Solution:
Step 1: Rewriting the Circle Equation
First, we rewrite the circle equation in a more standard form by completing the square:
x2−3x+y2−4y=c1
Completing the square for
x and
y:
(x−23)2−49+(y−2)2−4=c1 (x−23)2+(y−2)2=c1+413
Step 2: Conditions for Circle Intersection with the X-Axis
A circle intersects the x-axis where
y=0. Substituting
y=0 into the modified circle equation gives:
(x−23)2+(2)2=c1+413 (x−23)2=c1+413−4 (x−23)2=c1−43
For the circle to intersect the x-axis at integral points, the expression
(x−23)2 must be such that the solutions for
x are integers. This implies that
(x−23)2 itself must be a perfect square.
Step 3: Ensuring Integral Intersections
The left side,
(x−23)2, can be written as
(2x−3)2/4, a transformation of the variable
x into an expression involving integers only when multiplied by 4. So, for integer solutions of
x:
(2x−3)2=4(c1−43) (2x−3)2=4c1−3
The right side must also be a perfect square for
x to be integral. Let's say
4c1−3=k2 for some integer
k. Solving for
c1 gives:
4c1=k2+3 c1=4k2+3
For
c1 to be a natural number,
k2+3 must be divisible by 4. Analyzing this condition modulo 4, we observe that
k2mod4 can be either 0 or 1 (since
k2 is the square of either an even or an odd number). The only way
k2+3 is divisible by 4 is if
k2mod4=1. Therefore,
k must be odd.