SearcharxivSearch

arXiv subjects

Lilu Zhao

Publications and source records attributed to Lilu Zhao.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Products of Two Integers Avoiding Perfect Powers

For integers $d\geq 3$, let $F_{2,d}(n)$ be the largest size of a subset of $[n]$ containing no two distinct elements whose product is a perfect $d$-th power, and let $f_{2,d}(n)$ denote the analogous quantity when the two elements need not be distinct. Fleiner, Juh\'asz, K\"ov\'er, Pach, and S\'andor proved that both complements have order $n^{2/3}$ when $d=3$, and asked for a leading constant. They also asked whether, more generally, $n-F_{k,d}(n)$ and $n-f_{k,d}(n)$ have order $n^{k/d}$ for $1 0$ is given explicitly by an Euler product and a polytope volume. In particular, the extra logarithmic factor gives a negative answer to the second question for every $d\geq4$. For $d=3$ we obtain \[ C_3=\frac{\pi^2}{4} \prod_p\left(1-\frac3{p^2}+\frac2{p^3}\right), \] which answers the first question. The proof uses an exact decomposition into complementary $d$-free kernel classes, a squarefree sieve in multiplicative boxes, and a two-height polytope calculation.

math.CO

An improved upper bound on the Ruzsa number

Let $R_m$ be the least positive integer $r$ such that there exists a set $A\subseteq \mathbb{Z}_{m}$ with $A+A=\mathbb{Z}_m$ for which the number of ordered solutions of $n=x+y$ with $x,y\in A$ is at most $r$ for every $n\in \mathbb{Z}_m$. In this note we prove that $R_m\leqslant 128$ for every positive integer $m$, improving the previous bound $R_m\leqslant 192$.

math.NT

An improved lower bound for odd integers not of the form $p+2^a+2^b$

Let $x$ be sufficiently large and \[ N(x)=\big|\bigl\{n\le x:n\ \text{is odd and }n\ne p+2^a+2^b \textrm{ with } p \text{ a prime and } a,b\in \mathbb{N}\bigr\}\big|. \] Motivated by Crocker's result \[ N(x)\gg \log\log x, \] Erd\H os repeatedly asked whether there is an absolute constant $c_0$ such that $N(x)>c_0x$. Pan \cite{Pan} proved in 2011 that \[ N(x)\gg x\exp\!\left( -C_0\frac{\log\log\log\log x}{\log\log\log x}\log x \right), \] where $C_0>0$ is an absolute constant. We improve on Pan's result by showing that, given any $\eta>0$, for all sufficiently large $x$, \[ N(x)\gg_\eta x\exp\left(-(4+\eta)\frac{\log\log\log x}{\log\log x}\log x\right). \]

math.NT

Exterior Algebra and an Extension of the Feng-Sun-Xiang Theorem in $p$-groups

Let $G$ be a finite group with $|G|=p^m$ where $p$ is a prime and $m$ is a positive integer. Let $k<p$. Let $a_1,\ldots,a_k\in G$ be pairwise distinct and let $b_1,\ldots,b_k\in G$. Then there exists a permutation $\sigma$ on $1,\ldots,k$ such that $a_1b_{\sigma(1)},\ldots,a_kb_{\sigma(k)}$ are pairwise distinct. This extends a theorem of Feng, Sun and Xiang, who proved that the conclusion holds in abelian $p$-groups.

math.CO

On a conjecture of Ram\'ırez Alfons\'ın and Skałba II

Let $1<c<d$ be two relatively prime integers and $g_{c,d}=cd-c-d$. We confirm, by employing the Hardy--Littlewood method, a 2020 conjecture of Ram\'ırez Alfons\'ın and Skałba which states that $$#\left\{p\le g_{c,d}:p\in \mathcal{P}, ~p=cx+dy,~x,y\in \mathbb{Z}_{\geqslant0}\right\}\sim \frac{1}{2}π\left(g_{c,d}\right) \quad (\text{as}~c\rightarrow\infty),$$ where $\mathcal{P}$ is the set of primes, $\mathbb{Z}_{\geqslant0}$ is the set of nonnegative integers and $π(t)$ denotes the number of primes not exceeding $t$.

