2024 AMC 10B Problem 13
Problem 13 of 25IntermediateAlgebraNumber Theory
Positive integers and satisfy the equation What is the minimum possible value of
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Solution
Since we have Squaring the given equation shows that is rational. Thus and have the same squarefree part: write and where is squarefree and are positive integers. Then so and Therefore which is smallest when and are as close as possible. Taking and gives Thus, B is the correct answer.