BEMABKS ON TEBNABY BIOFHANTINE EQUATIONS

KUBT MAHLEB, Univevsil oJ MancIeslev

Lel F|x, ) Ie a Iinav Jovn oJ ovdev n`3 vilI inlegvaI coeJJicienls, IO0
an inlegev, F1, * * *,
Fl
a Jinile sel oJ diJJevenl pvine nunIevs. TIe JoIIoving
vesuIls Iave Ieen pvoved *
THEOBEM I. IJ lIe equalion
F|x, )
=
I
Ias an inJinil oJ inlegvaI soIulions x,, , lIen F|x, ) is a povev oJ a Iineav Jovn
ov oJ an indeJinile quadvalic Jovn.
THEOBEM 2. IJ lIe equalion
F|x,)= F
FI
...
Fzl
Ias an inJinil oJ inlegvaI soIulions x, , z, , Zl, vIeve x and ave veIaliveI
pvine, and zI _ 0, *... , Z`
O, lIen F|x, ) is a povev oJ a Iineav ov quadvalic Jovn.
Nov considev a levnav Jovn F|x, , z) oJ ovdev n ` 3 vilI inlegvaI coeJJicienls,
and lIe vepvesenlalions oJ inlegevs I 0 0 I lIis Jovn. IJ F|x, , z) is decon-
posaIIe inlo a pvoducl oJ Iineav Jovns vilI aIgeIvaic coeJJicienls and iJ n is suJJi-
cienlI Iavge, lIen vesuIls anaIogous lo TIeoven 1 and- 2 ave lvue.l On lIe olIev
Iand, vev IillIe is Inovn aIoul lIe nove genevaI case vIen F|x, , z) is iv-
veduciIIe in lIe JieId oJ aII conslanls. In lIis nole, I conslvucl exanpIes oJ
levnav Jovns oJ evev ovdev vilI lIe pvopevl oJ vepvesenling al Ieasl one
inlegev I00, ov even evev inlegev, in an inJinil oJ diJJevenl vas. I JuvlIev
sIov Iov lo Jovn posilive deJinile levnav Jovns oJ evev even ovdev vilI lIe
pvopevl lIal Jov an inJinil oJ diJJevenl sels oJ veIaliveI pvine inlegevs x, , z
lIe gvealesl pvine Jaclov oJ F|x, , z) is Iounded. SpeciaI cases oJ Jovns vilI
lIese pvopevlies ave veII Inovn: e.g., lIe equalion
73 3 3 = 1
Ias an inJinil oJ inlegvaI soIulions, since idenlicaII in l,
|9l4)3 |3l -9l4)3 |1
-
9l3)3
=
1:
and lIe equalion
74 4 z4 = 2. 7z1
Ias,
an inJinil oJ inlegvaI soIulions vilI veIaliveI pvine x, , z, since idenlicaII
in -x- and , l
*
A. TIue, NovsIe Vid. SeIsI. SIv. 1908, Nv. 7. K. MaIIev, MalI. Ann. 107, 1933, pp. 691-730.
l
C. L.
SiegeI,
MalI. Z.
10, 1921, pp.
173-213.
E. T. Favv, JouvnaI oJ lIe London MalIenalicaI Sociel, 1940, voI. 15, pp. 293-305.
1
TIe equalion x2x2= 7Z Ias an inJinil oJ inlegvaI soIulions vilI veIaliveI pvine x, .
372
BEMABKS ON TEBNABY BIOFHANTINE EQUATIONS 373
74 4 |x )4
=
2|72 x 2)2.
TIe slaled vesuIls ave oIlained I lIe conslvuclion oJ sinpIe idenlilies. In
a siniIav va, il is possiIIe lo sIov lIe JoIIoving lIeoven IJ F|x, , -z) is an
ivveduciIIe cuIic Jovn vilI inlegvaI
coeJJicienls,
sucI lIal lIe equalion F|x, , z) = 0
Ias al Ieasl one soIulion in inlegevs nol aII zevo, lIen F|x, , z) eilIev vepvesenls aII
inlegevs in a suilaIIe Iineav pvogvession alI |l = 0, 1, 2, * * * ) ov il vepve-
senls a cevlain inlegev I 0 in an inJinil oJ diJJevenl vas. Lel g, I, I Ie lIvee
inlegevs nol aII zevo sucI lIal
F|g, I, I)
=
0,
and denole vilI F,, FI, F, lIe vaIues oJ lIe lIvee Jivsl pavliaI devivalives
