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On A Problem About Odd-Denominator Egyptian Fractions

This document provides a solution to a Diophantine equation where the sum of the reciprocal values of n distinct odd positive integers equals 1. It is proven that n must be an odd number. If 1 < n ≤ 6, there are no solutions. For n = 7, a solution is not possible. It is then proven by induction that if n ≥ 9 is odd, there exists a solution where 3 divides the nth term. Therefore, the solutions to the problem are the odd numbers greater than or equal to 9.

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110 views2 pages

On A Problem About Odd-Denominator Egyptian Fractions

This document provides a solution to a Diophantine equation where the sum of the reciprocal values of n distinct odd positive integers equals 1. It is proven that n must be an odd number. If 1 < n ≤ 6, there are no solutions. For n = 7, a solution is not possible. It is then proven by induction that if n ≥ 9 is odd, there exists a solution where 3 divides the nth term. Therefore, the solutions to the problem are the odd numbers greater than or equal to 9.

Uploaded by

hongnh-1
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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On a Problem About Odd-denominator Egyptian Fractions

Tomas Novotn
y1
Abstract
The article provides a solution to a Diophantine equation, where the sum of the reciprocal
values of n distinct odd positive integers is equal to 1.

The problem we solve is mentioned in Titu Andreescus & Dorin Andricas book (see [1]) and is
a modification of the Egyptian Fractions problem, asking only for odd integers in the denominators
of the decomposition.
Problem. Determine all integers n > 1 for which the equation
1
1
1
+
+ +
=1
x1 x2
xn
is solvable in distinct odd positive integers.
Proof. We may assume x1 < x2 < . . . < xn . First, we note that n is odd, since
x1 x2 . . . xn = x2 . . . xn + + x1 x2 . . . xn1
and the right hand-side is a sum of n odd numbers, while the left hand-side is an odd number.
If 1 < n 6, then x1 must be larger than 1, but for the next six odd numbers we have
6
X
k=1

1
< 1.
2k + 1

Hence we have no solutions in this case.


If n = 7, then x7 must be the largest number. Selecting x1 to x5 the lowest possible odd integers
larger than 1 and pairwise distinct gives the following estimate


1
1 1 1 1
1
2
1
+
=1
+ + + +
> .
x6 x7
3 5 7 9 11
17
It follows that x6 < 17. But for x6 = 13 or 15 we have


1
1 1 1 1
1
1
2021
=1
+ + + +
+
=
,
x7
3 5 7 9 11 13
45045


1
1 1 1 1
1
1
191
=1
+ + + +
+
=
,
x7
3 5 7 9 11 15
3465
both equalities being impossible. But if x1 to x5 are not the lowest possible numbers, then


1
1
1 1 1 1
1
2
+
1
+ + + +
>
x6 x7
3 5 7 9 13
15
and so x6 < 15. But x5 13, so x5 x6 and that is not possible. Therefore n = 7 is not a solution.
1

Cesk
a Lpa Grammar School, Czech Republic, [email protected]

Mathematical Reflections 5 (2013)

We now prove by induction on n that, if n 9 is odd, then we can find a solution of the
equation for which 3 divides xn .
If n = 9, consider the equality
1 1 1 1
1
1
1
1
1
+ + + +
+
+
+
+
= 1.
3 5 7 9 11 15 21 165 693
Note that 3 divides 693. If x1 , . . . , xn is a solution to the equation with 3 | xn , then setting yi = xi
for i < n and
5
yn = xn , yn+1 = 3xn , yn+2 = 15xn
3
yields a solution of the equation
1
1
1
+
+ +
= 1,
y1 y2
yn+2
where 3 | yn+2 . This concludes the inductive step and shows that the solutions of the problem are
the odd numbers greater than or equal to 9.

Acknowledgements
sa for directing me towards the problem. Also, I would like to
I want to thank Dr. Jaromr Sim
thank Michal Rolnek for helping me to polish this article.

References
[1] T. Andreescu and D. Andrica, An Introduction to Diophantine Equations, GIL publishing house,
2002.

Mathematical Reflections 5 (2013)

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