Diophantine Equations – Solving an Innocent-Looking Quadratic Diophantine Equation

diophantine equations

Can anyone give me a parametrization of the integer solution triples $(m, b, c)$ to the equation
$$m^2 = 16bc + 8b + 8c+1 \quad \text{ ?}$$

I tried many reformulations of this problem. One of those uses the Principal Axes Theorem of Linear Algebra, i.e. by the substitution
$$\left[ \begin{array}{r}
d\\[5pt]
e\\[5pt]
f\\
\end{array} \right] \quad := \quad \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}
\left[ \begin{array}{rrr}
\sqrt{2} & 0 & 0 \\[5pt]
0 & 1 & 1 \\[5pt]
0 & -1 & 1 \\
\end{array}\right] \left[ \begin{array}{c}
m\\[5pt]
b\\[5pt]
c\\
\end{array} \right] $$

I arrived at the equation
$$d^2-8e^2+8f^2-8\sqrt{2}\:e=1$$
whose sole merit is that is hasn't got any mixed terms. I then investigated the requirements for $e, f$ so that the back-substitution would deliver integral values for $b$ and $c$ (there is no problem with $m$ as $m = d$). However, I suspect this is a dead end.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Best Answer

I'm writing your problem as $y^2 - zx = -3$ In this version, a good starting solution is $(2,1,2).$

Another direction, and likely the only parameterization available, starts by taking integers $$ ad - bc = \pm 1 $$

There are ways to generate the modular group https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modular_group#Finding_elements and determinant $-1$ can be found by negating the lower row, say.

Then create the automorphism matrix

$$ M = \left( \begin{array}{ccc} a^2 & 2ac & c^2 \\ ab & ad+bc & cd \\ b^2 & 2bd & d^2 \\ \end{array} \right) $$

To start with a solution $$ V= \left( \begin{array}{r} x \\ y \\ z \\ \end{array} \right) $$ multiply $MV$ to get a new solution. Note that, with $x,z$ even and $y$ odd, the product $MV$ is the same way.

I was a little worried about finding all solutions, test triples $(14,19,26)$ and variant $(2,19,182).$ Taking $a=-1, b=-13,c=1,d=12.$

for

$$ \left( \begin{array}{ccc} 1 & -2 & 1 \\ 13 & -25 & 12 \\ 169 & -312 & 144 \\ \end{array} \right) \left( \begin{array}{r} 14 \\ 19 \\ 26 \\ \end{array} \right) = \left( \begin{array}{r} 2 \\ 19 \\ 182 \\ \end{array} \right) $$

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