{
  "index": "1952-A-6",
  "type": "NT",
  "tag": [
    "NT",
    "ALG"
  ],
  "difficulty": "",
  "question": "6. A man has a rectangular block of wood \\( m \\) by \\( n \\) by \\( r \\) inches \\( (m, n \\), and \\( r \\) are integers). He paints the entire surface of the block, cuts the block into inch cubes, and notices that exactly half the cubes are completely unpainted. Prove that the number of essentially different blocks with this property is finite. (Do not attempt to enumerate them.)",
  "solution": "Solution. The unpainted cubes originally form a rectangular block of size \\( (m-2) \\times(n-2) \\times(r-2) \\). Hence the condition of the problem can be expressed\n\\[\nm n r=2(m-2)(n-2)(r-2),\n\\]\nwhich can be rewritten as\n\\[\n\\frac{1}{2}=\\frac{m-2}{m} \\cdot \\frac{n-2}{n} \\cdot \\frac{r-2}{r} .\n\\]\n\nAssume \\( m \\leq n \\leq r \\). Then\n\\[\n\\left(\\frac{m-2}{m}\\right)^{3} \\leq \\frac{1}{2}<\\frac{m-2}{m} .\n\\]\n\nHence\n\\[\n\\frac{1}{2}<\\frac{m-2}{m} \\leq\\left(\\frac{1}{2}\\right)^{1 / 3}\n\\]\n\nThis gives \\( 4<m<10 \\). Thus there are only a finite number of possibilities for the smallest integer \\( m \\).\n\nWith \\( m \\) fixed, the equation becomes\n\\[\n\\frac{m}{2(m-2)}=\\frac{n-2}{n} \\cdot \\frac{r-2}{r} .\n\\]\nand the same reasoning as above shows that\n\\[\n\\left(\\frac{n-2}{n}\\right)^{2} \\leq \\frac{m}{2(m-2)}<\\frac{n-2}{n},\n\\]\nwhence\n\\[\n\\frac{m}{2(m-2)}<\\frac{n-2}{n}<\\left(\\frac{m}{2(m-2)}\\right)^{1 / 2} \\leq\\left(\\frac{5}{6}\\right)^{12}<1 .\n\\]\n\nThus for a fixed \\( m \\), there are only a finite number of possibilities for \\( n \\). Evidently, for fixed \\( m \\) and \\( n \\) there can be at most one integer \\( r \\) which satisfies the equation. Hence altogether there are only a finite number of cases. Note that the relaxation of the ordering assumption \\( m \\leq n \\leq r \\) can at most multiply the number of solution triplets by six.\n\nRemark. It is clear that the same kind of reasoning will show that a Diophantine equation like\n\\[\n\\alpha=\\frac{m-2}{m} \\cdot \\frac{n-2}{n} \\cdot \\frac{r-2}{r} \\cdot \\frac{s-2}{s} \\cdot \\frac{t-2}{t}\n\\]\nhas only a finite number of solutions in positive integers.\nFurther Remark. Disregarding the instructions of the problem, it is an easy matter to enumerate all solutions. For each value of \\( m \\), the range of possible values for \\( \\boldsymbol{n} \\) is given in the following table. For the larger values of \\( m \\), the inequality \\( n \\geq m \\) is more restrictive then the first inequality in (1).