Sharp bounds on the number of squares in recurrence sequences and solutions of X^{2}-\left( a^{2}+b \right) Y^{4}=-b

arXiv1807.04116MaRDI QIDQ6503369FDOQ6503369

Authors: Paul Voutier 

Abstract: We generalise and improve a result of Stoll, Walsh and Yuan by showing that there are at most two solutions in coprime positive integers of the equation in the title when $b=p^m$ where $m$ is a non-negative integer, $p$ is prime, $(a,p)=1$, $a^2+p^{2m}$ not a perfect square and $x^2-left(a^2+p^{2m}ight)y^2=-1$ has an integer solution. This result is best possible. We also obtain best possible results for all positive integer solutions when $m=1$ and $2$. When $b$ is an arbitrary square with $(a,b)=1$ and $a^2+b^2$ not a perfect square, we are able to prove there are at most three solutions in coprime positive integers provided $x^2-left(a^2+b^{2}ight)y^2=-1$ has an integer solution and $x^2-left(a^2+b^{2}ight)y^2=-b^2$ has only one family of solutions. Our proof is based on a novel use of the hypergeometric method that may also be useful for other problems.

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Cubic and quartic Diophantine equations (11D25) Measures of irrationality and of transcendence (11J82)

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