A solvability criterion for the diophantine equation \(ax^2+2bxy-kay^2=\pm 1\) (Q1130133)

The author studies the relationship between the title equation and a Pell equation \(v^2-\delta w^2=-k\), where \(\delta= ka^2 +b^2\). When \(a=1\), the title equation has a solution in integers, but it \(a>1\) and \(\delta\) is square, then there is no solution. When \(a>1\) and \(\delta\) is not square, solvability of the title equation implies that of the Pell equation, but not conversely. The heart of the paper treats the situation in which \(k\in\{2, 3, 7, 11, 19, 43, 67, 163\}\) \((\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt {-k})\) has class number 1 and is a principal ideal domain), \(a\geq 3\), \(b\geq 1\), \(\text{gcd} (a,2b) =1\), under which circumstances the existence of a ``\(k\)-good'' solution to the Pell equation entails a solution to the title equation. In an appendix by \textit{Alain Faisant}, it is shown that the \(k\)-good requirement for the solution can be dropped when \(\delta\) is prime.