\n\\begin{tabular}{ccc} \n& \\multicolumn{2}{c}{ inclusive bounds for \\( n \\)} \\\\\n\\( \\boldsymbol{n} \\) & \\multicolumn{1}{c}{13} & 22 \\\\\n5 & 9 & 14 \\\\\n6 & 7 & 12 \\\\\n7 & 8 & 10 \\\\\n8 & 9 & 10\n\\end{tabular}\n\nThis makes 27 pairs \\( m, n \\); of these, twenty have integral solutions for \\( r \\). A complete list of the ordered non-decreasing triples is\n\\begin{tabular}{llll}\n\\( (5,13,132) \\), & \\( (5,14,72) \\), & \\( (5,15,52) \\), & \\( (5,16,42) \\), \\\\\n\\( (5,17,36) \\), & \\( (5,18,32) \\), & \\( (5,20,27) \\), & \\( (5,22,24) \\), \\\\\n\\( (6,9,56) \\), & \\( (6,10,32) \\), & \\( (6,11,24) \\), & \\( (6,12,20) \\), \\\\\n\\( (6,14,16) \\), & \\( (7,7,100) \\), & \\( (7,8,30) \\), & \\( (7,9,20) \\), \\\\\n\\( (7,10,16) \\), & \\( (8,8,18) \\), & \\( (8,9,14) \\), & \\( (8,10,12) \\),\n\\end{tabular}",
  "vars": [
    "m",
    "n",
    "r",
    "s",
    "t"
  ],
  "params": [
    "\\\\alpha"
  ],
  "sci_consts": [],
  "variants": {
    "descriptive_long": {
      "map": {
        "m": "lengtha",
        "n": "lengthb",
        "r": "heighta",
        "s": "lengthc",
        "t": "lengthd",
        "\\alpha": "alphavar"
      },
      "question": "Problem:\n<<<\n6. A man has a rectangular block of wood \\( lengtha \\) by \\( lengthb \\) by \\( heighta \\) inches \\( (lengtha, lengthb, and heighta are integers). He paints the entire surface of the block, cuts the block into inch cubes, and notices that exactly half the cubes are completely unpainted. Prove that the number of essentially different blocks with this property is finite. (Do not attempt to enumerate them.)\n>>>",
      "solution": "Solution:\n<<<\nSolution. The unpainted cubes originally form a rectangular block of size \\( (lengtha-2) \\times(lengthb-2) \\times(heighta-2) \\). Hence the condition of the problem can be expressed\n\\[\nlengtha\\, lengthb\\, heighta = 2(lengtha-2)(lengthb-2)(heighta-2),\n\\]\nwhich can be rewritten as\n\\[\n\\frac{1}{2}=\\frac{lengtha-2}{lengtha} \\cdot \\frac{lengthb-2}{lengthb} \\cdot \\frac{heighta-2}{heighta} .\n\\]\n\nAssume \\( lengtha \\leq lengthb \\leq heighta \\). Then\n\\[\n\\left(\\frac{lengtha-2}{lengtha}\\right)^{3} \\leq \\frac{1}{2}<\\frac{lengtha-2}{lengtha} .\n\\]\n\nHence\n\\[\n\\frac{1}{2}<\\frac{lengtha-2}{lengtha} \\leq\\left(\\frac{1}{2}\\right)^{1 / 3}\n\\]\n\nThis gives \\( 4<lengtha<10 \\). Thus there are only a finite number of possibilities for the smallest integer \\( lengtha \\).\n\nWith \\( lengtha \\) fixed, the equation becomes\n\\[\n\\frac{lengtha}{2(lengtha-2)}=\\frac{lengthb-2}{lengthb} \\cdot \\frac{heighta-2}{heighta} .\n\\]\nand the same reasoning as above shows that\n\\[\n\\left(\\frac{lengthb-2}{lengthb}\\right)^{2} \\leq \\frac{lengtha}{2(lengtha-2)}<\\frac{lengthb-2}{lengthb},\n\\]\nwhence\n\\[\n\\frac{lengtha}{2(lengtha-2)}<\\frac{lengthb-2}{lengthb}<\\left(\\frac{lengtha}{2(lengtha-2)}\\right)^{1 / 2} \\leq\\left(\\frac{5}{6}\\right)^{12}<1 .\n\\]\n\nThus for a fixed \\( lengtha \\), there are only a finite number of possibilities for \\( lengthb \\). Evidently, for fixed \\( lengtha \\) and \\( lengthb \\) there can be at most one integer \\( heighta \\) which satisfies the equation. Hence altogether there are only a finite number of cases. Note that the relaxation of the ordering assumption \\( lengtha \\leq lengthb \\leq heighta \\) can at most multiply the number of solution triplets by six.