{
  "index": "1958-B-2",
  "type": "NT",
  "tag": [
    "NT",
    "ALG"
  ],
  "difficulty": "",
  "question": "2. Prove that the product of four consecutive positive integers cannot be a perfect square or cube.",
  "solution": "Solution. Let the four consecutive integers be \\( x-1, x, x+1, x+2 \\). Their product is\n\\[\nP=(x-1)(x+2) x(x+1)=\\left(x^{2}+x-2\\right)\\left(x^{2}+x\\right)=\\left(x^{2}+x-1\\right)^{2}-1\n\\]\n\nIf \\( P \\) were a perfect square, then \\( P \\) and \\( \\left(x^{2}+x-1\\right)^{2} \\) would be consecutive positive integers, both perfect squares, which is impossible. Hence \\( P \\) is not a perfect square.\n\nNow suppose \\( P \\) is a perfect cube. Then \\( x>2 \\), since \\( x-1 \\) is positive and \\( x=2 \\) gives \\( P=24 \\). One of the integers \\( x \\) and \\( x+1 \\) must be odd. If \\( x \\) is odd, it is relatively prime to \\( x-1, x+1 \\), and \\( x+2 \\), so \\( (x-1)(x+1)(x+2)=x^{3}+2 x^{2}-x-2 \\) is also a perfect cube. But\n\\[\nx^{3}<x^{3}+2 x^{2}-x-2<(x+1)^{3}\n\\]\nfor \\( x>2 \\), so we would have a perfect cube between the cubes of two consecutive integers, which is impossible. If \\( x+1 \\) is odd, then it is relatively prime to \\( (x-1) x(x+2)=x^{3}+x^{2}-2 x \\) which again must be a perfect cube. But\n\\[\nx^{3}<x^{3}+x^{2}-2 x<(x+1)^{3}\n\\]\nfor \\( x>2 \\), and again we have a contradiction. So \\( P \\) cannot be a perfect cube.\nRemarks. The second part is the Diophantine equation\n\\[\ny^{3}=z^{2}-1,\n\\]\nwhere \\( z=x^{2}+x-1 \\). It has been shown by Mordell that the only solution of (1) in positive integers is \\( y=2, z=3 \\). Since 8 is not the product of four consecutive positive integers, \\( P \\) cannot be a perfect cube. See L. J. Mordell, \"The Diophantine Equation \\( y^{2}=a x^{3}+b x^{2}+c x+d \\), or Fifty Years After,\" Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society, Series 3, vol. 38 (1963), pages 454-458.\n\nErdös and Selfridge (Illinois J. Math. vol. 19 (1975), pp. 292-301) have proved that the product of two or more consecutive positive integers is never an \\( n \\)th power \\( (n>1) \\).",
  "vars": [
    "x",
    "y",
    "z",
    "P"
  ],
  "params": [
    "a",
    "b",
    "c",
    "d",
    "n"
  ],
  "sci_consts": [],
  "variants": {
    "descriptive_long": {
      "map": {
        "x": "centralxvar",
        "y": "centralyvar",
        "z": "centralzvar",
        "P": "productvar",
        "a": "coeffaone",
        "b": "coeffbtwo",
        "c": "coeffcthr",
        "d": "coeffdfou",
        "n": "powervalue"
      },
      "question": "2. Prove that the product of four consecutive positive integers cannot be a perfect square or cube.",
