Two pairs of biquadrates with equal sums

Abstract

In this paper we present a new method of solving the classical diophantine equation $A^4+B^4=C^4+D^4$. Two methods of solving this equation, given by Euler, yield parametric solutions given by polynomials of degrees 7 and 13. Several other parametric solutions are now known, and with the exception of one solution of degree 11, all the published solutions are of degrees $6n+1$ for some integer $n$. The method described in this paper yields new parametric solutions of degrees 21, 39 and 75, that is, degrees that are expressible as $6n+3$.