod 7 ) ⇒ X ≡ Y ≡ 0 ( mod 7 ) .

Therefore 7 3 ∣ X 3 + 2 Y 3 = 7 ( U 3 + 2 V 3 ) , so 7 2 ∣ U 3 + 2 V 3 , which gives

U 3 + 2 V 3 ≡ 0 ( mod 7 ) .

By the same reasoning, 7 ∣ U and 7 ∣ V , thus

7 ∣ X ∧ Y ∧ U ∧ V = 1 .

This contradiction 7 ∣ 1 shows that the equation x 3 + 2 y 3 = 7 ( u 3 + 2 v 3 ) has no nontrivial integral solution. □

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2025-04-16 11:39
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