      "solution": "Solution. Let the four consecutive integers be \\( centralxvar-1, centralxvar, centralxvar+1, centralxvar+2 \\). Their product is\n\\[\nproductvar=(centralxvar-1)(centralxvar+2) \\, centralxvar(centralxvar+1)=\\left(centralxvar^{2}+centralxvar-2\\right)\\left(centralxvar^{2}+centralxvar\\right)=\\left(centralxvar^{2}+centralxvar-1\\right)^{2}-1\n\\]\n\nIf \\( productvar \\) were a perfect square, then \\( productvar \\) and \\( \\left(centralxvar^{2}+centralxvar-1\\right)^{2} \\) would be consecutive positive integers, both perfect squares, which is impossible. Hence \\( productvar \\) is not a perfect square.\n\nNow suppose \\( productvar \\) is a perfect cube. Then \\( centralxvar>2 \\), since \\( centralxvar-1 \\) is positive and \\( centralxvar=2 \\) gives \\( productvar=24 \\). One of the integers \\( centralxvar \\) and \\( centralxvar+1 \\) must be odd. If \\( centralxvar \\) is odd, it is relatively prime to \\( centralxvar-1, centralxvar+1 \\), and \\( centralxvar+2 \\), so \\( (centralxvar-1)(centralxvar+1)(centralxvar+2)=centralxvar^{3}+2 centralxvar^{2}-centralxvar-2 \\) is also a perfect cube. But\n\\[\ncentralxvar^{3}<centralxvar^{3}+2 centralxvar^{2}-centralxvar-2<(centralxvar+1)^{3}\n\\]\nfor \\( centralxvar>2 \\), so we would have a perfect cube between the cubes of two consecutive integers, which is impossible. If \\( centralxvar+1 \\) is odd, then it is relatively prime to \\( (centralxvar-1) centralxvar(centralxvar+2)=centralxvar^{3}+centralxvar^{2}-2 centralxvar \\) which again must be a perfect cube. But\n\\[\ncentralxvar^{3}<centralxvar^{3}+centralxvar^{2}-2 centralxvar<(centralxvar+1)^{3}\n\\]\nfor \\( centralxvar>2 \\), and again we have a contradiction. So \\( productvar \\) cannot be a perfect cube.\n\nRemarks. The second part is the Diophantine equation\n\\[\ncentralyvar^{3}=centralzvar^{2}-1,\n\\]\nwhere \\( centralzvar=centralxvar^{2}+centralxvar-1 \\). It has been shown by Mordell that the only solution of (1) in positive integers is \\( centralyvar=2, centralzvar=3 \\). Since 8 is not the product of four consecutive positive integers, \\( productvar \\) cannot be a perfect cube. See L. J. Mordell, \\\"The Diophantine Equation \\( centralyvar^{2}=coeffaone \\, centralxvar^{3}+coeffbtwo \\, centralxvar^{2}+coeffcthr \\, centralxvar+coeffdfou \\), or Fifty Years After,\\\" Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society, Series 3, vol. 38 (1963), pages 454-458.\n\nErdös and Selfridge (Illinois J. Math. vol. 19 (1975), pp. 292-301) have proved that the product of two or more consecutive positive integers is never an \\( powervalue \\)th power \\( (powervalue>1) \\)."
    },
    "descriptive_long_confusing": {
      "map": {
        "x": "cloudship",
        "y": "meadowlark",
        "z": "starlancer",
        "P": "stonefruit",
        "a": "driftwood",
        "b": "coppermine",
        "c": "parchment",
        "d": "moonflower",
        "n": "rainshadow"
      },
      "question": "2. Prove that the product of four consecutive positive integers cannot be a perfect square or cube.",
