Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2017/ii/paper-3/10g/c/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 ii Paper 3 10G c Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-05
Use the periodic continued fraction . A direct matrix argument avoids any assumption about the parity of the period. LetPeriodicity says that fixes as a Möbius transformation, while takes to . Thus has integer entries and fixes . Equating rational and irrational parts in gives . ConsequentlyThe eigenvalue of on is its denominator ; this uses and , including the one-term period. The corresponding eigenvalue of is . If the algebraic norm is , square this unit; otherwise keep it. In either case there is a unit of algebraic norm with integer . Its powers have integer coefficients and algebraic norm , and are distinct since strictly increases. Hence Pell's equation has infinitely many integer solutions.
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