\n\nRemark. It is clear that the same kind of reasoning will show that a Diophantine equation like\n\\[\nalphavar=\\frac{lengtha-2}{lengtha} \\cdot \\frac{lengthb-2}{lengthb} \\cdot \\frac{heighta-2}{heighta} \\cdot \\frac{lengthc-2}{lengthc} \\cdot \\frac{lengthd-2}{lengthd}\n\\]\nhas only a finite number of solutions in positive integers.\nFurther Remark. Disregarding the instructions of the problem, it is an easy matter to enumerate all solutions. For each value of \\( lengtha \\), the range of possible values for \\( \\boldsymbol{lengthb} \\) is given in the following table. For the larger values of \\( lengtha \\), the inequality \\( lengthb \\geq lengtha \\) is more restrictive then the first inequality in (1).\n\\begin{tabular}{ccc} \n& \\multicolumn{2}{c}{ inclusive bounds for \\( lengthb \\)} \\\\\n\\( \\boldsymbol{lengthb} \\) & \\multicolumn{1}{c}{13} & 22 \\\\\n5 & 9 & 14 \\\\\n6 & 7 & 12 \\\\\n7 & 8 & 10 \\\\\n8 & 9 & 10\n\\end{tabular}\n\nThis makes 27 pairs \\( lengtha, lengthb \\); of these, twenty have integral solutions for \\( heighta \\). A complete list of the ordered non-decreasing triples is\n\\begin{tabular}{llll}\n\\( (5,13,132) \\), & \\( (5,14,72) \\), & \\( (5,15,52) \\), & \\( (5,16,42) \\), \\\\\n\\( (5,17,36) \\), & \\( (5,18,32) \\), & \\( (5,20,27) \\), & \\( (5,22,24) \\), \\\\\n\\( (6,9,56) \\), & \\( (6,10,32) \\), & \\( (6,11,24) \\), & \\( (6,12,20) \\), \\\\\n\\( (6,14,16) \\), & \\( (7,7,100) \\), & \\( (7,8,30) \\), & \\( (7,9,20) \\), \\\\\n\\( (7,10,16) \\), & \\( (8,8,18) \\), & \\( (8,9,14) \\), & \\( (8,10,12) \\),\n\\end{tabular}\n>>>"
    },
    "descriptive_long_confusing": {
      "map": {
        "m": "marigold",
        "n": "lanterns",
        "r": "horizons",
        "s": "pineapple",
        "t": "sapphire",
        "\\alpha": "galaxies"
      },
      "question": "6. A man has a rectangular block of wood \\( marigold \\) by \\( lanterns \\) by \\( horizons \\) inches (marigold, lanterns, and horizons are integers). He paints the entire surface of the block, cuts the block into inch cubes, and notices that exactly half the cubes are completely unpainted. Prove that the number of essentially different blocks with this property is finite. (Do not attempt to enumerate them.)",
      "solution": "Solution. The unpainted cubes originally form a rectangular block of size \\( (marigold-2) \\times(lanterns-2) \\times(horizons-2) \\). Hence the condition of the problem can be expressed\n\\[\nmarigold\\, lanterns\\, horizons = 2(marigold-2)(lanterns-2)(horizons-2),\n\\]\nwhich can be rewritten as\n\\[\n\\frac{1}{2}=\\frac{marigold-2}{marigold} \\cdot \\frac{lanterns-2}{lanterns} \\cdot \\frac{horizons-2}{horizons} .\n\\]\n\nAssume \\( marigold \\leq lanterns \\leq horizons \\). Then\n\\[\n\\left(\\frac{marigold-2}{marigold}\\right)^{3} \\leq \\frac{1}{2}<\\frac{marigold-2}{marigold} .