      "solution": "Solution. Let the four consecutive integers be \\( cloudship-1, cloudship, cloudship+1, cloudship+2 \\). Their product is\n\\[\nstonefruit=(cloudship-1)(cloudship+2)\\,cloudship(cloudship+1)=\\left(cloudship^{2}+cloudship-2\\right)\\left(cloudship^{2}+cloudship\\right)=\\left(cloudship^{2}+cloudship-1\\right)^{2}-1\n\\]\n\nIf \\( stonefruit \\) were a perfect square, then \\( stonefruit \\) and \\( \\left(cloudship^{2}+cloudship-1\\right)^{2} \\) would be consecutive positive integers, both perfect squares, which is impossible. Hence \\( stonefruit \\) is not a perfect square.\n\nNow suppose \\( stonefruit \\) is a perfect cube. Then \\( cloudship>2 \\), since \\( cloudship-1 \\) is positive and \\( cloudship=2 \\) gives \\( stonefruit=24 \\). One of the integers \\( cloudship \\) and \\( cloudship+1 \\) must be odd. If \\( cloudship \\) is odd, it is relatively prime to \\( cloudship-1, cloudship+1 \\), and \\( cloudship+2 \\), so \\( (cloudship-1)(cloudship+1)(cloudship+2)=cloudship^{3}+2\\,cloudship^{2}-cloudship-2 \\) is also a perfect cube. But\n\\[\ncloudship^{3}<cloudship^{3}+2\\,cloudship^{2}-cloudship-2<(cloudship+1)^{3}\n\\]\nfor \\( cloudship>2 \\), so we would have a perfect cube between the cubes of two consecutive integers, which is impossible. If \\( cloudship+1 \\) is odd, then it is relatively prime to \\( (cloudship-1)\\,cloudship(cloudship+2)=cloudship^{3}+cloudship^{2}-2\\,cloudship \\) which again must be a perfect cube. But\n\\[\ncloudship^{3}<cloudship^{3}+cloudship^{2}-2\\,cloudship<(cloudship+1)^{3}\n\\]\nfor \\( cloudship>2 \\), and again we have a contradiction. So \\( stonefruit \\) cannot be a perfect cube.\n\nRemarks. The second part is the Diophantine equation\n\\[\nmeadowlark^{3}=starlancer^{2}-1,\n\\]\nwhere \\( starlancer=cloudship^{2}+cloudship-1 \\). It has been shown by Mordell that the only solution of (1) in positive integers is \\( meadowlark=2, starlancer=3 \\). Since 8 is not the product of four consecutive positive integers, \\( stonefruit \\) cannot be a perfect cube. See L. J. Mordell, \"The Diophantine Equation \\( meadowlark^{2}=driftwood\\,cloudship^{3}+coppermine\\,cloudship^{2}+parchment\\,cloudship+moonflower \\), or Fifty Years After,\" Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society, Series 3, vol. 38 (1963), pages 454-458.\n\nErdös and Selfridge (Illinois J. Math. vol. 19 (1975), pp. 292-301) have proved that the product of two or more consecutive positive integers is never an \\( rainshadow \\)th power \\( (rainshadow>1) \\)."
    },
    "descriptive_long_misleading": {
      "map": {
        "x": "nonexistentnumeral",
        "y": "constantnoncube",
        "z": "irrationalplaceholder",
        "P": "divisivefraction",
        "a": "variablenumeral",
        "b": "fluctuatingvalue",
        "c": "inconstantfigure",
        "d": "shiftingdigit",
        "n": "fractionpower"
      },
      "question": "2. Prove that the product of four consecutive positive integers cannot be a perfect square or cube.",
