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I don't know where to start,

Find all integers $a$, $b$, $c$ that satisfy $a\sqrt{2}−b = c\sqrt{3}$.

  • Hint: square both sides. Deduce that $\sqrt 2\in \mathbb Q$. – lulu Jul 02 '16 at 20:58
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    $a=b=c=0$ works. :-) – vadim123 Jul 02 '16 at 20:59
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    By the simple Lemma here we deduce that $,1,,\sqrt{2},,\sqrt{3},$ are linearly independent over $,\Bbb Q,,$ since none of $,\sqrt 2,, \sqrt 3,, \sqrt 6,$ are in $ \Bbb Q.,$ So the only solution is $,a = b = c = 0.\ $ – Bill Dubuque Jul 02 '16 at 21:45
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    @lulu You need to say more than that, because squaring yields $, 2ab\sqrt 2 \in \Bbb Q,,$ but that doesn't imply $,\sqrt 2 \in \Bbb Q,$ if $,a,$ or $,b = 0.,$ But in those cases we can deduce $,\sqrt3,$ or $,\sqrt 6\in \Bbb Q.,$ The proof is done generally in the Lemma linked in my prior comment. – Bill Dubuque Jul 02 '16 at 22:07

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$1,\sqrt{2},\sqrt{3}$ are linearly independent: assuming that $$ a\sqrt{2}-c\sqrt{3} = b $$ we have $$ 2a^2+3c^2-b^2=2ac\sqrt{6} $$ but $\sqrt{6}\not\in\mathbb{Q}$.

Jack D'Aurizio
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