\n\\]\n\nHence\n\\[\n\\frac{1}{2}<\\frac{marigold-2}{marigold} \\leq\\left(\\frac{1}{2}\\right)^{1 / 3}\n\\]\n\nThis gives \\( 4<marigold<10 \\). Thus there are only a finite number of possibilities for the smallest integer \\( marigold \\).\n\nWith \\( marigold \\) fixed, the equation becomes\n\\[\n\\frac{marigold}{2(marigold-2)}=\\frac{lanterns-2}{lanterns} \\cdot \\frac{horizons-2}{horizons} .\n\\]\nand the same reasoning as above shows that\n\\[\n\\left(\\frac{lanterns-2}{lanterns}\\right)^{2} \\leq \\frac{marigold}{2(marigold-2)}<\\frac{lanterns-2}{lanterns},\n\\]\nwhence\n\\[\n\\frac{marigold}{2(marigold-2)}<\\frac{lanterns-2}{lanterns}<\\left(\\frac{marigold}{2(marigold-2)}\\right)^{1 / 2} \\leq\\left(\\frac{5}{6}\\right)^{12}<1 .\n\\]\n\nThus for a fixed \\( marigold \\), there are only a finite number of possibilities for \\( lanterns \\). Evidently, for fixed \\( marigold \\) and \\( lanterns \\) there can be at most one integer \\( horizons \\) which satisfies the equation. Hence altogether there are only a finite number of cases. Note that the relaxation of the ordering assumption \\( marigold \\leq lanterns \\leq horizons \\) can at most multiply the number of solution triplets by six.\n\nRemark. It is clear that the same kind of reasoning will show that a Diophantine equation like\n\\[\ngalaxies=\\frac{marigold-2}{marigold} \\cdot \\frac{lanterns-2}{lanterns} \\cdot \\frac{horizons-2}{horizons} \\cdot \\frac{pineapple-2}{pineapple} \\cdot \\frac{sapphire-2}{sapphire}\n\\]\nhas only a finite number of solutions in positive integers.\nFurther Remark. Disregarding the instructions of the problem, it is an easy matter to enumerate all solutions. For each value of \\( marigold \\), the range of possible values for \\( \\boldsymbol{lanterns} \\) is given in the following table. For the larger values of \\( marigold \\), the inequality \\( lanterns \\geq marigold \\) is more restrictive then the first inequality in (1).\n\\begin{tabular}{ccc} \n& \\multicolumn{2}{c}{ inclusive bounds for \\( lanterns \\)} \\\\\n\\( \\boldsymbol{lanterns} \\) & \\multicolumn{1}{c}{13} & 22 \\\\\n5 & 9 & 14 \\\\\n6 & 7 & 12 \\\\\n7 & 8 & 10 \\\\\n8 & 9 & 10\n\\end{tabular}\n\nThis makes 27 pairs \\( marigold, lanterns \\); of these, twenty have integral solutions for \\( horizons \\). A complete list of the ordered non-decreasing triples is\n\\begin{tabular}{llll}\n\\( (5,13,132) \\), & \\( (5,14,72) \\), & \\( (5,15,52) \\), & \\( (5,16,42) \\), \\\\\n\\( (5,17,36) \\), & \\( (5,18,32) \\), & \\( (5,20,27) \\), & \\( (5,22,24) \\), \\\\\n\\( (6,9,56) \\), & \\( (6,10,32) \\), & \\( (6,11,24) \\), & \\( (6,12,20) \\), \\\\\n\\( (6,14,16) \\), & \\( (7,7,100) \\), & \\( (7,8,30) \\), & \\( (7,9,20) \\), \\\\\n\\( (7,10,16) \\), & \\( (8,8,18) \\), & \\( (8,9,14) \\), & \\( (8,10,12) \\),\n\\end{tabular}"
    },
    "descriptive_long_misleading": {
      "map": {
        "m": "fluidmass",
        "n": "smoothness",
        "r": "curveedge",
        "s": "roughsurf",
        "t": "timeless",
