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On a problem on partitions into distinct primes

John M. Campbell

Source record

Source: arXiv

Published: Oct 14, 2026

arXiv: 2610.19534

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Source abstract

For a positive integer nn, we write L(n)L(n) in place of the maximum number of distinct primes whose sum is nn, assuming there is a way of writing nn as a sum of distinct primes, with L(n)=0L(n) = 0 otherwise. Again if nn admits a partition into distinct primes, then we let K(n)K(n) denote the number of parts in the unique partition that has a largest product, with K(n)=0K(n) = 0 otherwise. In the latest editions of Guy's classic text on unsolved problems in number theory, the problem as to whether or not L(n)−K(n)L(n) - K(n) is unbounded was left open, and it appears that this has remained open. We solve this problem in the affirmative. Our proof relies, to a large extent, on a consequence of Vinogradov's theorem together with a 1948 result due to Sierpiński on the existence of primes whose gaps to the immediately preceding and following primes both exceed any prescribed positive bound.

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