math.NT

Solution to a problem of Luca, Menares and Pizarro-Madariaga

Let $k\ge 2$ be a positive integer and $P^+(n)$ the greatest prime factor of a positive integer $n$ with convention $P^+(1)=1$. For any $θ\in \left[\frac 1{2k},\frac{17}{32k}\right)$, set $$T_{k,θ}(x)=\sum_{\substack{p_1\cdot\cdot\cdot p_k\le x\\ P^+(\gcd(p_1-1,...,p_k-1))\ge (p_1\cdot\cdot\cdot p_k)^θ}}1,$$ where the $p'$s are primes. It is proved that $$T_{k,θ}(x)\ll_{k}\frac{x^{1-θ(k-1)}}{(\log x)^2},$$ which, together with the lower bound $$T_{k,θ}(x)\gg_{k}\frac{x^{1-θ(k-1)}}{(\log x)^2}$$ obtained by Wu in 2019, answer a 2015 problem of Luca, Menares and Pizarro-Madariaga on the exact order of magnitude of $T_{k,θ}(x)$. A main novelty in the proof is that, instead of using the Brun--Titchmarsh theorem to estimate the $k^{th}$ movement of primes in arithmetic progressions, we transform the movement to an estimation involving taking primes simultaneously by linear shifts of primes.

math.NT

On a discriminator for the polynomial $f(x)=x^3+x$

Let $Δ(n)$ denote the smallest positive integer $m$ such that $a^3+a(1\le a\le n)$ are pairwise distinct modulo $m$. The purpose of this paper is to determine $Δ(n)$ for all positive integers $n$.

math.NT

On a conjecture of Sun involving powers of three

Given a positive integer $n\ge 2$, let $D(n)$ denote the smallest positive integer $m$ such that $a^3+a(1\le a\le n)$ are pairwise distinct modulo $m^2$. A conjecture of Z.-W. Sun states that $D(n)=3^k$, where $3^k$ is the least power of $3$ no less than $\sqrt{n}$. The purpose of this paper is to confirm this conjecture.

math.NT

Representation by sums of unlike powers

It is proved that all sufficiently large integers $n$ can be represented as $$n=x_1^2+x_2^3+\cdots+x_{13}^{14},$$ where $x_1,\ldots,x_{13}$ are positive integers. This improves upon the current record with $14$ variables in place of $13$.

math.NT

On forms in prime variables

Let $F_1,\ldots,F_R$ be homogeneous polynomials of degree $d\ge 2$ with integer coefficients in $n$ variables, and let $\mathbf{F}=(F_1,\ldots,F_R)$. Suppose that $F_1,\ldots,F_R$ is a non-singular system and $n\ge 4^{d+2}d^2R^5$. We prove that there are infinitely many solutions to $\mathbf{F}(\mathbf{x})=\mathbf{0}$ in prime coordinates if (i) $\mathbf{F}(\mathbf{x})=\mathbf{0}$ has a non-singular solution over the $p$-adic units $\U_p$ for all prime numbers $p$, and (ii) $\mathbf{F}(\mathbf{x})=\mathbf{0}$ has a non-singular solution in the open cube $(0,1)^n$.

math.NT

Translation invariant quadratic forms and dense sets of primes

Let $f(x_1,\ldots,x_s)$ be a translation invariant indefinite quadratic form of integer coefficients with $s\ge 10$. Let $\mathcal{A}\subseteq \mathcal{P}\cap \{1,2,\ldots,X\}$. Let $X$ be sufficiently large. Subject to a rank condition, we prove that there exist distinct primes $p_1,\ldots,p_s\in \mathcal{A}$ such that $f(p_1,\ldots,p_s)=0$ as soon as $|\mathcal{A}|\ge \frac{X}{\log X} (\log\log X)^{-\frac{1}{80}}.$

