Let x and y be integers x > y, such that x² - y² = 400 x² - y² = 400 (x - y)(x + y) = 400 (x - y) represents the smaller factor of 400 and (x + y) represents the larger factor. 400 can be the product of two integers only in these ways: (x - y)(x + y) = 400 = 1*400, where (x - y) = 1 and (x + y) = 400 (x - y)(x + y) = 400 = 2*200, where (x - y) = 2 and (x + y) = 200 (x - y)(x + y) = 400 = 4*100, where (x - y) = 4 and (x + y) = 100 (x - y)(x + y) = 400 = 5*80, where (x - y) = 5 and (x + y) = 80 (x - y)(x + y) = 400 = 8*50, where (x - y) = 8 and (x + y) = 50 (x - y)(x + y) = 400 = 10*40, where (x - y) = 10 and (x + y) = 40 (x - y)(x + y) = 400 = 16*25, where (x - y) = 16 and (x + y) = 25 (x - y)(x + y) = 400 = 20*20, where (x - y) = 20 and (x + y) = 20 We eliminate some of these: If x + y is even, then so is x - y If x + y is odd, then so is x - y The product of two even numbers is even and the product of two odd numbers is odd, so since 400 is even, we can rule out the three cases where an odd number appears as either factor. We can also rule out the case where both factors = 20, since that would give the pair 20 and 0, but 0 is not a positive integer. so we have only thse 4 possible cases: 1. (x - y)(x + y) = 400 = 2*200, where (x - y) = 2 and (x + y) = 200 2. (x - y)(x + y) = 400 = 4*100, where (x - y) = 4 and (x + y) = 100 3. (x - y)(x + y) = 400 = 8*50, where (x - y) = 8 and (x + y) = 50 4. (x - y)(x + y) = 400 = 10*40, where (x - y) = 10 and (x + y) = 40 In case 1, we have this system of equations:with solution x = 101, y = 99 In case 2, we have this system of equations: with solution x = 52, y = 48 In case 3, we have this system of equations: with solution x = 29, y = 21 In case 4, we have this system of equations: with solution x = 25, y = 15 Edwin