dF/dx, Ea/d, aF/az Jov x=g, =I, z=I. TIeve ave lIvee inlegevs nol aII zevo
sucI lIal
OF,
HFI KFI
= 0.
Lel-nov l Ie a pavanelev: lIen
F|gl O, Il H, Il K) = Al3 Bl2 Cl B
is a cuIic poInoniaI in l. TIis poInoniaI cannol vanisI idenlicaII, since
F|x, , z), I IpolIesis, is ivveduciIIe. Il is Iovevev al nosl oJ lIe Jivsl degvee.
Fov lIe assunplions aIoul g, I, I: O, H, K ave equivaIenl lo A =B = O.
Accovding as lo vIelIev COO ov C= 0, F vepvesenls aII inlegevs oJ lIe pvogves-
sion ClB, ov is equaI lo B Jov aII vaIues oJ l. In lIe second case BOO, since
Fp
O.
1. Tevnav equalions vilI an inJinil oJ soIulions. TIe genevaI levnav Jovn
F|x, , z) oJ ovdev n Ias
N |n 1)|n 2)
2
coeJJicienls. IJ
3
pI|l), p2|l), p3|l)
|
Ijl
pI|l)
I
`
0
Jov aII
l
I=I
ave lIvee poInoniaIs in a pavanelev l vilI inlegvaI coeJJicienls and oJ degvee
Iess lIan ov equaI lo v, lIen
F|pI|l), p2|l), p3|l))
=
?|l)
is a poInoniaI in l oJ degvee nol gvealev lIan nv: ils coeJJicienls ave Iineav Jovns
in lIe'coeJJicienls oJ F|x, , z) vilI inlegvaI nunevicaI coeJJicienls: sa
np
?|l)
=
ELI|F)lI.
I=O
IJ ?|l) is lo Ie a conslanl, lIen lIe coeJJicienls oJ F|x, , z) nusl salisJ lIe nv
Iineav equalions
374 BEMABKS ON TEBNABY BIOFHANTINE EQUATIONS [June-JuI,
LI|F)
=0 |I-_1,2, .,nv).
Fov N`nv, lIis sslen Ias aIvas a non-lviviaI soIulion in inlegevs: lIeve is
lIeveJove lIen a levnav Jovn oJ ovdev n vilI inlegvaI coeJJicienls nol aII zevo
sucI lIal
F|p1|l), p2|l), p3|l)) = Lo|F)
is independenl oJ l. TIe so conslvucled Jovn F|x, , z) na, Iovevev, Ie ve-
duciIIe, and lIe conslanl Lo|F) on lIe vigIl-Iand side na vanisI. In lIe speciaI
case v= 1 oJ Iineav poInoniaIs FI|l)
IolI conpIicalions can aIvas Ie avoided,
and il is possiIIe lo delevnine ivveduciIIe Jovns F|x, , z) oJ evev ovdev n sucI
lIal lIe conslanl 4|l) =Lo|F) # 0.*
TIe Jovn F|x, , z) conslvucled in lIis nannev is nol deJinile: il assunes lIe
vaIues I =Lo|F) Jov evev inlegvaI vaIue l = 0, T 1, 2, *. I give Ieve a Jev
exanpIes oJ lIis Iind
x3 3z37xz-= 7327 idenlicaII in l Jov x = l7, -l, z = 3-:
2z- 12x33z3 = 12 idenlicaII in l Jov x=-l 1, = 3l, z= l2:
274- 4-z42 722 272z2 - 42z2 =-6 idenlicaII in l Jov x = l, = l 1, z = l- 1:
2|x44) -
|x-)2z|3x-3z) =4idenlicaIIin lJov x=l1, =l-I, z=l2.
2. Fovns vIicI vepvesenl evev inlegev. Lel a, ,B, Ie lIvee inlegevs and
assune lIal lIe Jovn F|x, , z) oJ ovdev n Ias lIe JoIIoving pvopevl
On vepIacing z I axJ,, ve gel idenlicaII in x and ,
|1) F|x, , ax
O
i ) = p|x) a,
vIeve a is a conslanl and p|x) a poInoniaI in x IolI depending on F.
Assune lIe Jovn Ias lIis pvopevl, and Iel
l1, 4s,
-
* , l3
Ie lIe diJJevenl vesidues oJ p|x) nod a: since
p|x)-p|x') nod a Jov x-x', nod a,
eacI congvuence
p|x)
a)nod a |=1 ,*,s
Ias an inJinil oJ inlegvaI soIulions x. Hence iJ I is an inlegev in one oJ lIe
vesidue cIasses
I-) nod a |J1, 2,** s),
lIen
p|x)

