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Ages that are sums of powers in a 19th-century life

Question

An old man whose life spanned the 18001800s and 19001900s made three remarks, with x,y,m,nx,y,m,n positive integers: in the calendar year x4+y4x^4+y^4 his age was x2+y2x^2+y^2; in the year 2m22m^2 his age was 2m2m; and in the year 3n43n^4 his age was 3n3n. Find xymnxymn.

Short answer

46504650. The only sum of two fourth powers in range is 54+64=19215^4+6^4=1921, when he was 6161, so he was born in 18601860. Then 1860+2m=2m21860+2m=2m^2 gives m=31m=31, and 1860+3n=3n41860+3n=3n^4 gives n=5n=5. So xymn=5⋅6⋅31⋅5=4650xymn=5\cdot6\cdot31\cdot5=4650.

Adapted from QuantQuestions.io; question and answer rewritten by SelfMadeQuant.com.

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