This paper is devoted to studying the numbers $L_{c,m,n} := \mathrm{lcm}\{m^2+c ,(m+1)^2+c , \dots , n^2+c\}$, where $c,m,n$ are positive integers such that $m \leq n$. Precisely, we prove that $L_{c,m,n}$ is a multiple of the rational number \[\frac{\displaystyle\prod_{k=m}^{n}\left(k^2+c\right)}{c \cdot (n-m)!\displaystyle\prod_{k=1}^{n-m}\left(k^2+4c\right)} ,\] and we derive (as consequences) some nontrivial lower bounds for $L_{c,m,n}$. We prove for example that if $n- \frac{1}{2} n^{2/3} \leq m \leq n$, then we have $L_{c,m,n} \geq λ(c) \cdot n e^{3 (n - m)}$, where $λ(c) := \frac{e^{- \frac{2 π^2}{3} c - \frac{5}{12}}}{(2 π)^{3/2} c}$. Further, it must be noted that our approach (focusing on commutative algebra) is new and different from those using previously by Farhi, Oon and Hong.
For any odd prime $\ell$, let $h_\ell(-d)$ denote the $\ell$-part of the class number of the imaginary quadratic field $\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-d})$. Nontrivial pointwise upper bounds are known only for $\ell =3$; nontrivial upper bounds for averages of $h_\ell(-d)$ have previously been known only for $\ell =3,5$. In this paper we prove nontrivial upper bounds for the average of $h_\ell(-d)$ for all primes $\ell \geq 7$, as well as nontrivial upper bounds for certain higher moments for all primes $\ell \geq 3$.
For a finite set of non-zero natural numbers that contains at least one element different from 1 and the least common multiple of any of its subsets, there exists a subset of at least half of its members which has a common divisor larger than 1. Utilizing a representation of the natural numbers as an order-theoretical ring of prime power sets, this conjecture is shown to be equivalent to Frankl's union-closed sets conjecture. Some results for cases where the conjecture, which also has meaningful interpretations in graph and lattice theory, is known to hold are provided. An equivalent dual vers…
We propose polynomial-time algorithms for finding nontrivial zeros of quadratic forms with four variables over rational function fields of characteristic 2. We apply these results to find prescribed quadratic subfields of quaternion division division algebras and zero divisors in $M_2(D)$, the full matrix algebra over a division algebra, given by structure constants. We also provide an implementation of our results in MAGMA which shows that the algorithms are truly practical.
It is shown that the quartic Fermat equation $x^4 +y^4=1$ has nontrivial integral solutions in the Hilbert class field $Σ$ of any quadratic field $K=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-d})$ whose discriminant satisfies $-d \equiv 1$ (mod 8). A corollary is that the quartic Fermat equation has no nontrivial solution in $K=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-p})$, for $p$ $( > 7)$ a prime congruent to $7$ (mod 8), but does have a nontrivial solution in the odd degree extension $Σ$ of $K$. These solutions arise from explicit formulas for the points of order 4 on elliptic curves in Tate normal form. The solutions are studied in deta…
We derive an upper bound for the least number of variables needed to guarantee that a system of t quadratic forms (t>=2) over a field F has a nontrivial zero. In particular, if F is a local field, then 2t^2+3 variables insure the existence of a nontrivial zero (2t^2+1 if t is even), while if F=Q_p with p>=11, then 2t^2-2t+5 variables suffice (2t^2-2t+1 if 3 divides t). The improvement lies in a more efficient use of information on the solubility of pairs and triplets of quadratic forms, and the arguments are completely elementary.
