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Smallest pair making a squared plus ab plus b squared square

Question

Among pairs of positive integers (a,b)(a,b) for which a2+ab+b2a^2+ab+b^2 is a perfect square c2c^2, take the pair with the smallest a+ba+b. What is c2c^2?

Short answer

49. A quick search shows the smallest sum is a+b=8a+b=8, with {a,b}={3,5}\{a,b\}=\{3,5\}: 9+15+25=49=729+15+25=49=7^2. Such pairs can be generated by setting a2+ab+b2=(a−mb)2a^2+ab+b^2=(a-mb)^2, which gives b=a(2m+1)m2−1b=\tfrac{a(2m+1)}{m^2-1}; m=2m=2 yields (3,5)(3,5).

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