        "\\alpha": "variabler"
      },
      "question": "6. A man has a rectangular block of wood \\( fluidmass \\) by \\( smoothness \\) by \\( curveedge \\) inches \\( (fluidmass, smoothness \\), and \\( curveedge \\) are integers). He paints the entire surface of the block, cuts the block into inch cubes, and notices that exactly half the cubes are completely unpainted. Prove that the number of essentially different blocks with this property is finite. (Do not attempt to enumerate them.)",
      "solution": "Solution. The unpainted cubes originally form a rectangular block of size \\( (fluidmass-2) \\times(smoothness-2) \\times(curveedge-2) \\). Hence the condition of the problem can be expressed\n\\[\nfluidmass smoothness curveedge=2(fluidmass-2)(smoothness-2)(curveedge-2),\n\\]\nwhich can be rewritten as\n\\[\n\\frac{1}{2}=\\frac{fluidmass-2}{fluidmass} \\cdot \\frac{smoothness-2}{smoothness} \\cdot \\frac{curveedge-2}{curveedge} .\n\\]\n\nAssume \\( fluidmass \\leq smoothness \\leq curveedge \\). Then\n\\[\n\\left(\\frac{fluidmass-2}{fluidmass}\\right)^{3} \\leq \\frac{1}{2}<\\frac{fluidmass-2}{fluidmass} .\n\\]\n\nHence\n\\[\n\\frac{1}{2}<\\frac{fluidmass-2}{fluidmass} \\leq\\left(\\frac{1}{2}\\right)^{1 / 3}\n\\]\n\nThis gives \\( 4<fluidmass<10 \\). Thus there are only a finite number of possibilities for the smallest integer \\( fluidmass \\).\n\nWith \\( fluidmass \\) fixed, the equation becomes\n\\[\n\\frac{fluidmass}{2(fluidmass-2)}=\\frac{smoothness-2}{smoothness} \\cdot \\frac{curveedge-2}{curveedge} .\n\\]\nand the same reasoning as above shows that\n\\[\n\\left(\\frac{smoothness-2}{smoothness}\\right)^{2} \\leq \\frac{fluidmass}{2(fluidmass-2)}<\\frac{smoothness-2}{smoothness},\n\\]\nwhence\n\\[\n\\frac{fluidmass}{2(fluidmass-2)}<\\frac{smoothness-2}{smoothness}<\\left(\\frac{fluidmass}{2(fluidmass-2)}\\right)^{1 / 2} \\leq\\left(\\frac{5}{6}\\right)^{12}<1 .\n\\]\n\nThus for a fixed \\( fluidmass \\), there are only a finite number of possibilities for \\( smoothness \\). Evidently, for fixed \\( fluidmass \\) and \\( smoothness \\) there can be at most one integer \\( curveedge \\) which satisfies the equation. Hence altogether there are only a finite number of cases. Note that the relaxation of the ordering assumption \\( fluidmass \\leq smoothness \\leq curveedge \\) can at most multiply the number of solution triplets by six.\n\nRemark. It is clear that the same kind of reasoning will show that a Diophantine equation like\n\\[\nvariabler=\\frac{fluidmass-2}{fluidmass} \\cdot \\frac{smoothness-2}{smoothness} \\cdot \\frac{curveedge-2}{curveedge} \\cdot \\frac{roughsurf-2}{roughsurf} \\cdot \\frac{timeless-2}{timeless}\n\\]\nhas only a finite number of solutions in positive integers.\nFurther Remark. Disregarding the instructions of the problem, it is an easy matter to enumerate all solutions. For each value of \\( fluidmass \\), the range of possible values for \\( \\boldsymbol{smoothness} \\) is given in the following table. For the larger values of \\( fluidmass \\), the inequality \\( smoothness \\geq fluidmass \\) is more restrictive then the first inequality in (1).