If $ a + b + c \mid a^2 + b^2 + c^2$ then $ a + b + c \mid a^n + b^n + c^n$ for infinitely many $n$

Let $ a,b,c$ positive integer such that $ a + b + c \mid a^2 + b^2 + c^2$.
Show that $ a + b + c \mid a^n + b^n + c^n$ for infinitely many positive integer $ n$.

(problem composed by Laurentiu Panaitopol)

So far no idea.

Solution 1:

Claim. $a+b+c\mid a^{2^n}+b^{2^n}+c^{2^n}$ for all $n\geq0$.

Proof. By induction: True for $n=0,1$ $\checkmark$. Suppose it's true for $0,\ldots,n$. Note that $$a^{2^{n+1}}+b^{2^{n+1}}+c^{2^{n+1}}=(a^{2^n}+b^{2^n}+c^{2^n})^2-2(a^{2^{n-1}}b^{2^{n-1}}+b^{2^{n-1}}c^{2^{n-1}}+c^{2^{n-1}}a^{2^{n-1}})^2+4a^{2^{n-1}}b^{2^{n-1}}c^{2^{n-1}}(a^{2^{n-1}}+b^{2^{n-1}}+c^{2^{n-1}})$$

and that

$$2(a^{2^{n-1}}b^{2^{n-1}}+b^{2^{n-1}}c^{2^{n-1}}+c^{2^{n-1}}a^{2^{n-1}})=(a^{2^{n-1}}+b^{2^{n-1}}+c^{2^{n-1}})^2-(a^{2^n}+b^{2^n}+c^{2^n})$$

is divisible by $a+b+c$ by the induction hypothesis.

Solution 2:

It seems that there's a partial solution.

Suppose that $\mathrm{gcd}(a,a+b+c)=\mathrm{gcd}(b,a+b+c)=\mathrm{gcd}(c,a+b+c)=1$. Then for $n=k\cdot \phi(a+b+c)+1 \, (k=1,2, \ldots )$, where $\phi$ is Euler's function, we have: $$ (a^n+b^n+c^n)-(a^2+b^2+c^2)=a^2 (a^{n-1}-1) + b^2 (b^{n-1}-1) + c^2 (c^{n-1}-1), $$ where all round brackets are divisible by $a+b+c$ according to Euler theorem. Therefore $(a+b+c) \mid (a^n+b^n+c^n)$ for all these $n$.

Solution 3:

There's one more solution (it isn't mine). One can even prove that $(a + b + c) \mid (a^n + b^n + c^n)$ for all $n=3k+1$ and $n=3k+2$. It's enough to prove that $a + b + c \mid a^n + b^n + c^n$ => $a + b + c \mid a^{n+3} + b^{n+3} + c^{n+3}$. The proof is here: https://vk.com/doc104505692_416031961?hash=3acf5149ebfb5338b5&dl=47a3df498ea4bf930e (unfortunately, it's in Russian but it's enough to look at the formulae). One point which may need commenting: $(ab+bc+ca)(a^{n-2} + b^{n-2} + c^{n-2})$ is always divisible by $(a+b+c)$ (it's necessary to consider 2 cases: $(a+b+c)$ is odd and $(a+b+c)$ is even).

Solution 4:

If $a,b,c,n\in\Bbb Z_{\ge 1}$, $a+b+c\mid a^2+b^2+c^2$, then $$a+b+c\mid a^n+b^n+c^n$$

is true when $n\nmid 3$, but not necessarily when $n\mid 3$.

$$x^2+y^2+z^2+2(xy+yz+zx)=(x+y+z)^2$$

$$\implies x+y+z\mid 2(xy+yz+zx)$$

$$\implies x+y+z\mid (x^k+y^k+z^k)(xy+yz+zx)$$

for all $k\ge 1$ (to see why, check cases when $x+y+z$ is even and when it's odd).

$$x^{n+3}+y^{n+3}+z^{n+3}=(x^{n+2}+y^{n+2}+z^{n+2})(x+y+z)$$

$$-(x^{n+1}+y^{n+1}+z^{n+1})(xy+yz+zx)+(x^n+y^n+z^n)xyz$$

for all $n\ge 1$. We know $$x+y+z\mid (x^{n+2}+y^{n+2}+z^{n+2})(x+y+z)$$

$$-(x^{n+1}+y^{n+1}+z^{n+1})(xy+yz+zx)$$

Now let $(x,y,z)=(x_1,y_1,z_1)=(1,3,9)$. $$x_1+y_1+z_1\nmid x_1^3+y_1^3+z_1^3$$ $$x_1+y_1+z_1\nmid \left(x_1^3+y_1^3+z_1^3\right)x_1y_1z_1$$ $$\implies x_1+y_1+z_1\nmid x_1^6+y_1^6+z_1^6$$

Since $x_1+y_1+z_1$ is coprime to $x_1,y_1,z_1$, we get $$x_1+y_1+z_1\nmid (x_1^6+y_1^6+z_1^6)x_1y_1z_1,$$

and so $x_1+y_1+z_1\nmid x_1^9+y_1^9+z_1^9$, etc.

Therefore $x+y+z$ cannot generally (for all $x,y,z\in\mathbb Z_{\ge 1}$) divide $x^{3m}+y^{3m}+z^{3m}$ for any given $m\ge 1$.

However, we easily get $x+y+z$ always divides $x^n+y^n+z^n$ for $n$ not divisible by $3$,

because $x+y+z\mid (x+y+z)xyz$ and $x+y+z\mid \left(x^2+y^2+z^2\right)xyz$,

because $x+y+z\mid x^2+y^2+z^2$ (given), so $x+y+z\mid x^4+y^4+z^4, x^5+y^5+z^5$,

so $x+y+z\mid \left(x^4+y^4+z^3\right)xyz, \left(x^5+y^5+z^5\right)xyz$,

so $x+y+z\mid x^7+y^7+z^7, x^8+y^8+z^8$, etc.