a
=
I
*
TIis covvesponds lo lIe Jacl lIal lIeve ave ivveduciIIe aIgeIvaic cuvves oJ evev ovdev n vIicI
inlevsecl a given slvaigIl Iine onI in n coinciding poinls.
1942] BEMABKS ON TEBNABY BIOFHANTINE EQUATIONS 375
Ias an inJinil oJ inlegvaI soIulions x, , and lIeveJove lIe equalion F|x, , z) =I
Ias an inJinil oJ inlegvaI soIulions, x , z.
TIe JoIIoving Jovns salisJ lIe idenlil |1)
|2)
Fi|x,
, z) = 7n-,| 3)I |I = 0, 1, , n - 1):
)F|x, , z) = |z -x-ax
-)n-
as is evidenl on pulling Z = a7
J 7.
A JuvlIev and Iess oIvious soIulion is
oIlained in lIe JoIIoving va
We assune lIal lIis soIulion can Ie vvillen as
|3)
FnI|x, , Z)
= Z4
Ji|x, )Zn-2 J2|x, )zn-3
Jn-2|x, Y)Z JnI|7, )),
v-Ieve JI|x, ), Jov I=1, 2, * * *, n-1, is'a Iinav Jovn in x, oJ ovdev I vilI
inlegvaI coeJJicienls. EvidenlI none oJ lIe Jovns |2) is oJ lIis lpe.
Fvon |1) and |3), ve gel
FnI|7,
, ax JI -)
= |ax J3 -)
n
Ji|x, ) |ax JI
)n-2

Jn-I|7, )
=
|x)

a.
Hence, on deveIoping IolI sides inlo suns oJ Iinav Jovns in x, and conpaving
Jovns oJ equaI ovdev,
|axI3)nJ1|x, )|ax#3)n
2 Jn-2|7, )|axJI)J-1|7, )
=Cn7n,
|JI) |axi3) |n12) J|x,|axaIxJ) |
1)
Jn-2|7, ) =Cn_7'7n
|JnI) |x)n-2
|n 2)
Ji|x, )|a73)-4
.
|2 )
J._|7, )--Cn-27
|JI1
7
|xJI)
2

|JI2 J1
|7, )
C272, |n-2 ) n-2) =7
|n-1) |axJI) cJx | a.
Heve lIe c's ave suilaIIe conslanls: lIeiv vaIues ave Jound I pulling =0,
naneI
Cn
= an , Cn-i = | )a1n-C .
..C2
= | n )a.
Lel
dI|x, ) = dI = |ax) I - |ax J) I |I = 2, 3, , n).
TIen lIe Iasl equalions laIe lIe Jovn,
Ji|x, ) |axS3)n-2J2|x, )|axl)n-3 * Jn-i|x, ) =d.,
|n-2)
Ji|x, )|axJ3)n-3
|n3)
J2|x, )|axIg)n4
|
J)
|7, |7)
dn1)
376 BEMABKS ON TEBNABY BIOFHANTINE EQUATIONS [June-JuI,
|n2)
Ji|x )|axJ3)n4
|n23)
J2|x, )|aixJ3)n5*

