MethodMath
AA
May 18, 2026

For which primes p does x³ + y³ = p z³ admit non-trivial integer solutions?

Consider the Diophantine equation

x3+y3=pz3,x^3 + y^3 = p z^3,

where pp is a prime and we seek non-trivial integer solutions (x,y,z)Z3{(0,0,0)}(x,y,z) \in \mathbb{Z}^3 \setminus \{(0,0,0)\}.

By a classical descent argument using the fact that Q(3)\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-3}) has class number 11, one can show that the equation x3+y3=z3x^3 + y^3 = z^3 has only trivial solutions (Fermat's Last Theorem for n=3n=3). For which primes pp does the generalized equation admit non-trivial solutions?

I suspect that p1(mod3)p \equiv 1 \pmod{3} and p=3p = 3 are candidates. Can anyone provide a characterization or refer to known results on cubic forms with prime coefficients?

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1 Answer

AA
Ahmed Al-RashidMay 18, 2026 Accepted
The equation $x^3 + y^3 = p z^3$ has non-trivial integer solutions precisely when $p \equiv 1 \pmod{3}$ or $p = 3$. Here's why. Factor over $\mathbb{Q}(\omega)$ where $\omega = e^{2\pi i/3}$ is a primitive cube root of unity: $$x^3 + y^3 = (x + y)(x + \omega y)(x + \omega^2 y).$$ In $\mathbb{Q}(\omega)$, which has class number $1$, we can apply unique factorization. The equation becomes $$(x + y)(x + \omega y)(x + \omega^2 y) = p z^3.$$ If $p \equiv 2 \pmod{3}$, then $p$ remains prime in $\mathbb{Q}(\omega)$ (it is inert). By comparing ideal factorizations, one finds that at least one of the factors on the left must contain $p$ to an exponent not divisible by $3$, forcing a contradiction unless $x = y = z = 0$. If $p = 3$, then $3 = -\omega^2(1 - \omega)^2$ ramifies, and parametric solutions exist. For example, $$1^3 + 1^3 = 3 \cdot 1^3 \quad \text{and} \quad 2^3 + 2^3 = 3 \cdot 2^3.$$ If $p \equiv 1 \pmod{3}$, then $p$ splits as $p = \pi \bar{\pi}$ in $\mathbb{Q}(\omega)$. This allows solutions, e.g., for $p = 7$: $$2^3 + (-1)^3 = 7 \cdot 1^3.$$ For $p = 13$: $$3^3 + (-2)^3 = 13 \cdot 1^3.$$ In general, solutions correspond to finding $\alpha \in \mathbb{Z}[\omega]$ such that $\alpha \bar{\alpha} = p$ and then setting $x + y\omega = \alpha^3$ or similar multiplicative relations. This is a special case of the theory of cubic forms and is related to the Hasse principle for cubic surfaces.
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