      "solution": "Solution. Let the four consecutive integers be \\( nonexistentnumeral-1, nonexistentnumeral, nonexistentnumeral+1, nonexistentnumeral+2 \\). Their product is\n\\[\ndivisivefraction=(nonexistentnumeral-1)(nonexistentnumeral+2) nonexistentnumeral(nonexistentnumeral+1)=\\left(nonexistentnumeral^{2}+nonexistentnumeral-2\\right)\\left(nonexistentnumeral^{2}+nonexistentnumeral\\right)=\\left(nonexistentnumeral^{2}+nonexistentnumeral-1\\right)^{2}-1\n\\]\n\nIf \\( divisivefraction \\) were a perfect square, then \\( divisivefraction \\) and \\( \\left(nonexistentnumeral^{2}+nonexistentnumeral-1\\right)^{2} \\) would be consecutive positive integers, both perfect squares, which is impossible. Hence \\( divisivefraction \\) is not a perfect square.\n\nNow suppose \\( divisivefraction \\) is a perfect cube. Then \\( nonexistentnumeral>2 \\), since \\( nonexistentnumeral-1 \\) is positive and \\( nonexistentnumeral=2 \\) gives \\( divisivefraction=24 \\). One of the integers \\( nonexistentnumeral \\) and \\( nonexistentnumeral+1 \\) must be odd. If \\( nonexistentnumeral \\) is odd, it is relatively prime to \\( nonexistentnumeral-1, nonexistentnumeral+1 \\), and \\( nonexistentnumeral+2 \\), so \\( (nonexistentnumeral-1)(nonexistentnumeral+1)(nonexistentnumeral+2)=nonexistentnumeral^{3}+2 nonexistentnumeral^{2}-nonexistentnumeral-2 \\) is also a perfect cube. But\n\\[\nnonexistentnumeral^{3}<nonexistentnumeral^{3}+2 nonexistentnumeral^{2}-nonexistentnumeral-2<(nonexistentnumeral+1)^{3}\n\\]\nfor \\( nonexistentnumeral>2 \\), so we would have a perfect cube between the cubes of two consecutive integers, which is impossible. If \\( nonexistentnumeral+1 \\) is odd, then it is relatively prime to \\( (nonexistentnumeral-1) nonexistentnumeral(nonexistentnumeral+2)=nonexistentnumeral^{3}+nonexistentnumeral^{2}-2 nonexistentnumeral \\) which again must be a perfect cube. But\n\\[\nnonexistentnumeral^{3}<nonexistentnumeral^{3}+nonexistentnumeral^{2}-2 nonexistentnumeral<(nonexistentnumeral+1)^{3}\n\\]\nfor \\( nonexistentnumeral>2 \\), and again we have a contradiction. So \\( divisivefraction \\) cannot be a perfect cube.\nRemarks. The second part is the Diophantine equation\n\\[\nconstantnoncube^{3}=irrationalplaceholder^{2}-1,\n\\]\nwhere \\( irrationalplaceholder=nonexistentnumeral^{2}+nonexistentnumeral-1 \\). It has been shown by Mordell that the only solution of (1) in positive integers is \\( constantnoncube=2, irrationalplaceholder=3 \\). Since 8 is not the product of four consecutive positive integers, \\( divisivefraction \\) cannot be a perfect cube. See L. J. Mordell, \"The Diophantine Equation \\( constantnoncube^{2}=variablenumeral nonexistentnumeral^{3}+fluctuatingvalue nonexistentnumeral^{2}+inconstantfigure nonexistentnumeral+shiftingdigit \\), or Fifty Years After,\" Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society, Series 3, vol. 38 (1963), pages 454-458.\n\nErdös and Selfridge (Illinois J. Math. vol. 19 (1975), pp. 292-301) have proved that the product of two or more consecutive positive integers is never an \\( fractionpower \\)th power \\( (fractionpower>1) \\)."
