Math Help Forum: Divisibility of polynomials

Find all pairs (a,b) that b^2 + ab +4 is divisible by a^2 + ab + 4. "a" and "b" are not the same numbers and are positive integers.

Can someone please explain step by step how to solve it?

Originally Posted by David144

Find all pairs (a,b) that b^2 + ab +4 is divisible by a^2 + ab + 4. "a" and "b" are not the same numbers and are positive integers.

Can someone please explain step by step how to solve it?

See this thread.

I'm a bit suspicious that several different people have asked for a solution to this problem. I hope it isn't part of some current math competition?

Originally Posted by Opalg

I'm a bit suspicious that several different people have asked for a solution to this problem.

As a matter of fact it is, but I can assure you that I'm not participating in that competition. Actually I can see a lot of problems from that competition here.