Skip to content
Preprint

Products of Two Integers Avoiding Perfect Powers

Aug 2026 · 0 citations · 7 references
Mathematics

Abstract

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 $1<k<d$. We establish asymptotic formula in the case $k=2$ for every fixed $d\geq3$, \[ n-F_{2,d}(n)\sim n-f_{2,d}(n) \sim C_d\, n^{2/d}(\log n)^{d-3}, \] where $C_d>0$ 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.

View source

Similar papers

Preprint Sep 2026

Long runs of integers with small prime factors and the divisor function of $n!$

Let $d$ be the divisor function, and let $K(n)$ be the least positive integer $K$ for which $d((n + K)!) \ge 2d(n!)$. Erd\H{o}s, Graham, Ivi\'c and Pomerance proved that, for infinitely many $n$, \begin{equation*} K(n)>(1/9)(\log n)(\log_{2} n)(\log_{4} n)/(\log_{3} n)^3. \end{equation*} We improve upon this by a facto...

Tristan Freiberg · 0 citations
Preprint Aug 2026

Asymptotically attaining the Moore bound

For positive integers $d$ and $k$, let $n_k(d)$ be the maximum order of a graph of maximum degree at most $d$ and diameter at most $k$. We prove that $$ \lim_{d\to\infty}\frac{n_k(d)}{d^k}=1$$ for every fixed $k$, thereby resolving the asymptotic degree-diameter problem for fixed diameter and proving a conjecture of Bo...

Wouter Cames van Batenburg, Samuel Korsky · 0 citations
Preprint Sep 2026

A problem on the largest divisor $d$ of $N$ with $d\leq \sqrt{N}$

For a given number $N$, we consider the problem of computing two integers $1\leq r,f<N$ such that the set $$\mathcal{X}(N,r,f) = \{(a+b)-(f+\frac{Nr+1}{f}): ab=Nr\}$$ consists only of positive integers. Computing a solution to the problem is equivalent to finding a pair $(r,f)$ satisfying $l(Nr)<f \leq l(Nr+1)$, where...

Srikanth Cherukupally · 0 citations
Preprint Aug 2026

Covering the ternary cube by binary subcubes

For an integer $n\ge0$, let $f(n)$ be the minimum number of subcubes of $\mathbb{Z}_3^n$ of the form $A_1\times\cdots\times A_n$, where $|A_i|=2$ for every $i$, whose union covers $\mathbb{Z}_3^n$. A simple counting argument gives $f(n)\ge(3/2)^n$, while $f(n)=O(n(3/2)^n)$ by random construction. We prove that $f(n)\le...

Pei-Ru Kuang, Yan Wang · 1 citation · ⚡1
Preprint Sep 2026

Equal subset sums and close divisors

For $k\geq2$, let $\alpha_k$ be the supremum of the exponents $a$ for which almost every integer $n$ has $k$ distinct divisors in a multiplicative interval of relative length $(\log n)^{-a}$. Select each positive integer $i$ independently with probability $1/i$, forming a random set $\mathbf A$, and let $\beta_k$ be th...

Jian-Feng Hou, Hong-Bin Zhao · 0 citations
Preprint Aug 2026

Elliptic matroids and modular curves

For $n\geq 4$, let $T_n$ be the rank-3 matroid on $\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z}$ whose bases are the three-element non-zero-sum subsets. Let $X_1(n)^\circ$ denote the open subscheme of the modular curve $X_1(n)$ obtained by removing the cusps corresponding to reducible N\'eron polygons. For $n \geq 10$, we give a purely alge...

Matthew Baker · 0 citations

We use cookies to run the site and, with your consent, for analytics and to show ads. See our Cookie Policy.