    },
    "garbled_string": {
      "map": {
        "x": "qzxwvtnp",
        "y": "hjgrksla",
        "z": "mnsplqer",
        "P": "cvbfrtgh",
        "a": "lkjytrew",
        "b": "zmxncvas",
        "c": "poiuylkj",
        "d": "asdfrtgh",
        "n": "qwepoyui"
      },
      "question": "2. Prove that the product of four consecutive positive integers cannot be a perfect square or cube.",
      "solution": "Solution. Let the four consecutive integers be \\( qzxwvtnp-1, qzxwvtnp, qzxwvtnp+1, qzxwvtnp+2 \\). Their product is\n\\[\ncvbfrtgh=(qzxwvtnp-1)(qzxwvtnp+2) qzxwvtnp(qzxwvtnp+1)=\\left(qzxwvtnp^{2}+qzxwvtnp-2\\right)\\left(qzxwvtnp^{2}+qzxwvtnp\\right)=\\left(qzxwvtnp^{2}+qzxwvtnp-1\\right)^{2}-1\n\\]\n\nIf \\( cvbfrtgh \\) were a perfect square, then \\( cvbfrtgh \\) and \\( \\left(qzxwvtnp^{2}+qzxwvtnp-1\\right)^{2} \\) would be consecutive positive integers, both perfect squares, which is impossible. Hence \\( cvbfrtgh \\) is not a perfect square.\n\nNow suppose \\( cvbfrtgh \\) is a perfect cube. Then \\( qzxwvtnp>2 \\), since \\( qzxwvtnp-1 \\) is positive and \\( qzxwvtnp=2 \\) gives \\( cvbfrtgh=24 \\). One of the integers \\( qzxwvtnp \\) and \\( qzxwvtnp+1 \\) must be odd. If \\( qzxwvtnp \\) is odd, it is relatively prime to \\( qzxwvtnp-1, qzxwvtnp+1 \\), and \\( qzxwvtnp+2 \\), so \\( (qzxwvtnp-1)(qzxwvtnp+1)(qzxwvtnp+2)=qzxwvtnp^{3}+2 qzxwvtnp^{2}-qzxwvtnp-2 \\) is also a perfect cube. But\n\\[\nqzxwvtnp^{3}<qzxwvtnp^{3}+2 qzxwvtnp^{2}-qzxwvtnp-2<(qzxwvtnp+1)^{3}\n\\]\nfor \\( qzxwvtnp>2 \\), so we would have a perfect cube between the cubes of two consecutive integers, which is impossible. If \\( qzxwvtnp+1 \\) is odd, then it is relatively prime to \\( (qzxwvtnp-1) qzxwvtnp(qzxwvtnp+2)=qzxwvtnp^{3}+qzxwvtnp^{2}-2 qzxwvtnp \\) which again must be a perfect cube. But\n\\[\nqzxwvtnp^{3}<qzxwvtnp^{3}+qzxwvtnp^{2}-2 qzxwvtnp<(qzxwvtnp+1)^{3}\n\\]\nfor \\( qzxwvtnp>2 \\), and again we have a contradiction. So \\( cvbfrtgh \\) cannot be a perfect cube.\n\nRemarks. The second part is the Diophantine equation\n\\[\nhjgrksla^{3}=mnsplqer^{2}-1,\n\\]\nwhere \\( mnsplqer=qzxwvtnp^{2}+qzxwvtnp-1 \\). It has been shown by Mordell that the only solution of (1) in positive integers is \\( hjgrksla=2, mnsplqer=3 \\). Since 8 is not the product of four consecutive positive integers, \\( cvbfrtgh \\) cannot be a perfect cube. See L. J. Mordell, \"The Diophantine Equation \\( hjgrksla^{2}=lkjytrew qzxwvtnp^{3}+zmxncvas qzxwvtnp^{2}+poiuylkj qzxwvtnp+asdfrtgh \\), or Fifty Years After,\" Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society, Series 3, vol. 38 (1963), pages 454-458.\n\nErdös and Selfridge (Illinois J. Math. vol. 19 (1975), pp. 292-301) have proved that the product of two or more consecutive positive integers is never an \\( qwepoyui \\)th power \\( (qwepoyui>1) \\)."