\n\\begin{tabular}{ccc} \n& \\multicolumn{2}{c}{ inclusive bounds for \\( smoothness \\)} \\\\\n\\( \\boldsymbol{smoothness} \\) & \\multicolumn{1}{c}{13} & 22 \\\\\n5 & 9 & 14 \\\\\n6 & 7 & 12 \\\\\n7 & 8 & 10 \\\\\n8 & 9 & 10\n\\end{tabular}\n\nThis makes 27 pairs \\( fluidmass, smoothness \\); of these, twenty have integral solutions for \\( curveedge \\). A complete list of the ordered non-decreasing triples is\n\\begin{tabular}{llll}\n\\( (5,13,132) \\), & \\( (5,14,72) \\), & \\( (5,15,52) \\), & \\( (5,16,42) \\), \\\\\n\\( (5,17,36) \\), & \\( (5,18,32) \\), & \\( (5,20,27) \\), & \\( (5,22,24) \\), \\\\\n\\( (6,9,56) \\), & \\( (6,10,32) \\), & \\( (6,11,24) \\), & \\( (6,12,20) \\), \\\\\n\\( (6,14,16) \\), & \\( (7,7,100) \\), & \\( (7,8,30) \\), & \\( (7,9,20) \\), \\\\\n\\( (7,10,16) \\), & \\( (8,8,18) \\), & \\( (8,9,14) \\), & \\( (8,10,12) \\),\n\\end{tabular}"
    },
    "garbled_string": {
      "map": {
        "m": "qzxwvtnp",
        "n": "hjgrksla",
        "r": "vfbyqemu",
        "s": "nakdplor",
        "t": "cjemruwo",
        "\\alpha": "zliphoxn"
      },
      "question": "6. A man has a rectangular block of wood \\( qzxwvtnp \\) by \\( hjgrksla \\) by \\( vfbyqemu \\) inches \\( (qzxwvtnp, hjgrksla \\), and \\( vfbyqemu \\) are integers). He paints the entire surface of the block, cuts the block into inch cubes, and notices that exactly half the cubes are completely unpainted. Prove that the number of essentially different blocks with this property is finite. (Do not attempt to enumerate them.)",
      "solution": "Solution. The unpainted cubes originally form a rectangular block of size \\( (qzxwvtnp-2) \\times(hjgrksla-2) \\times(vfbyqemu-2) \\). Hence the condition of the problem can be expressed\n\\[\nqzxwvtnp hjgrksla vfbyqemu=2(qzxwvtnp-2)(hjgrksla-2)(vfbyqemu-2),\n\\]\nwhich can be rewritten as\n\\[\n\\frac{1}{2}=\\frac{qzxwvtnp-2}{qzxwvtnp} \\cdot \\frac{hjgrksla-2}{hjgrksla} \\cdot \\frac{vfbyqemu-2}{vfbyqemu} .\n\\]\n\nAssume \\( qzxwvtnp \\leq hjgrksla \\leq vfbyqemu \\). Then\n\\[\n\\left(\\frac{qzxwvtnp-2}{qzxwvtnp}\\right)^{3} \\leq \\frac{1}{2}<\\frac{qzxwvtnp-2}{qzxwvtnp} .\n\\]\n\nHence\n\\[\n\\frac{1}{2}<\\frac{qzxwvtnp-2}{qzxwvtnp} \\leq\\left(\\frac{1}{2}\\right)^{1 / 3}\n\\]\n\nThis gives \\( 4<qzxwvtnp<10 \\). Thus there are only a finite number of possibilities for the smallest integer \\( qzxwvtnp \\).\n\nWith \\( qzxwvtnp \\) fixed, the equation becomes\n\\[\n\\frac{qzxwvtnp}{2(qzxwvtnp-2)}=\\frac{hjgrksla-2}{hjgrksla} \\cdot \\frac{vfbyqemu-2}{vfbyqemu} .\n\\]\nand the same reasoning as above shows that\n\\[\n\\left(\\frac{hjgrksla-2}{hjgrksla}\\right)^{2} \\leq \\frac{qzxwvtnp}{2(qzxwvtnp-2)}<\\frac{hjgrksla-2}{hjgrksla},\n\\]\nwhence\n\\[\n\\frac{qzxwvtnp}{2(qzxwvtnp-2)}<\\frac{hjgrksla-2}{hjgrksla}<\\left(\\frac{qzxwvtnp}{2(qzxwvtnp-2)}\\right)^{1 / 2} \\leq\\left(\\frac{5}{6}\\right)^{12}<1 .