Odd values of the Klein j-function and the cubic partition function

Abstract

In this note, using entirely algebraic or elementary methods, we determine a new asymptotic lower bound for the number of odd values of one of the most important modular functions in number theory, the Klein $j$-function. Namely, we show that the number of integers $n\le x$ such that the Klein $j$-function --- or equivalently, the cubic partition function --- is odd is at least of the order of $$\frac{\sqrt{x} \log \log x}{\log x},$$ for $x$ large. This improves recent results of Berndt-Yee-Zaharescu and Chen-Lin, and approaches significantly the best lower bound currently known for the ordinary partition function, obtained using the theory of modular forms. Unlike many works in this area, our techniques to show the above result, that have in part been inspired by some recent ideas of P. Monsky on quadratic representations, do not involve the use of modular forms. Then, in the second part of the article, we show how to employ modular forms in order to slightly refine our bound. In fact, our brief argument, which combines a recent result of J.-L. Nicolas and J.-P. Serre with a classical theorem of J.-P. Serre on the asymptotics of the Fourier coefficients of certain level 1 modular forms, will more generally apply to provide a lower bound for the number of odd values of any positive power of the generating function of the partition function.