At most one solution to \(a^x + b^y = c^z\) of \(a\), \(b\), \(c\)

For fixed coprime positive integers \(a\), \(b\), and \(c\) with \(\min(a, b, c) > 1\), we consider the number of solutions in positive integers \((x, y, z)\) for the purely exponential Diophantine equation \(a^x + b^y = c^z\). Apart from a list of known exceptions, a conjecture published in 2016 claims that this equation has at most one solution in positive integers \(x\), \(y\), and \(z\). We show that this is true for some ranges of \(a\), \(b\), \(c\), for instance, when \(1 \lt a,b \lt 3600\) and \(c \lt 10^{10}\). The conjecture also holds for small pairs \((a,b)\) independent of \(c\), where \(2 \le a,b \le 10\) with \(\gcd(a,b)=1\). We show that the Pillai equation \(a^x - b^y = r \gt 0\) has at most one solution (with a known list of exceptions) when \(2 \le a,b \le 3600\) (with \(\gcd(a,b)=1\)). Finally, the primitive case of the Jeśmanowicz conjecture holds when \(a \le 10^6\) or when \(b \le 10^6\). This work highlights the power of some ideas of Miyazaki and Pink and the usefulness of a theorem by Scott.

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Publication Details

Journal
Glasnik Matematicki
Published
2024-12-15
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3336/gm.59.2.02
Primary Topic
Algebraic Geometry and Number Theory
Type
article
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article

At most one solution to \(a^x + b^y = c^z\) of \(a\), \(b\), \(c\)

Robert Styer
Glasnik Matematicki
Algebraic Geometry and Number Theory
article

At most one solution to \(a^x + b^y = c^z\) of \(a\), \(b\), \(c\)

Robert Styer
article en

Abstract

For fixed coprime positive integers \(a\), \(b\), and \(c\) with \(\min(a, b, c) > 1\), we consider the number of solutions in positive integers \((x, y, z)\) for the purely exponential Diophantine equation \(a^x + b^y = c^z\). Apart from a list of known exceptions, a conjecture published in 2016 claims that this equation has at most one solution in positive integers \(x\), \(y\), and \(z\). We show that this is true for some ranges of \(a\), \(b\), \(c\), for instance, when \(1 \lt a,b \lt 3600\) and \(c \lt 10^{10}\). The conjecture also holds for small pairs \((a,b)\) independent of \(c\), where \(2 \le a,b \le 10\) with \(\gcd(a,b)=1\). We show that the Pillai equation \(a^x - b^y = r \gt 0\) has at most one solution (with a known list of exceptions) when \(2 \le a,b \le 3600\) (with \(\gcd(a,b)=1\)). Finally, the primitive case of the Jeśmanowicz conjecture holds when \(a \le 10^6\) or when \(b \le 10^6\). This work highlights the power of some ideas of Miyazaki and Pink and the usefulness of a theorem by Scott.

Glasnik MatematickiVol. 59(2)
Openalex Percentile: Top 63%
Algebraic Geometry and Number Theory
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At most one solution to \(a^x + b^y = c^z\) of \(a\), \(b\), \(c\) — Robert Styer · Glasnik Matematicki (2024) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS