prove there exist postive integers $a,b$ such $p^2|a^2+ab+b^2$

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Problem 1: Let prime $p\equiv 1\pmod 3$.show that:there exist postive integers $a\le b<p$ such $$p^2|a^2+ab+b^2$$

I have only prove there $a,b$ such $$p|a^2+ab+b^2$$

Problem 1 from this:

Problem 2.3 (Noam Elkies). Prove that there are infinitely many triples $(a,b,p)$ of integers, with $p$ prime and $0<a\leq b<p$, for which $p^5$ divides $(a+b)^p-a^p-b^p$.


The key claim is that if $p\equiv1\pmod3$, then $$p(x^2+xy+y^2)^2\;\mathrm{divides}\;(x+y)^p-x^p-y^p$$ as polynomials in $x$ and $y$. $\color{red}{\underline{\color{black}{\text{Since it's known that}}}}$ one can select $a$ and $b$ such that $\color{red}{\underline{\color{black}{p^2\mid a^2+ab+b^2}}}$, the conclusion follows. (The theory of quadratic forms tells us we can do it with $p^2=a^2+ab+b^2$; Thue's lemma lets us do it by solving $x^2+x+1\equiv0\pmod{p^2}$.)

To prove this, it is the same to show that $$(x^2+x+1)^2\;\mathrm{divides}\;F(x)\overset{\mathrm{def}}=(x+1)^p-x^p-1.$$ since the binomial coefficients $\binom pk$ are clearly divisible by $p$. Let $\zeta$ be a third root of unity. Then $F(\zeta)=(1+\zeta)^p-\zeta^p-1=-\zeta^2-\zeta-1=0$. Moreover, $F'(x)=p(x+1)^{p-1}-px^{p-1}$, so $F'(\zeta)=p-p=0$. Hence $\zeta$ is a double root of $F$ as needed.

(Incidentally, $p=2017$ works!)

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Alternate solution via Thue's Lemma

Proposition. Let $p\equiv 1\pmod 3$ be a prime. Then there is a solution to $$ x^2+x+1\equiv 0 \pmod{p^2} $$

Proof. By Quadratic Reciprocity, $-3$ is a quadratic residue $\pmod p$, hence $$ u^2 \equiv -3 \pmod p $$ for some integer $u$. Setting $u\equiv 2c+1\pmod p$, this becomes $$ c^2+c+1 \equiv 0 \pmod p $$ So $c$ is a solution to $f(x):=x^2+x+1\equiv 0\pmod p$. Hensel's Lemma tells us that if $$ f'(c)\not\equiv 0 \pmod p $$ Then there exists a unique $d=c+kp$ such that $$ f(d) \equiv 0 \pmod{p^2} $$ Since $$ f'(c)^2 = (2c+1)^2 \equiv -3 \pmod p $$ If $f'(c)\equiv 0 \pmod p$ then $0\equiv -3\pmod p$ which implies $p=3$. This contradicts $p\equiv 1\pmod 3$, therefore $f'(c)\not\equiv 0 \pmod p$.

Hence there is some $d$ such that $$ d^2+d+1\equiv 0 \pmod{p^2} $$

$$\tag*{$\square$}$$


We now solve our main problem.

Lemma. Let $p\equiv 1\pmod 3$ be a prime. Then there are integers $0<a,b<p$ such that $$ a^2+ab+b^2\equiv 0 \pmod{p^2} $$

Proof. We have shown that there is some integer $d$ such that $$ d^2+d+1 \equiv 0\pmod{p^2} $$ Now by Thue's Lemma, since $\gcd(d,p^2)=1$, we can find $0<|a|,|b|<p$ such that $$ db \equiv a \pmod{p^2} $$ By rearranging the sign, we may assume that $b>0$ and $-p<a<p$. Now $a,b$ satisfies $$ a^2+ab+b^2 \equiv d^2b^2+db^2+b^2 \equiv b^2(d^2+d+1)\equiv 0 \pmod{p^2} $$ Therefore if $a> 0$ we have found our solution $0<a,b<p$. Otherwise, $a<0$ and we consider two cases ($-a\neq b$, otherwise $d\equiv -1\pmod{p^2}$ contradicts $d^2+d+1\equiv 0\pmod{p^2}$):

Case 1: $-a > b$
We use the equality $$ a^2+ab+b^2 = (-a-b)^2 + (-a-b)b + b^2 $$ and obtain a solution $(a',b') = (-a-b,b)$. Since $0<-a<p$ and $0<b<p$, we have $-a-b< p$. By assumption $0 <-a-b$, therefore $0 < a',b' < p$ and we are done.

Case 2: $-a < b$
We use another equality: $$ a^2 + ab + b^2 = (-a)^2 + (-a)(a+b) + (a+b)^2 $$ and set the new solution as $(a',b') = (-a,a+b)$. Clearly $0 < a'=-a < p$. Since $-p < a < 0$ and $0 < b < p$, we get $a+b < p $. Finally, by assumption we have $0 < a+b$, therefore $0 < a+b=b' < p$. Hence we have a solution $0<a',b' < p$.

$$\tag*{$\square$}$$

This completes the proof.


