On the generalized Pillai equation a^x b^y=c

DOI10.1016/J.JNT.2005.09.001MaRDI QIDQ852536zbMATH OpenOpenAlexWikidataFDO

Authors Reese Scott, Robert Styer

Publication date 15 November 2006

Published in Journal of Number Theory (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1102.4834

zbMATH Keywords

exponential Diophantine equationsPillai equation

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Exponential Diophantine equations (11D61) Linear forms in logarithms; Baker's method (11J86)

Abstract: In this paper we consider $N$, the number of solutions $(x,y,u,v)$ to the equation $(-1{)}^{u}r{a}^x+(-1{)}^{v}s{b}^y=c$ in nonnegative integers $x,y$ and integers $u,vin0,1$, for given integers $a>1$, $b>1$, $c>0$, $r>0$ and $s>0$. We show that $Nle2$ when $gcd(ra,sb)=1$ and $min(x,y)>0$, except for a finite number of cases that can be found in a finite number of steps. For arbitrary $gcd(ra,sb)$ and $min(x,y)ge0$, we show that when $(u,v)=(0,1)$ we have $Nle3$, with an infinite number of cases for which N=3.

Review text

The authors consider the generalized Pillai (Diophantine) equation \[ \varepsilon_1 a^x + \varepsilon_2 b^y=c, \quad \varepsilon_1, \varepsilon_2 \in \{-1,+1\}, \quad a, b>1,\;c >0. \leqno \text{ (i)} \] In the case \(\varepsilon_1=1\) and \(\varepsilon_2=-1\), M. Bennett proved that there are at most two solutions \((x,y)\) for any given triple \((a,b,c)\). Here, the authors get the same result for the solutions \((x,y,\varepsilon_1,\varepsilon_2)\) of equation (i). They also solve completely some special cases of equation (i) or of the more general equation \[ | a^{x_1} - b^{y_1}| = | a^{x_2} - b^{y_2}| . \] One of the tools of the proofs is a lower bound of linear forms in two logarithms.

Recommendations

• The generalized Pillai equation \(\pm ra^x\pm sb^y=c\)
• On Pillai's Diophantine equation
• The number of solutions to the generalized Pillai equation \(\pm ra^{x} \pm sb^{y}=c\).
• On some exponential equations of S. S. Pillai
• Handling a large bound for a problem on the generalized Pillai equation \(\pm r a^{x} \pm sb^{y}=c\)

Cites work

• A class number free criterion for Catalan's conjecture.
• A conjecture concerning the exponential diophantine equation a^x+b^y=c^z
• A corollary to a theorem of Laurent-Mignotte-Nesterenko
• Applications of the hypergeometric method to the generalized Ramanujan-Nagell equation
• Catalan’s Conjecture: Another old Diophantine problem solved
• Diophantine equations related to finite groups
• Exponential diophantine equations
• Exponential diophantine equations with four terms
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3823895 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3544117 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3544118 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3106494 (Why is no real title available?)
• New Solutions of a p - 1 ≡1 (mod p 2 )
• On \(p^x-q^y=c\) and related three term exponential Diophantine equations with prime bases.
• On some exponential equations of S. S. Pillai
• On the Equation a x - b y = 1
• On the Equation a x - b y = 1
• On the equations \(p^x - b^y = c\) and \(a^x + b^y = c^z\)
• On the generalized Ramanujan-Nagell equation I
• Pillai's conjecture revisited.
• Small Two-Variable Exponential Diophantine Equations
• Solving exponential diophantine equations using lattice basis reduction algorithms
• Sur une classe d'équations exponentielles
• The diophantine equation \(x^ 2=4q^{a/2}+4q+1\), with an application to coding theory
• The Diophantine Equation x 2 = 4q n + 4q m + 1
• The equations 2N 2M 2L=z^2

Cited in

(17)

• On \(p^x-q^y=c\) and related three term exponential Diophantine equations with prime bases.
• Multiplicative dependence of the translations of algebraic numbers
• Number of solutions to \(ka^x+lb^y=c^z\)
• Pillai's conjecture revisited.
• The number of solutions to the generalized Pillai equation \(\pm ra^{x} \pm sb^{y}=c\).
• On Pillai's problem with X-coordinates of Pell equations and powers of 2
• Bennett's Pillai theorem with fractional bases and negative exponents allowed
• Pillai's equation in polynomials
• A note on the number of solutions of the Pillai type equation \(| a^x - b^y | = k\)
• Handling a large bound for a problem on the generalized Pillai equation \(\pm r a^{x} \pm sb^{y}=c\)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 4212148 (Why is no real title available?)
• On Pillai’s problem with X-coordinates of Pell equations and powers of 2 II
• The generalized Pillai equation \(\pm ra^x\pm sb^y=c\)
• At most one solution to \(a^x + b^y = c^z\) of \(a, b, c\)
• On a conjecture concerning the number of solutions to \(a^x + b^y = c^z\). II
• On differences of perfect powers and prime powers
• Number of solutions to a special type of unit equations in two unknowns. III

This page was built for publication: On the generalized Pillai equation \(\pm a^{x}\pm b^{y}=c\)

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q852536)