\n\\]\n\nThus for a fixed \\( qzxwvtnp \\), there are only a finite number of possibilities for \\( hjgrksla \\). Evidently, for fixed \\( qzxwvtnp \\) and \\( hjgrksla \\) there can be at most one integer \\( vfbyqemu \\) which satisfies the equation. Hence altogether there are only a finite number of cases. Note that the relaxation of the ordering assumption \\( qzxwvtnp \\leq hjgrksla \\leq vfbyqemu \\) can at most multiply the number of solution triplets by six.\n\nRemark. It is clear that the same kind of reasoning will show that a Diophantine equation like\n\\[\nzliphoxn=\\frac{qzxwvtnp-2}{qzxwvtnp} \\cdot \\frac{hjgrksla-2}{hjgrksla} \\cdot \\frac{vfbyqemu-2}{vfbyqemu} \\cdot \\frac{nakdplor-2}{nakdplor} \\cdot \\frac{cjemruwo-2}{cjemruwo}\n\\]\nhas only a finite number of solutions in positive integers.\nFurther Remark. Disregarding the instructions of the problem, it is an easy matter to enumerate all solutions. For each value of \\( qzxwvtnp \\), the range of possible values for \\( \\boldsymbol{hjgrksla} \\) is given in the following table. For the larger values of \\( qzxwvtnp \\), the inequality \\( hjgrksla \\geq qzxwvtnp \\) is more restrictive then the first inequality in (1).\n\\begin{tabular}{ccc} \n& \\multicolumn{2}{c}{ inclusive bounds for \\( hjgrksla \\)} \\\\\n\\( \\boldsymbol{hjgrksla} \\) & \\multicolumn{1}{c}{13} & 22 \\\\\n5 & 9 & 14 \\\\\n6 & 7 & 12 \\\\\n7 & 8 & 10 \\\\\n8 & 9 & 10\n\\end{tabular}\n\nThis makes 27 pairs \\( qzxwvtnp, hjgrksla \\); of these, twenty have integral solutions for \\( vfbyqemu \\). A complete list of the ordered non-decreasing triples is\n\\begin{tabular}{llll}\n\\( (5,13,132) \\), & \\( (5,14,72) \\), & \\( (5,15,52) \\), & \\( (5,16,42) \\), \\\\\n\\( (5,17,36) \\), & \\( (5,18,32) \\), & \\( (5,20,27) \\), & \\( (5,22,24) \\), \\\\\n\\( (6,9,56) \\), & \\( (6,10,32) \\), & \\( (6,11,24) \\), & \\( (6,12,20) \\), \\\\\n\\( (6,14,16) \\), & \\( (7,7,100) \\), & \\( (7,8,30) \\), & \\( (7,9,20) \\), \\\\\n\\( (7,10,16) \\), & \\( (8,8,18) \\), & \\( (8,9,14) \\), & \\( (8,10,12) \\),\n\\end{tabular}"
    },
    "kernel_variant": {
      "question": "A rectangular prism of wood has integer edge–lengths \\(m, n, r\\) inches with \\(m,n,r>4\\).  The block is dipped in a penetrating dye that colors every unit cube whose distance from the surface is at most two inches—that is, every unit cube belonging to one of the outer two layers.  The block is then cut into \\(1\\)-inch cubes, and it is observed that exactly one fifth of the cubes remain completely undyed.\n\nProve that, up to permutation of its edges, only finitely many ordered triples \\((m,n,r)\\) can possess this property (you are **not** asked to list them).",