    },
    "kernel_variant": {
      "question": "Let n be a positive integer and consider the four consecutive integers\n  \n    n , n+1 , n+2 , n+3 .\n  \nShow that their product\n  \n    P = n(n+1)(n+2)(n+3)\n  \ncan be neither a perfect square nor a perfect cube.",
      "solution": "We have to prove that for every positive integer n the number\n\n   P = n(n+1)(n+2)(n+3)                           (1)\n\nis not an integral square and is not an integral cube.\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n1.  A convenient re-writing of the product\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nPut x = n + 1 (so x ≥ 2).  Then (1) becomes\n\n   P = (x−1)x(x+1)(x+2)\n     = (x² + x − 2)(x² + x)                      (2)\n     = (x² + x − 1)² − 1.                        (3)\n\nFormula (3) will be the starting point for the square case; formula (2)\nis handier for the cube case.\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n2.  P is not a perfect square\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nAssume, to obtain a contradiction, that P = k² for some k ∈ ℤ.\nThen (3) gives\n\n      k² + 1 = (x² + x − 1)².                    (4)\n\nEquation (4) says that two positive squares differ by 1.  The only\ninteger squares differing by 1 are 0² = 0 and 1² = 1, a classical fact\nwhich can be checked directly (if m² − (m−1)² = 2m−1 = 1, then m = 1).\nBut x ≥ 2 implies x² + x − 1 ≥ 2² + 2 − 1 = 5, so the right–hand square\nin (4) is at least 25, contradicting the uniqueness of the pair (0,1).\nTherefore P cannot be a perfect square.\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n3.  P is not a perfect cube\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nSuppose instead that P = y³ for some y ∈ ℤ.  Return to (2):\n\n   P = (x−1)x(x+1)(x+2).                         (5)\n\nAmong the two consecutive numbers x and x+1 exactly one is odd; call\nthat odd factor u.  Set v to be the product of the remaining three\nconsecutive integers.  Then (5) reads\n\n      y³ = P = uv,     with   gcd(u , v) = 1.    (6)\n\nSince u and v are coprime and their product is a cube, each of them must\nalready be a cube.\n\nCase A : u = x  (which means x is odd).\nThen\n      v = (x−1)(x+1)(x+2) = x³ + 2x² − x − 2.    (7)\nFor x ≥ 3 one checks\n      x³  < v < (x+1)³,                          (8)\nindeed\n      v − x³ = 2x² − x − 2  > 0,  and\n      (x+1)³ − v = x² + 4x + 3  > 0.             (9)\nThus v lies strictly between two successive cubes, so v cannot itself be\na cube—contradicting (6).\n\nCase B : u = x+1  (so now x+1 is odd).\nAnalogously\n      v = (x−1)x(x+2)  =  x³ + x² − 2x,          (10)\nand for every x ≥ 3 we obtain\n      x³  < v < (x+1)³,                          (11)\nbecause\n      v − x³ =  x² − 2x   > 0,  and\n      (x+1)³ − v =  2x² + 5x + 1  > 0.           (12)\nAgain v is squeezed strictly between two consecutive cubes and hence is\nnot a cube.  This contradicts (6) once more.\n\nBoth cases are impossible, so P cannot be a perfect cube.\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\n4.  Conclusion\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nFor every positive integer n the product n(n+1)(n+2)(n+3) is neither a\nsquare nor a cube. □\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nRemark on omitted values n = −3, −2, −1, 0.\n--------------------------------------------------------------------\nIf any of the four consecutive integers equals 0, their product equals 0—\nwhich is, of course, both a square and a cube.  To exclude this trivial\nexception the statement of the problem has been restricted to positive\nn (equivalently to n ≤ −4 or n ≥ 1).",
      "_meta": {
        "core_steps": [
          "Pair the four consecutive integers so that P = (x-1)(x+2) · x(x+1) = (x²+x-1)² − 1",
          "Note that two consecutive positive integers cannot both be perfect squares, so P cannot be a square",
          "If P were a cube, pick the odd one of x and x+1; it is coprime to the other three factors, forcing that triple product to be a cube as well",
          "Show that this alleged cube lies strictly between (x)³ and (x+1)³, contradicting the absence of cubes between consecutive cubes"
        ],
        "mutable_slots": {
          "slot1": {
            "description": "How the four consecutive integers are labelled; a uniform shift leaves the argument intact",
            "original": "(x−1, x, x+1, x+2)"
          },
          "slot2": {
            "description": "The specific small values excluded before the cube argument starts",
            "original": "Assume x > 2 after checking x = 2 separately"
          },
          "slot3": {
            "description": "The requirement that the integers be ‘positive’; non-zero (or any set with an ordering) would still make the proof work",
            "original": "positive"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "checked": true,
  "problem_type": "proof",
  "iteratively_fixed": true
}