$x^y = y^x$ for integers $x$ and $y$ We know that $2^4 = 4^2$ and $(-2)^{-4} = (-4)^{-2}$. Is there another pair of integers $x, y$ ($x\neq y$) which satisfies the equality $x^y = y^x$?

Say $x^y = y^x$, and $x > y > 0$. Taking logs, $y \log x = x \log y$; rearranging, $(\log x)/x = (\log y)/y$. Let $f(x) = (\log x)/x$; then this is $f(x) = f(y)$.
Now, $f^\prime(x) = (1-\log x)/x^2$, so $f$ is increasing for $x<e$ and decreasing for $x>e$. So if $x^y = y^x$ has a solution, then $x > e > y$.  So $y$ must be $1$ or $2$. But $y = 1$ doesn't work. $y=2$ gives $x=4$.
(I've always thought of this as the ``standard'' solution to this problem and I'm a bit surprised nobody has posted it yet.)
If $x > 0 > y$, then $0 < x^y < 1$ and $y^x$ is an integer, so there are no such solutions.
If $0 > x > y$, then $x^y = y^x$ implies $x$ and $y$ must have the same parity. Also, taking reciprocals, $x^{-y} = y^{-x}$. Then $(-x)^{-y} = (-y)^{-x}$ since $x$ and $y$ have the same parity. (The number of factors of $-1$ we introduced to each side differs by $x-y$, which is even.) So solving the problem where $x$ and $y$ are negative reduces to solving it when $x$ and $y$ are positive.
