Generalized polygonal number representations

Abstract

Let $r_n^{{k}}(N)$ be the number of representations of $N$ as the sum of $n$ generalized $k$-gonal numbers and $r_n^{\square}(N)$ be the number of representations of $N$ as the sum of $n$ squares. By modifying the Heath-Brown circle method, we prove a closed-form asymptotic relation between $r_n^{{k}}(N)$ and $r_n^{\square}(8(k-2)N+n(k-4)^2)$ for any $k\geq3$ and any $n\geq4$. Consequently, we determine the asymptotics of $\sum_{N\leq x}r_4^{{k}}(N)^2$ and, via a result of Bringmann, Jang, Kane, and Tse, prove a similar closed-form asymptotic relation between the number $r_{4,+}^{{k}}(N)$ of representations of $N$ as the sum of four ordinary $k$-gonal numbers and $r_4^{\square}(8(k-2)N+n(k-4)^2)$. We also show that if $4\mid k$, any strictly increasing infinite subsequence on which $r_{4,+}^{{k}}$ is bounded converges $2$-adically to $(k-4)^2/(4-2k)\in\mathbb{Z}_2$, supplementing a result of Meng and Sun, and if $4\nmid k$, there is no strictly increasing infinite subsequence on which $r_{4,+}^{{k}}$ is bounded.