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Helen G. Grundman

Publications and source records attributed to Helen G. Grundman.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2024

Elated Numbers

For a base $b \geq 2$, the $b$-elated function, $E_{2,b}$, maps a positive integer written in base $b$ to the product of its leading digit and the sum of the squares of its digits. A $b$-elated number is a positive integer that maps to $1$ under iteration of $E_{2,b}$. The height of a $b$-elated number is the number of iterations required to map it to $1$. We determine the fixed points and cycles of $E_{2,b}$ and prove a range of results concerning sequences of $b$-elated numbers and $b$-elated numbers of minimal heights. Although the $b$-elated function is closely related to the $b$-happy function, the behaviors of the two are notably different, as demonstrated by the results in this work.

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arXiv2021

Gaussian Happy Numbers

This paper extends the concept of a $B$-happy number, for $B \geq 2$, from the rational integers, $\mathbb{Z}$, to the Gaussian integers, $\mathbb{Z}[i]$. We investigate the fixed points and cycles of the Gaussian $B$-happy functions, determining them for small values of $B$ and providing a method for computing them for any $B \geq 2$. We discuss heights of Gaussian $B$-happy numbers, proving results concerning the smallest Gaussian $B$-happy numbers of certain heights. Finally, we prove conditions for the existence and non-existence of arbitrarily long arithmetic sequences of Gaussian $B$-happy numbers.

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arXiv2019

Fixed Points of Augmented Generalized Happy Functions II: Oases and Mirages

An augmented generalized happy function $S_{[c,b]}$ maps a positive integer to the sum of the squares of its base $b$ digits plus $c$. For $b\geq 2$ and $k \in \mathbb{Z}^+$, a $k$-desert base $b$ is a set of $k$ consecutive non-negative integers $c$ for each of which $S_{[c,b]}$ has no fixed points. In this paper, we examine a complementary notion, a $k$-oasis base $b$, which we define to be a set of $k$ consecutive non-negative integers $c$ for each of which $S_{[c,b]}$ has a fixed point. In particular, after proving some basic properties of oases base $b$, we compute bounds on the lengths of oases base $b$ and compute the minimal examples of maximal length oases base $b$ for small values of $b$.

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arXiv2017

Sequences of Consecutive Happy Numbers in Negative Bases

For $b\leq -2$ and $e \geq 2$, let $S_{e,b}:\mathbb{Z}\to\mathbb{Z}_{\geq 0}$ be the function taking an integer to the sum of the $e$-powers of the digits of its base $b$ expansion. An integer $a$ is a $b$-happy number if there exists $k\in\mathbb{Z}^+$ such that $S_{2,b}^k(a) = 1$. We prove that an integer is $-2$-happy if and only if it is congruent to 1 modulo 3 and that it is $-3$-happy if and only if it is odd. Defining a $d$-sequence to be an arithmetic sequence with constant difference $d$ and setting $d = \gcd(2,b - 1)$, we prove that if $b \leq -3$ odd or $b \in \{-4,-6,-8,-10\}$, there exist arbitrarily long finite sequences of $d$-consecutive $b$-happy numbers.

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arXiv2016

Fixed Points of Augmented Generalized Happy Functions

An augmented generalized happy function $S_{[c,b]}$ maps a positive integer to the sum of the squares of its base $b$ digits plus $c$. In this paper, we study various properties of the fixed points of $S_{[c,b]}$; count the number of fixed points of $§_{[c,b]}$, for $b \geq 2$ and $0<c<3b-3$; and prove that, for each $b \geq 2$, there exist arbitrarily many consecutive values of $c$ for which $S_{[c,b]}$ has no fixed point.

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arXiv2016

Augmented generalized happy functions

An augmented happy function, $S_{[c,b]}$ maps a positive integer to the sum of the squares of its base-$b$ digits and a non-negative integer $c$. A positive integer $u$ is in a cycle of $S_{[c,b]}$ if, for some positive integer $k$, $S_{[c,b]}^k(u) = u$ and for positive integers $v$ and $w$, $v$ is $w$-attracted for $S_{[c,b]}$ if, for some non-negative integer $\ell$, $S_{[c,b]}^\ell(v) = w$. In this paper, we prove that for each $c\geq 0$ and $b \geq 2$, and for any $u$ in a cycle of $S_{[c,b]}$, (1) if $b$ is even, then there exist arbitrarily long sequences of consecutive $u$-attracted integers and (2) if $b$ is odd, then there exist arbitrarily long sequences of 2-consecutive $u$-attracted integers.

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arXiv2014

On the Diophantine equation N X^2 + 2^L 3^M = Y^N

We prove that the Diophantine equation N X^2 + 2^L 3^M = Y^N has no solutions (N,X,Y,L,M) in positive integers with N > 1 and gcd(NX,Y) = 1, generalizing results of Luca, Wang and Wang, and Luca and Soydan. Our proofs use results of Bilu, Hanrot, and Voutier on defective Lehmer pairs.

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