Extra. Let $0<a,b<p$ and $$a^2+ab+b^2\equiv 0 \pmod{p^2}$$ for some odd $p$. Then $$a^2+ab+b^2 = p^2$$

Proof. Since $0<a,b< p$, we have $$ a^2 + ab + b^2 < 3p^2 $$ Morever, since $a^2+ab+b^2\equiv 0 \pmod{p^2}$, we must have $a^2+ab+b^2 = p^2$ or $2p^2$. If $a^2+ab+b^2=2p^2$ then $$ a^2+ab+b^2 \equiv 0 \pmod 2 $$ There is no solution if $a$ or $b$ is odd, therefore both $a,b$ are even. But this means $$ a^2+ab+b^2\equiv 0 \pmod 4 $$ Since $a^2+ab+b^2$ is also divisible by odd $p^2$, it is divisible by $4p^2$. This contradicts that $a^2+ab+b^2 < 3p^2$, therefore we must have $$ a^2+ab+b^2 = p^2 $$

$$\tag*{$\square$}$$

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This relies on the following statement: if some residue class $a$ is a square mod $p$, then it is a square mod $p^2$. Indeed, if $b^2=a+tp [p^2]$, then $(b+kp)^2=a+(t+2k)p [p^2]$.

So you know that there is some $x$ such that $p|x^2+x+1$, thus $-3=(2x-1)^2$ is a square mod $p$, thus mod $p^2$, and if $y^2=-3[p^2]$, then $a=(1+y)/2$ (mod $p^2$) and $1$ work.

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1. Solution to $p^2= X^2+3Y^2$

It is well known that $p\equiv 1\pmod 3$ if and only if $$ p=x^2+3y^2 $$ for some integers $x,y$. So immediately we have a presentation of $p^2$ as $$ \begin{align} p^2 &= (x^2+3y^2)^2\\ &=(x+\sqrt{-3}y)^2(x-\sqrt{-3}y)^2\\ &=((x^2-3y^2)+2xy\sqrt{-3})((x^2-3y^2)-2xy\sqrt{-3})\\ &=(x^2-3y^2)^2+3(2xy)^2 \end{align} $$


2. Solution to $p^2=a^2+ab+b^2,\quad 0\leq a,b< p$

The expression $u^2+3v^2$ can be rewritten in the following three ways: $$ \begin{align} u^2+3v^2 &= (\pm u-v)^2 + (\pm u-v)(2v) + (2v)^2\\ u^2+3v^2 &= (u+v)^2 + (u+v)(-u+v) + (-u+v)^2 \end{align} $$ From (1), we have $$ p^2 = (x^2-3y)^2 + 3(2xy)^2 $$ Therefore applying any of the three transformations will already give us $$ p^2 = a^2 + ab+b^2 $$

We shall show that depending on whether $x<y$, $y<x<3y$ or $3y<x$, exactly one of the previous transformations will give us a solution such that $0\leq a,b<p$. (Clearly $x\neq y$ and $x\neq 3y$, or $p$ is not prime.)


Case 2a: $x<y$

We use the transformation $$ u^2+3v^2 = (-u-v)^2 + (-u-v)(2v) + (2v)^2 $$ Hence $$ \begin{align} p^2 &= (x^2-3y^2)^2 + 3(2xy)^2\\ &= (3y^2-x^2-2xy)^2 + (3y^2-x^2-2xy)(4xy) + (4xy)^2\\ &= a^2+ab+b^2 \end{align} $$ Hence $$ \begin{align} a &= 3y^2-x^2-2xy = (3y+x)(y-x)\\ b &= 4xy \end{align} $$ Since $0<x<y$, we get $0< a,b$. Next we check that $$ \begin{align} p-a &= x^2+3y^2 - (3y^2-x^2-2xy) = 2x^2+2xy > 0\\ p-b &= x^2+3y^2 - 4xy = (3y-x)(y-x) > 0 \end{align} $$ Therefore $0< a,b < p$.


Case 2b: $3y<x$

We use the transformation $$ u^2+3v^2 = (u-v)^2 + (u-v)(2v) + (2v)^2 $$ Hence $$ \begin{align} p^2 &= (x^2-3y^2)^2 + 3(2xy)^2\\ &= (x^2-3y^2-2xy)^2 + (x^2-3y^2-2xy)(4xy) + (4xy)^2\\ &= a^2+ab+b^2 \end{align} $$ Hence $$ \begin{align} a &= x^2-3y^2-2xy = (x-3y)(x+y)\\ b &= 4xy \end{align} $$ Since $0<3y < x$, we get $0< a,b$. Next we check that $$ \begin{align} p-a &= x^2+3y^2 - (x^2-3y^2-2xy) = 6y^2+2xy > 0\\ p-b &= x^2+3y^2 - 4xy = (x-3y)(x-y) > 0 \end{align} $$ Therefore $0< a,b < p$.


Case 2c: $y<x<3y$

We use the transformation $$ u^2+3v^2 = (u+v)^2 + (u+v)(-u+v) + (-u+v)^2 $$ Hence $$ \begin{align} p^2 &= (x^2-3y^2)^2 + 3(2xy)^2\\ &= (x^2-3y^2+2xy)^2 + (x^2-3y^2+2xy)(3y^2-x^2+2xy) + (3y^2-x^2+2xy)^2\\ &= a^2+ab+b^2 \end{align} $$ Hence $$ \begin{align} a &= x^2-3y^2+2xy = (x+3y)(x-y)\\ b &= 3y^2-x^2+2xy = (3y-x)(y+x) \end{align} $$ Since $y<x < 3y$, we get $0< a,b$. Next we check that $$ \begin{align} p-a &= x^2+3y^2 - (x^2-3y^2+2xy) = 6y^2-2xy = 2y(3y-x) > 0\\ p-b &= x^2+3y^2 - (3y^2-x^2+2xy) = 2x^2-2xy = 2x(x-y) > 0 \end{align} $$ Therefore $0< a,b < p$.

This completes the proof.