      "solution": "Fix an ordering m≤n≤r.  Since m,n,r>4, when we cut the block into 1 × 1 × 1 cubes the undyed cubes form an inner block of dimensions (m−4)×(n−4)×(r−4).  Exactly one fifth of the mnr small cubes are undyed, so\n\n  m n r =5·(m−4)(n−4)(r−4).\n\nDivide by m n r to obtain\n\n  ((m−4)/m)·((n−4)/n)·((r−4)/r)=1/5.\n\nNote that the function f(x)=(x−4)/x=1−4/x is strictly increasing for x>4, and each factor lies in (0,1).  Hence\n\n  f(m) ≤ f(n) ≤ f(r),  so  f(m)^3 ≤ f(m)·f(n)·f(r)=1/5 < f(m)·1·1 = f(m).\n\nSet x=f(m).  Then\n\n  x^3 ≤1/5 < x,\n\ni.e.\n\n  1/5 < x ≤ (1/5)^{1/3} ≈0.585.\n\nBut x=1−4/m, so\n\n  1−4/m >1/5  ⇒ 4/m <4/5  ⇒ m>5 ⇒ m≥6,\n  1−4/m ≤0.585 ⇒ 4/m ≥0.415 ⇒ m ≤4/0.415<9.63 ⇒ m≤9.\n\nThus 6≤m≤9.  Only finitely many choices.\n\n2.  For each fixed m, rewrite the main equation as\n\n  (n−4)/n · (r−4)/r = m/[5(m−4)] =: α_m <1.\n\nAgain f(n)=(n−4)/n ≤ f(r), so\n\n  f(n)^2 ≤ f(n)·f(r) =α_m < f(n).\n\nSet y=f(n).  Then\n\n  α_m < y ≤ √α_m.\n\nEquivalently,\n\n  y>α_m ⇒ 1−4/n>α_m ⇒ n>4/(1−α_m),\n  y≤√α_m ⇒ 1−4/n≤√α_m ⇒ n≤4/(1−√α_m).\n\nSince α_m = m/[5(m−4)] is a fixed rational in (0,1), the two bounds 4/(1−α_m) and 4/(1−√α_m) are fixed real numbers.  Hence n lies in a finite integer interval depending on m.\n\n3.  Finally, with m,n fixed the equation m n r=5(m−4)(n−4)(r−4) is linear in r.  Expanding,\n\n  m n r =5(m−4)(n−4)·r −20(m−4)(n−4)\n\nso\n\n  [m n − 5(m−4)(n−4)] r = −20(m−4)(n−4).\n\nSince m,n≥6, one checks that the coefficient\n\n  m n − 5(m−4)(n−4) = −4((m−5)(n−5)−5)\n\ncan vanish only in the single case (m,n)=(6,10), in which case the right side is nonzero and there is no solution for r.  Otherwise this coefficient is nonzero, and so there is exactly one rational—and hence at most one integral—value of r satisfying the equation.\n\n4.  Removing the ordering m≤n≤r can only increase the count by a factor of 3!; hence up to permutation there are only finitely many integer triples (m,n,r) satisfying the property.",
      "_meta": {
        "core_steps": [
          "Translate ‘half the cubes unpainted’ into the Diophantine equation  m n r = C·(m−Δ)(n−Δ)(r−Δ).",
          "Impose an ordering m ≤ n ≤ r so that the smallest edge controls the others by monotonicity.",
          "Use the inequality ((m−Δ)/m)^3 ≤ 1/C < (m−Δ)/m to obtain a finite list for m.",
          "For each fixed m apply the analogous square–root bound to n, giving finitely many n.",
          "With m and n fixed, the equation determines at most one integer r, so only finitely many (m,n,r)."
        ],
        "mutable_slots": {
          "slot1": {
            "description": "Proportion of cubes that remain unpainted; appears as constant C = 1/fraction in the Diophantine equation and in the bounding inequalities.",
            "original": "exactly half  ⇒  C = 2"
          },
          "slot2": {
            "description": "Thickness of the painted layer measured in cube units; shows up as the decrement Δ in each factor (m−Δ).",
            "original": "outer layer 1 cube thick  ⇒  Δ = 2"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "checked": true,
  "problem_type": "proof"
}