|2)
Jn3|7, Y)=
| )
d2
|2) J|7,
Y)
= 2d2. |n-2) |n-2) 2
TIis sslen oJ Iineav equalions Jov
YJI |7, Y), YJ2 |7, Y) ,** YJn-- |7, Y)
is easiI soIved jusl in lIe vequived Jovn: Jov lIe expvessions on lIe vigIl-Iand
side ave aII divisiIIe I . We Jind Jov snaII vaIues oJ n
n = 1 F2|x, , z) =Z:
n = 2 F3|x, , z) = z2 d2:
n
=
3 F4|x, , z) = z3 3d2Z |d3 - 3|ax j3)d2):
n = 4 F5|x, , z) = z4 6d2z2 4|d3 - 3|ax 3)d2)z
|d4
- 4|ax 3)d3
6|ax 3)2d2):
n = 5 F6|x, , z) = z5 10d2z3 1O|d3 - 3|ax
J3)d2)z2
5|d4 - 4|ax I3)d3
6|ax J3)2d2) |d5
-
5|ax J)d4 10|ax
j)2d3
- 1O|ax J)3d2).
Il is aIso cIeav lIal lIe JoIIoving JovnuIae IoId
Fi|x, , ax J -)
=
xn-I|ax )I |I
=
O, 1, , n1):
|4) Fn|7, , a7 J3 Y)
=
'n-I:
FnJI|7, , a7 3 'Y)
=
|a7 )n nIn-I.
Assune in pavlicuIav lIal
a # O, J3#O, # O.
TIen lIe n2 Jovns |2) and |3) ave IineavI independenl: Jov lIe poInoniaIs
in x
xn-I|a,x 7),)
|I
=
O, 1, ** n-1
ave cIeavI IineavI independenl, since no lvo oJ lIen vanisI lo lIe sane ovdev
al x
= 0 ov al x
=-F/Ia.
TIeveJove lIe Jovn oJ ovdev n,
n1
|5) F|x, , z) = E C1Fz|x, , z),
1=0
vIeve Co, C1, ,
Cn1
ave avIilvav inlegevs nol aII zevo, does nol vanisI
idenlicaII: il is again a soIulion oJ |1).
TaIe
=
1, Cn CnI3
=
1
1942] BEMABKS ON TEBNABY BIOFHANTINE EQUATIONS 377
and cIoose F sucI lIal F|x, -0, axx,) is a poInoniaI in x exaclI oJ degvee n.
TIen I lIe venavI al lIe Ieginning oJ lIis pavagvapI, F|x, , z) vepvesenls
evev inlegev in an inJinil oJ diJJevenl vas. We JuvlIevnove Iave
F|x, , ax J3 -) = F|x, 0, ax -) ,
and concIude lIal F|x, , z) is an ivveduciIIe Jovn in x, , z, since lIe expvession
on lIe vigIl-Iand side is ivveduciIIe in x and and oJ exacl degvee n in x. Il is
again cIeav, as in lIe pveceding pavagvapI, lIal lIe so conslvucled Jovn,
F|x, , z) is indeJinile.
3. Fovns vilI Iounded gvealesl pvine Jaclov. A posilive deJinile levnav
Jovn oJ ovdev n, F|x, , z), vepvesenls evev inlegev I in al nosl a Jinile nunIev
oJ vas. Since F|x, , z) is posilive deJinile, ils ovdev is even, sa n = 2n. TIe
vaIues oJ F on lIe spIeve x22z2
=
1 ave aIvas posilive: since F is conlinu-
ous, lIe Iave a nininun vaIue V`Q on lIis spIeve. Hence
J|x,, ) -
F|x, , z)
-` V
J|7, Y, Z)
=|72 2 z2)n -
Jov aII poinls oJ lIis spIeve, and lIeveJove Jov aII poinls oJ space, since J|x, , z)
is Ionogeneous oJ ovdev zevo. Hence, iJ I `0 is given and F = I, lIen
I =
F|x, , z) ` V|x2
2 Z2)n, i.e. l xl, l Yl, l z. l-
|I/V)I12n,
so lIal lIeve ave
al,
nosl a Jinile nunIev oJ inlegvaI soIulions x, , z.
Suppose in pavlicuIav, lIal lIis Jovn can Ie vvillen as
|6) F|x. 5 z)
=
aQ|x, )
n
|z
- x -)O|x, , Z),
vIeve a0 is an inlegev and
Q|x, )
=
ax2
3x