math.NT

Improvements on induced subgraphs of given sizes

Given integers $m$ and $f$, let $S_n(m,f)$ consist of all integers $e$ such that every $n$-vertex graph with $e$ edges contains an $m$-vertex induced subgraph with $f$ edges, and let $σ(m,f)=\limsup_{n\rightarrow\infty} |S_n(m,f)|/\binom{n}{2}$. As a natural extension of an extremal problem of Erdős, this was investigated by Erdős, Füredi, Rothschild and Sós twenty years ago. Their main result indicates that integers in $S_n(m,f)$ are rare for most pairs $(m,f)$, though they also found infinitely many pairs $(m,f)$ whose $σ(m,f)$ is a fixed positive constant. Here we aim to provide some improvements on this study. Our first result shows that $σ(m,f)\leq \frac12$ holds for all but finitely many pairs $(m,f)$ and the constant $\frac12$ cannot be improved. This answers a question of Erdős et. al. Our second result considers infinitely many pairs $(m,f)$ of special forms, whose exact values of $σ(m,f)$ were conjectured by Erdős et. al. We partially solve this conjecture (only leaving two open cases) by making progress on some constructions which are related to number theory. Our proofs are based on the research of Erdős et. al and involve different arguments in number theory. We also discuss some related problems.

math.CO

Proof of three conjectures on determinants related to quadratic residues

In this paper we confirm three conjectures of Z.-W. Sun on determinants. We first show that any odd integer $n>3$ divides the determinant $$\left|(i^2+dj^2)\left(\frac{i^2+dj^2}n\right)\right|_{0\le i,j\le (n-1)/2},$$ where $d$ is any integer and $(\frac{\cdot}n)$ is the Jacobi symbol. Then we prove some divisibility results concerning $|(i+dj)^n|_{0\le i,j\le n-1}$ and $|(i^2+dj^2)^n|_{0\le i,j\le n-1}$, where $d\not=0$ and $n>2$ are integers. Finally, for any odd prime $p$ and integers $c$ and $d$ with $p\nmid cd$, we determine completely the Legendre symbol $(\frac{S_c(d,p)}p)$, where $S_c(d,p):=|(\frac{i^2+dj^2+c}p)|_{1\le i,j\le(p-1)/2}$.

math.NT

On the set $\{π(kn):\ k=1,2,3,\ldots\}$

An open conjecture of Z.-W. Sun states that for any integer $n>1$ there is a positive integer $k\le n$ such that $π(kn)$ is prime, where $π(x)$ denotes the number of primes not exceeding $x$. In this paper, we show that for any positive integer $n$ the set $\{π(kn):\ k=1,2,3,\ldots\}$ contains infinitely many $P_2$-numbers which are products of at most two primes. We also prove that under the Bateman--Horn conjecture the set $\{π(4k):\ k=1,2,3,\ldots\}$ contains infinitely many primes.

math.NT

Sums of four squares of primes

Let $E(N)$ denote the number of positive integers $n \le N$, with $n \equiv 4 \pmod{24}$, which cannot be represented as the sum of four squares of primes. We establish that $E(N)\ll N^{11/32}$, thus improving on an earlier result of Harman and the first author, where the exponent $7/20$ appears in place of $11/32$.

math.NT

The quadratic form in 9 prime variables

Let $f(x_1,\ldots,x_n)$ be a regular indefinite integral quadratic form with $n\ge 9$, and let $t$ be an integer. It is established that $f(x_1,\ldots,x_n)=t$ has solutions in prime variables if there are no local obstructions.

math.NT

On restricted sumsets over a field

We consider restricted sumsets over field $F$. Let\begin{align*}C=\{a_1+\cdots+a_n:a_1\in A_1,\ldots,a_n\in A_n, a_i-a_j\notin S_{ij}\ \text{if}\ i\not=j\},\end{align*} where $S_{ij}(1\leqslant i\not=j\leqslant n)$ are finite subsets of $F$ with cardinality $m$, and $A_1,\ldots, A_n$ are finite nonempty subsets of $F$ with $|A_1|=\cdots=|A_n|=k$. Let $p(F)$ be the additive order of the identity of $F$. It is proved that $|C|\geqslant \min\{p(F),\ \ n(k-1)-mn(n-1)+1\}$ if $p(F)>mn$. This conclusion refines the result of Hou and Sun.

math.NT