This paper is devoted to establish nontrivial effective lower bounds for the least common multiple of consecutive terms of a sequence ${(u_n)}_{n \in \mathbb{N}}$ whose general term has the form $u_n = r {[n]}_q + u_0$, where $q , r$ are positive integers and $u_0$ is a non-negative integer such that $\mathrm{gcd}(u_0 , r) = \mathrm{gcd}(u_1 , q) = 1$. For such a sequence, we show that for all positive integer $n$, we have $\mathrm{lcm}\{u_1 , u_2 , \dots , u_n\} \geq c_1 \cdot c_2^n \cdot q^{\frac{n^2}{4}}$, where $c_1$ and $c_2$ are positive constants depending only on $q , r$ and $u_0$. Thi…
Let $K$ be an algebraic number field with ring of integers $\Cal{O}_{K}$, $p>2$ be a rational prime and $G$ be the cyclic group of order $p $. Let $Λ$ denote the order $\Cal{O}_{K}[G].$ Let $Cl(Λ)$ denote the locally free class group of $Λ$ and $D(Λ)$ the kernel group, the subgroup of $Cl(Λ)$ consisting of classes that become trivial upon extension of scalars to the maximal order. If $p$ is unramified in $K$, then $D(Λ) = T(Λ)$, where $T(Λ)$ is the Swan subgroup of $Cl(Λ).$ This yields upper and lower bounds for $D(Λ)$. Let $R(Λ)$ denote the subgroup of $Cl(Λ)$ consisting of those classes real…
For any irreducible quadratic polynomial f(x) in Z[x] we obtain the estimate log l.c.m.(f(1),...,f(n))= n log n + Bn + o(n) where B is a constant depending on f.
In this paper, we study how small a box contains at least two points from a modular hyperbola $x y \equiv c \pmod p$. There are two such points in a square of side length $p^{1/4 + ε}$. Furthermore, it turns out that either there are two such points in a square of side length $p^{1/6 + ε}$ or the least quadratic nonresidue is less than $p^{1/(6 \sqrt{e}) + ε}$.
In this paper, we establish some nontrivial and effective upper bounds for the least common multiple of consecutive terms of a finite arithmetic progression. Precisely, we prove that for any two coprime positive integers $a$ and $b$, with $b\geq 2$, we have \[\mathrm{lcm}\left(a,a+b,\dots,a+nb\right) \leq \left(c_1\cdot b\log b\right)^{n+\left\lfloor \frac{a}{b}\right\rfloor}~~~~(\forall n\geq b+1),\] where $c_1=41.30142$. If in addition $b$ is a prime number and $a<b$, then we prove that for any $n\geq b+1$, we have $\mathrm{lcm}\left(a,a+b,\dots,a+nb\right) \leq \left(c_2\cdot b^{\frac{b}{b-…
We present here a method which allows to derive a nontrivial lower bounds for the least common multiple of some finite sequences of integers. We obtain efficient lower bounds (which in a way are optimal) for the arithmetic progressions and lower bounds less efficient (but nontrivial) for quadratic sequences whose general term has the form $u_n = a n (n + t) + b$ with $(a, t, b) \in {\mathbb{Z}}^3, a \geq 5, t \geq 0, \rm{gcd}(a, b) = 1$. From this, we deduce for instance the lower bound: $\mathrm{lcm}\{1^2 + 1, 2^2 + 1, ..., n^2 + 1\} \geq 0,32 (1,442)^n$ (for all $n \geq 1$). In the last part…
This paper studies explicit and theoretical bounds for several interesting quantities in number theory, conditionally on the Generalized Riemann Hypothesis. Specifically, we improve the existing explicit bounds for the least quadratic non-residue and the least prime in an arithmetic progression. We also refine the classical conditional bounds of Littlewood for $L$-functions at $s=1$. In particular, we derive explicit upper and lower bounds for $L(1,χ)$ and $ζ(1+it)$, and deduce explicit bounds for the class number of imaginary quadratic fields. Finally, we improve the best known theoretical bo…
In this paper we establish three results on small-height zeros of quadratic polynomials over $\overline{\mathbb Q}$. For a single quadratic form in $N \geq 2$ variables on a subspace of $\overline{\mathbb Q}^N$, we prove an upper bound on the height of a smallest nontrivial zero outside of an algebraic set under the assumption that such a zero exists. For a system of $k$ quadratic forms on an $L$-dimensional subspace of $\overline{\mathbb Q}^N$, $N \geq L \geq \frac{k(k+1)}{2}+1$, we prove existence of a nontrivial simultaneous small-height zero. For a system of one or two inhomogeneous quadra…
We say that a set $S$ is additively decomposed into two sets $A$ and $B$ if $S = \{a+b : a\in A, \ b \in B\}$. A. Sárközy has recently conjectured that the set $Q$ of quadratic residues modulo a prime $p$ does not have nontrivial decompositions. Although various partial results towards this conjecture have been obtained, it is still open. Here we obtain a nontrivial upper bound on the number of such decompositions.
