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(This question is on page 236 of Falko Lorenz's Algebra Volume 1: Fields and Galois Theory, exercise 4.5)

Prove that $Y^2 = X^3 - 2$ has exactly one solution in the natural numbers.

Hint: use the fact that $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-2}]$ is a Euclidean domain, and that in any unique factorization domain $R$, if $\alpha_1,\dots ,\alpha_n$ are pairwise rel. prime in $R$ and their product is an $m$-th power in $R$, each $\alpha_i$ is associated to an $m$-th power in $R$.

Here's what I know. Since $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-2}]$ is a Euclidean domain, then it is also a unique factorization domain. As well, $X^3=Y^2+2=Y^2-\sqrt{-2}^2=(Y-\sqrt{-2})(Y+\sqrt{-2})$. Clues for the clueless?

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An outline: The units are $\pm 1$. Show that $X$ and $Y$ must be odd. Then show $Y+\sqrt{-2}$ and $Y-\sqrt{-2}$ are relatively prime. So each is a cube.

Let $Y+\sqrt{-2}=(a+b\sqrt{-2})^3$. Expand. Compute in particular the coefficient of $\sqrt{-2}$. This must be $1$. That will tell you something very important about $b$. But then you will know what $a$ must be, more or less. That will give the only solutions, and the only positive one.

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    Yes, mistyped. Usually manage to proofread answers, but comments, well, not so much.2012-10-03