)2
is a quadvalic Jovn in x and , and O|x, , z) a Jovn oJ ovdev n-1 in x, , z,
IolI vilI inlegvaI coeJJicienls. Since
|7) F|x, , x )
=
aQ|x, )n,
lIe Jovn Q|x, ) nusl Ie posilive ov negalive deJinile: olIevvise lIeve vouId Ie
veaI x, , z nol aII zevo sucI lIal F|x, , z) =0.
B lIe lIeov oJ quadvalic Jovns, il is possiIIe lo Jind Jov evev inlegev
l? 1 a sslen oJ l diJJevenl pvine nunIevs
F1, F2, .., Fl,
sucI lIal lIe equalion
Q
|7
) =_
pi
pZl
Ias an inJinil oJ inlegvaI soIulions x, , z1, , Zl, vIeve x and ave veIaliveI
pvine and z1`0, * * * , zl`-0. Hence, I |7), lIeve exisl an inJinil oJ diJJevenl
378 BEMABKS ON TEBNABY BIOFHANTINE EQUATIONS
sels oJ lIvee veIaliveI pvine inlegevs x, , z, Jov vIicI lIe gvealesl pvine divisov
oJ F|x, , z) is Iounded.
Il is possiIIe lo Jind posilive deJinile Jovns F|x, , z) oJ evev even ovdev
n
=
2n, vIicI can Ie vvillen as a sun |6). Fov inslance, il suJJices lo laIe
O|x, , z) = |z - x - )H|x, , z),
vIeve H|x, , z) is a posilive deJinile Jovn oJ ovdev n -2=2 |n - 1). Ov ve na
laIe O|x, , z) avIilvav, Iul sucI lIal O|0, 0, 1)`0, and lIen can naIe
F|x, , z) posilive deJinile I jusl cIoosing Jov a a suJJicienlI Iavge posilive
inlegev.
In lIe excIuded case lIal Q|x, ) is indeJinile, F|x, , z) evidenlI vepvesenls
an inJinil oJ diJJevenl inlegevs I in an inJinil oJ diJJevenl vas.
As lIeve ave nan Jovns oJ lIe lpe |6), ve na inpose on lIen JuvlIev
condilions, e.g., considev onI Jovns vIicI ave quadvalic ov cuIic Jovns in
xI, I, ZI. In lIe JoIIoving exanpIes, lIe sign -` neans lIal lIe vigIl-Iand
side is devived Jvon lIe IeJl-Iand side I lIe suIslilulion z=x.
|a) Quadvalic Jovns in 72, 2, Z2. A Jev exanpIes ave given I lIe idenlilies,
in vIicI a is avIilvav
|1
-
a)74 ax22 a72Z2 a22Z2 -_ |72

ax a2)2:
ax4
a|4a
-
1) 4

aZ4 |1
-
2a) 72Z2
-
|72 x 2a2)2.
|I) Quadvalic Jovns in x3, 3, z3. TIe JoIIoving idenlilies IoId Jov avIilvav a
|a2 - 4a 4)|x6 O) |a 2- a 1)z6 |3a' - 16a2 28a -
16)x33
-
|2a 2 - Sa 2)|x3 3)z3 -` 3|72 ax 2)3:
|a2 - 3a 3)76 a 2|6 z6) |2a2 -3a) 73|3 -z3) |3a3- 2a2) 3Z3
-` 3|x2
ax a2)3:
a|76 Z6) |3a3 - 3a2 a)6 |2a.- 3a2)3|73 -
Z3) |3
-
2a)x3z3
3|x2 7
a
a2)3.
|c) A quadvalic Jovn in 74, 4, z4
x8 8 17Z8 14|74 4)Z4 -` 2|272 3x 22)4.
|d) TIeve is no ivveduciIIe cuIic Jovn in
74,
4, z4 vilI valionaI coeJJicienls,
Iul lIeve ave Jouv vilI coeJJicienls in K|V/3) vIicI ave conjugale in paivs vilI
vespecl lo lIis JieId.
FinaI venavI. AnaIogous lo |6), lIeve ave posilive deJinile qualevnav Jovns
F|x, , z, v) oJ evev even ovdev n
=
2n vIicI can Ie vvillen as
F|x, , z, v)
=
aQ|x, , z)n |v
- x -

-
z)O|x, , z, v),
vIeve a$0O is an inlegev, Q|x, , z) a posilive deJinile quadvalic Jovn and
O|x, , z, v) a Jovn oJ ovdev n-1. Fov Jovns F oJ lIis Iind, lIe equalion F|x,
, z, v) =I Ias evidenlI al Ieasl consl.
I
IJ I/n soIulions Jov an inJinil oJ I's.