Let $l$ and $m$ be two integers with $l>m\ge 0$, and let $f(x)$ be the product of two linear polynomials with integer coefficients. In this paper, we show that $\log {\rm lcm}_{mn<i\le ln}\{f(i)\}=An+o(n)$, where $A$ is a constant depending only on $l$, $m$ and $f$.
It is well-known that cancellation in short character sums (e.g. Burgess' estimates) yields bounds on the least quadratic nonresidue. Scant progress has been made on short character sums since Burgess' work, so it is desirable to find a new approach to nonresidues. The goal of this note is to demonstrate a new line of attack via long character sums, a currently active area of research. Among other results, we demonstrate that improving the constant in the Pólya-Vinogradov inequality would lead to significant progress on nonresidues. Moreover, conditionally on a conjecture on long character sum…
We use the Burgess bound and combinatorial sieve to obtain an upper bound on the number of primes $p$ in a dyadic interval $[Q,2Q]$ for which a given interval $[u+1,u+ψ(Q)]$ does not contain a quadratic non-residue modulo $p$. The bound is nontrivial for any function $ψ(Q)\to\infty$ as $Q\to\infty$. This is an analogue of the well known estimates on the smallest quadratic non-residue modulo $p$ on average over primes $p$, which corresponds to the choice $u=0$.
The main goal of this note is to establish the limits of L. Zhao's techniques for counting solutions to quadratic forms in prime variables. Zhao considered forms with rank at least 9, and showed that these equations have solutions in primes provided there are no local obstructions. We consider in detail the degenerate cases of off-diagonal rank 1 and 2, and improve the rank lower bounds to at least 6 and at least 8 respectively. These results complement a recent breakthrough of Green on the non-degenerate rank 8 case.
Let $D<0$ be a fundamental discriminant and $h(D)$ be the class number of $\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{D})$. Let $R(X,D)$ be the number of classes of the binary quadratic forms of discriminant $D$ which represent a prime number in the interval $[X,2X]$. Moreover, assume that $π_{D}(X)$ is the number of primes, which split in $\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{D})$ with norm in the interval $[X,2X].$ We prove that $$ \Big(\frac{π_D(X)}{π(X)}\Big)^2 \ll \frac{R(X,D)}{h(D)}\Big(1+\frac{h(D)}{π(X)}\Big), $$ where $π(X)$ is the number of primes in the interval $[X,2X]$ and the implicit constant in $\ll$ is independent of $D$ …
Let $k$ be an arbitrary given positive integer and let $f(x)\in {\mathbb Z}[x]$ be a quadratic polynomial with $a$ and $D$ as its leading coefficient and discriminant, respectively. Associated to the least common multiple ${\rm lcm}_{0\le i\le k}\{f(n+i)\}$ of any $k+1$ consecutive terms in the quadratic progression $\{f(n)\}_{n\in \mathbb{N}^*}$, we define the function $g_{k, f}(n):=(\prod_{i=0}^{k}|f(n+i)|)/{\rm lcm}_{0\le i\le k}\{f(n+i)\}$ for all integers $n\in \mathbb{N}^*\setminus Z_{k, f}$, where $Z_{k,f}:=\bigcup_{i=0}^k\{n\in \mathbb{N}^*: f(n+i)=0\}$. In this paper, we first show th…
The purpose of this article is to give the solutions of the inverse problem for Pellian equations. For any rational number $0< a/b < 1$, the fundamental discriminants $D$ satisfying $(\lfloor \sqrt{D} \rfloor b + a)^2 - D b^2 = 4$ are given in terms of a quadratic progression. There were studies about this problem based on symmetric sequences $\{a_1,\...,a_{l-1}\}$ and periodic continued fractions $[a_0,\bar{a_1,\...,a_{l-1},a_l}]$, but in this article we solve the problem in a completely different way with simpler parameters. The result is obtained by measuring the quality of approximation of…
Let Q be a non-singular quadratic form with integer coefficients. When Q is indefinite we provide new upper bounds for the least non-trivial integral solution to the equation Q=0. When Q is positive definite we provide improved upper bounds for the least positive integer k such that the equation Q=k is insoluble in integers, despite being soluble modulo every prime power.
