IMO 1960 · Problem 1

Determine all three-digit numbers \(N\) having the property that \(N\) is divisible by 11, and \(N/11\) is equal to the sum of the squares of the digits of \(N\).

Official text of the problem. Official problem paper (PDF)

Answer

\[ \boxed{N=550\quad\text{or}\quad N=803.} \]

Solution

Write \[ N=100a+10b+c, \qquad 1\le a\le9,\quad 0\le b,c\le9. \] Since \(N\equiv a-b+c\pmod{11}\) and \[ -8\le a-b+c\le18, \] divisibility by \(11\) implies \[ a-b+c=11t,\qquad t\in\{0,1\}. \] Thus \(b=a+c-11t\), and \[ \frac N{11}=10a+c-10t. \] The required equality becomes \[ a^2+b^2+c^2=10a+c-10t. \tag{1} \] Reducing modulo \(2\), using \(x^2\equiv x\pmod2\), gives \[ c\equiv a+b+c=2a+2c-11t\equiv t\pmod2. \tag{2} \] Completing the square in (1) also gives \[ (a-5)^2+b^2+c(c-1)=25-10t. \tag{3} \]

Case 1: \(t=0\). Here \(b=a+c\). Substituting into (1) and rearranging yields \[ (2a+c-5)^2+3c^2+8c=25. \] If \(c\ge2\), then \(3c^2+8c\ge28\), which is impossible. Hence \(c\le1\). By (2), \(c\) is even, so \(c=0\).

Consequently \(b=a\), and (1) becomes \[ 2a^2=10a. \] Since \(a\ne0\), we obtain \(a=b=5\), giving \(N=550\).

Case 2: \(t=1\). Since \(b=a+c-11\ge0\) and \(a\le9\), we have \(c\ge2\). Equation (3) implies \[ c(c-1)\le15, \] so \(c\le4\). By (2), \(c\) is odd; therefore \(c=3\).

Now \(b=a-8\ge0\), so \(a\ge8\), and (3) becomes \[ (a-5)^2+(a-8)^2=9. \] For \(a\ge8\), the first square is at least \(9\), with equality only when \(a=8\). Thus \(a=8\) and \(b=0\), giving \(N=803\).

Finally, both candidates satisfy the conditions: \[ 550=11\cdot50,\qquad 5^2+5^2+0^2=50, \] \[ 803=11\cdot73,\qquad 8^2+0^2+3^2=73. \] These are therefore exactly all the required numbers.

The solution was checked against John Scholes' IMO solution archive (Kalva).