Với \[a,\,\,b\] nguyên dương, ta có: \({\log _3}\left( {a + b} \right) + {\left( {a + b} \right)^3} = 3\left( {{a^2} + {b^2}} \right) + 3ab\left( {a + b - 1} \right) + 1\)

\( \Leftrightarrow {\log _3}\frac{{{a^3} + {b^3}}}{{{a^2} + {b^2} - ab}} + {a^3} + {b^3} + 3ab\left( {a + b} \right) = 3\left( {{a^2} + {b^2} - ab} \right) + 3ab\left( {a + b} \right) + 1\)

\( \Leftrightarrow {\log _3}\left( {{a^3} + {b^3}} \right) + {a^3} + {b^3} = {\log _3}\left[ {3\left( {{a^2} + {b^2} - ab} \right)} \right] + 3\left( {{a^2} + {b^2} - ab} \right).\,\,\,\,(1)\)

Xét \({\rm{f}}\left( {\rm{t}} \right) = {\log _3}t + t\) trên \(\left( {0\,;\,\, + \infty } \right)\,;\,\,{\rm{f'}}\left( {\rm{t}} \right) = \frac{1}{{{\rm{t}} \cdot \ln 3}} + 1 > 0\,,\,\,\forall {\rm{t}} > 0\)

\( \Rightarrow {\rm{f}}\left( {\rm{t}} \right)\) đồng biến trên \(\left( {0\,;\,\, + \infty } \right).\)

Khi đó, phương trình \((1)\) trở thành: \({\rm{f}}\left( {{{\rm{a}}^3} + {{\rm{b}}^3}} \right) = {\rm{f}}\left[ {3\left( {{{\rm{a}}^2} + {{\rm{b}}^2} - {\rm{ab}}} \right)} \right]\) \( \Leftrightarrow {{\rm{a}}^3} + {{\rm{b}}^3} = 3\left( {{{\rm{a}}^2} + {{\rm{b}}^2} - {\rm{ab}}} \right)\)\( \Leftrightarrow \left( {{a^2} + {b^2} - ab} \right)(a + b - 3) = 0 \Leftrightarrow \left[ {\begin{array}{*{20}{l}}{{a^2} + {b^2} - ab = 0\,\,\,(1)}\\{a + b - 3 = 0\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,(2)}\end{array}} \right.\).

Ta có \({a^2} + {b^2} - ab = {\left( {a - \frac{b}{2}} \right)^2} + \frac{{3{b^2}}}{4} > 0\,,\,\,\forall a,\,\,b \in {\mathbb{N}^*}\). Do đó (1) vô nghiệm.

\((2) \Leftrightarrow a + b = 3.\) Mà \(a,\,\,b \in {\mathbb{N}^*}\) nên \(\left\{ {\begin{array}{*{20}{l}}{a = 2}\\{b = 1}\end{array}\,;\,\,\left\{ {\begin{array}{*{20}{l}}{a = 1}\\{b = 2}\end{array}} \right.} \right.\).

Đáp án: 2.