For any $\varepsilon > 0$ we derive effective estimates for the size of a non-zero integral point $m \in \mathbb{Z}^d \setminus \{0\}$ solving the Diophantine inequality $\lvert Q[m] \rvert < \varepsilon$, where $Q[m] = q_1 m_1^2 + \ldots + q_d m_d^2$ denotes a non-singular indefinite diagonal quadratic form in $d \geq 5$ variables. In order to prove our quantitative variant of the Oppenheim conjecture, we extend an approach developed by Birch and Davenport [BD58b] to higher dimensions combined with a theorem of Schlickewei [Sch85]. The result obtained is an optimal extension of Schlickewei's …
We prove that an additive form of degree $d=2m$, $m$ odd, $m\ge3$, over the unramified quadratic extension $\mathbb{Q}_2(\sqrt{5})$ has a nontrivial zero if the number of variables $s$ satisifies $s \ge 4d+1$. If $3 \nmid d$, then there exists a nontrivial zero if $s \ge \frac{3}{2}d + 1$, this bound being optimal. We give examples of forms in $3d$ variables without a nontrivial zero in case that $3 \mid d$.
We determine the minimal number of variables $Γ^*(d, K)$ which guarantees a nontrivial solution for every additive form of degree $d=4$ over the four ramified quadratic extensions $\mathbb{Q}_2(\sqrt{2}), \mathbb{Q}_2(\sqrt{10}), \mathbb{Q}_2(\sqrt{-2}), \mathbb{Q}_2(\sqrt{-10}) $ of $\mathbb{Q}_2$. In all four fields, we prove that $Γ^*(4,K) = 11$. This is the first example of such a computation for a proper extension of $\mathbb{Q}_p$ where the degree is a power of $p$ greater than $p$.
We determine the minimal number of variables $Γ^*(d, K)$ which guarantees a nontrivial solution for every additive form of degree $d=2m$, $m$ odd, $m \ge 3$ over the six ramified quadratic extensions of $\mathbb{Q}_2$. We prove that if $K$ is one of $\{\mathbb{Q}_2(\sqrt{2}), \mathbb{Q}_2(\sqrt{10}), \mathbb{Q}_2(\sqrt{-2}), \mathbb{Q}_2(\sqrt{-10})\}$, $Γ^*(d,K) = \frac{3}{2}d$, and if $K$ is one of $\{\mathbb{Q}_2(\sqrt{-1}), \mathbb{Q}_2(\sqrt{-5})\}$, $Γ^*(d,K) = d+1$. The case $d=6$ was previously known.
For each prime $p$, let $n(p)$ denote the least quadratic nonresidue modulo $p$. Vinogradov conjectured that $n(p) = O(p^\eps)$ for every fixed $\eps>0$. This conjecture follows from the generalised Riemann hypothesis, and is known to hold for almost all primes $p$ but remains open in general. In this paper we show that Vinogradov's conjecture also follows from the Elliott-Halberstam conjecture on the distribution of primes in arithmetic progressions, thus providing a potential "non-multiplicative" route to the Vinogradov conjecture. We also give a variant of this argument that obtains bounds …
For all positive integers $k$ and $N$ we prove that there are infinitely many totally real multiquadratic fields $K$ of degree $2^k$ over $\mathbb Q$ such that each universal quadratic form over $K$ has at least $N$ variables.
In this paper, we prove the identity $$\lcm\{\binom{k}{0}, \binom{k}{1}, >..., \binom{k}{k}\} = \frac{\lcm(1, 2, ..., k, k + 1)}{k + 1} (\forall k \in \mathbb{N}) .$$ As an application, we give an easily proof of the well-known nontrivial lower bound $\lcm(1, 2, ..., k) \geq 2^{k - 1}$ $(\forall k \geq 1)$.
