Rational \(D(q)\)-quadruples (Q2076520): Difference between revisions

Let \(q\) and \(m\) be rational numbers. A set of four distinct nonzero rational numbers \(\{a,b,c,d\}\) is called a rational \(D(q)\)-quadruple if \(ab+q=t_{12}^2,ac+q=t_{13}^2,ad+q=t_{14}^2,bc+q=t_{23}^2,bd+q=t_{24}^2,cd+q=t_{34}^2\) for rational numbers \(t_{12},t_{13},t_{14},t_{23},t_{24},t_{34}\). In this paper the authors study such quadruples with the additional hypothesis that \(abcd=m\). They prove that such a quadruple gives rise to a triple of rational points \((Q_1,Q_2,Q_3)\) on an elliptic curve \(E_m: Y^2=X^3+(4q^2-2m)X^2+m^2X\) induced by the curve \((X^2-q)(Y^2-q)=m\) and, conversely, they classify which triples of rational points on \(E_m\) lead to a rational \(D(q)\)-quadruple \(\{a,b,c,d\}\) with \(abcd=m\). It follows that such a quadruple exists if and only if \(m=(t^2-q)(u^2-q)^2/(4u^2)\) for some rational parameters \(t\) and \(u\). The authors use this result to give examples of families of rational \(D(q)\)-quadruples, and e.g. show that for \(q=3\) and \(m=1012\) such quadruples do not exist (i.e. there is no rational \(D(3)\)-quadruple \(\{a,b,c,d\}\) such that \(abcd=1012\)). The proof uses the approach developed by the second author with \textit{A. Dujella} [Res. Number Theory 7, No. 1, Paper No. 3, 24 p. (2021; Zbl 1459.11095)].