Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2022/ib/paper-1/9e/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 ib Paper 1 9E Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
A Euclidean domain is an integral domain equipped with a function such that for , , there are withFor the Gaussian integers , take . Choosing a Gaussian integer nearest to makes the remainder norm smaller than .
The units are precisely the elements of norm one:Unique factorization in this Euclidean domain givesThe displayed factors have prime norms or , so they are irreducible; factors appearing together are nonassociate.
Now suppose . Necessarily . First let be odd. Then is odd, and and are coprime in : a common Gaussian prime would divide , while their product has odd norm. Henceup to a unit, which can be absorbed into the cube. Comparing imaginary parts givesChecking yields only , , and therefore
If is even, congruence modulo gives with odd and , whereEach of contains exactly one factor , so the coprime quotients are cubes up to units. ThusComparing the imaginary part after the four possible units reduces toEach integer factor must have absolute value one. Substitution then gives , so and . HenceAll four pairs satisfy the equation, so the complete answer is
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