What is the probability for a number field of composite degree $d$ to have a nontrivial subfield? As the reader might expect the answer heavily depends on the interpretation of probability. We show that if the fields are enumerated by the smallest height of their generators the probability is zero, at least if $d>6$. This is in contrast to what one expects when the fields are enumerated by the discriminant. The main result of this article is an estimate for the number of algebraic numbers of degree $d=e n$ and bounded height which generate a field that contains an unspecified subfield of degre…
In this paper, we present a method for estimating the least common multiple of a large class of binary linear recurrence sequences. Let $P,Q,R_0$, and $R_1$ be fixed integers and let $\boldsymbol{R}=\left(R_n\right)_{n}$ be the recurrence sequence defined by $R_{n+2}=PR_{n+1}-QR_{n}$ $(\forall n\geq 0)$. Under some conditions on the parameters, we determine a rational nontrivial divisor for $L_{k,n}:=\mathrm{lcm}\left(R_k,R_{k+1},\dots,R_n\right)$, for all positive integers $n$ and $k$, such that $n\geq k$. As consequences, we derive nontrivial effective lower bounds for $L_{k,n}$ and we estab…
We exhibit, for n at least 5, infinitely many quadratic number fields admitting unramified degree n extensions with prescribed signature whose normal closures have Galois group A_n. This generalizes a result of Uchida and Yamamoto, which did not include the ability to restrict the signature, and a result of Yamamura, which was the case n=5.
Let $R=\mathcal{O}_{\Q(\sqrt{d})}$ for $d<0$, squarefree, $d\neq -1,-3$. We prove Lehmer's conjecture for associated reciprocal polynomials of $R$-matrices; that is, any noncyclotomic $R$-matrix has Mahler measure at least $λ_0=1.176...$.
We obtain nontrivial estimates of quadratic character sums of division polynomials $Ψ_n(P)$, $n=1,2, ...$, evaluated at a given point $P$ on an elliptic curve over a finite field of $q$ elements. Our bounds are nontrivial if the order of $P$ is at least $q^{1/2 + ε}$ for some fixed $ε> 0$. This work is motivated by an open question about statistical indistinguishability of some cryptographically relevant sequences which has recently been brought up by K. Lauter and the second author.
We study the logarithm of the least common multiple of the sequence of integers given by $1^2+1, 2^2+1,..., n^2+1$. Using a result of Homma on the distribution of roots of quadratic polynomials modulo primes we calculate the error term for the asymptotics obtained by Cilleruelo.
In this paper, we prove a one level density result for the low-lying zeros of quadratic Hecke $L$-functions of imaginary quadratic number fields of class number one. As a corollary, we deduce, essentially, that at least $(19-\cot (1/4))/16 = 94.27... \%$ of the $L$-functions under consideration do not vanish at $1/2$.
In this paper, we provide refined sufficient conditions for the quadratic Chabauty method to produce a finite set of points, with the conditions on the rank of the Jacobian replaced by conditions on the rank of a quotient of the Jacobian plus an associated space of Chow-Heegner points. We then apply this condition to prove the finiteness of this set for any modular curves $X_{\mathrm{ns} }^+ (N)$ and $X_0 ^+ (N)$ of genus at least 2 with N prime. The proof relies on the existence of a quotient of their Jacobians whose Mordell-Weil rank is equal to its dimension (and at least 2), which is prove…
In this paper we give an elementary proof of results on the structure of 4-class groups of real quadratic number fields originally due to A. Scholz. In a second (and independent) section we strengthen C. Maire's result that the 2-class field tower of a real quadratic number field is infinite if its ideal class group has 4-rank at least $4$, using a technique due to F. Hajir.
Employing Brüdern's and Wooley's new complification method, we establish an asymptotic Hasse principle for the number of solutions to a system of r_3 cubic and r_2 quadratic diagonal forms, when the number of cubic equations is at least double the number of quadratic forms. The number of variables required is lower than in earlier work. In particular, we achieve essentially square root cancellation for systems of one quadratic and arbitrarily many cubic equations.
Let $X$ be a sufficiently large positive integer. We prove that one may choose a subset $S$ of primes with cardinality $O(\log X)$, such that a positive proportion of integers less than $X$ can be represented by $x^2 + p y^2$ for at least one of $p \in S$.
Let Q be a non-singular diagonal quadratic form in at least four variables. We provide upper bounds for the number of integer solutions to the equation Q=0, which lie in a box with sides of length 2B, as B tends to infinity. The estimates obtained are completely uniform in the coefficients of the form, and become sharper as they grow larger in modulus.
Let s(n) be the number of representations of n as the sum of three squares. We prove a remarkable new identity for s(p^2n)- ps(n) with p being an odd prime. This identity makes nontrivial use of ternary quadratic forms with discriminants p^2 and 16p^2. These forms are related by Watson's transformations. To prove this identity we employ the Siegel--Weil and the Smith--Minkowski product formulas.
