Problems Regarding a Pair of Diophantine Equations

Abstract

For two relatively prime positive integers $a,b\in \mathbb{N}$, it is known that exactly one of the two Diophantine equations $$ax + by \ =\ \frac{(a-1)(b-1)}{2}\ \mbox{ and }\ 1 + ax + by \ =\ \frac{(a-1)(b-1)}{2}$$ has a nonnegative integral solution $(x,y)$. Furthermore, the solution is unique. In this note, we summarize recent results and some new ones on the solution of the two equations and provide an overview of problems for future investigation, some of which were presented at the 2025 International Conference on Class Groups of Number Fields and Related Topics.

12 pages