<s>[INST] Is my proof correct? $2^n=x^2+23$ has an infinite number of (integer) solutions. This is how I tried to prove it. Is it correct? Thanks!!
$2^n = x^2+23$
$x^2$ must be odd, therefore $x^2 = 4k+1$, where $k \in \mathbb{N}$.
$2^n=4k+24$
$k=2(2^{n-3}-3)$
Since $x^2=4k+1$,$ \ \ \ \ $ $k_1 = \frac{x_1^2-1}{4}$
and $k_2=\frac{(x_1+2)^2-1}{4}=\frac{x_1^2+4x_1+3}{4}$
If we substitute $x_1^2=4k_1 + 1$, we end up with:
$k_2=k_1 + \sqrt{4k_1+1} + 1$
Therefore, finding solutions of $k=2(2^{n-3} - 3)$ is comparable to
finding the solutions of $k+\sqrt{4k+1}+1=2(2^{n-3}-3)$
Let $p=2(2^{n-3}-3)$
Therefore, $(\sqrt{4k+1})^2=(p-k-1)^2$, so
$(p-k)^2 = 2(p+k)$
Since $p$ has an infinite number of solutions $(p-k)^2=2(p+k)$ also has an infinite number of solutions, which implies  the the original does also.
 [/INST] The substitution $x^2=4k^2+1$ was wrong because $x^2=4k+1$, but nevertheless the next line is correct as if I've substituted the correct thing. The actual problem of the proof comes from when I said "$p$ has infinitely many solutions". I was thinking that $p$ is just an integer, and clearly $2(2^{n-3}-3)$ outputs a positive integer when $n$ is at least $5$. That's why I said that $p$ has an infinite number of solutions. However, I did not realize that since $p=k+\sqrt{4k+a}+1$, I'm already assuming that $2(2^{n-3}-3)=k+\sqrt{4k+a}+1$ has an infinite number of solutions, which would be implied if I was actually correct.Therefore this is a circular argument. But I do have one question about a certain step. Was it correct when I said that  finding solutions of $k=2(2^{n-3} - 3)$ is comparable to finding the solutions of $k+\sqrt{4k+1}+1=2(2^{n-3}-3)$?
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