Power means with integer values (Q835325)

Let \(a\) and \(b\) be two positive real numbers. The authors let \(A=(a+b)/2,~G={\sqrt{ab}},~H=2ab/(a+b)\) be the classical arithmetic, geometric and harmonic means. They also let \(P_k=((a^k+b^k)/2)^{1/k}\) whenever \(k\neq 0\). Their main motivation is to characterize pairs of positive integers such that one or several of the above means are integer valued. For example, they show that if \(k\) is an integer with \(|k|\geq 3\), then \(P_k\) is not an integer when \(a\) and \(b\) are positive integers. They characterize pairs \((a,b)\) of positive integers such that \(H\) is an integer, as well as pairs \((a,b)\) of positive integers such that \(A,~G,~H\) are all integers. They also characterize pairs of positive integers \((a,b)\) such that \(P_k\) is an integer, when \(k\in \{-2,2\}\). Their main tools are the (elementary) characterization of triples \((x,y,z)\) of positive integers such that \(x^2+y^2=2z^2\), as well as the non-elementary result that the equation \(x^n+y^n=2z^n\) has no solution in positive integers \((x,y,z)\) when \(n\geq 3\) due to Ribet, Darmon and Merel.