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Even universal sums of triangular numbers

Number Theory 2024-08-22 v1

Abstract

For an arbitrary integer xx, an integer of the form T(x) ⁣= ⁣x2+x2T(x)\!=\!\frac{x^2+x}{2} is called a triangular number. Let α1,,αk\alpha_1,\dots,\alpha_k be positive integers. A sum Δα1,,αk(x1,,xk)=α1T(x1)++αkT(xk)\Delta_{\alpha_1,\dots,\alpha_k}(x_1,\dots,x_k)=\alpha_1 T(x_1)+\cdots+\alpha_k T(x_k) of triangular numbers is said to be even universal if the Diophantine equation Δα1,,αk(x1,,xk)=2n\Delta_{\alpha_1,\dots,\alpha_k}(x_1,\dots,x_k)=2n has an integer solution (x1,,xk)Zk(x_1,\dots,x_k)\in\mathbb{Z}^k for any nonnegative integer nn. In this article, we classify all even universal sums of triangular numbers. Furthermore, we provide an effective criterion on even universality of an arbitrary sum of triangular numbers, which is a generalization of the triangular theorem of eight of Bosma and Kane.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2408.11310,
  title  = {Even universal sums of triangular numbers},
  author = {Jangwon Ju},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2408.11310},
  year   = {2024}
}

Comments

12 pages. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2201.04355

R2 v1 2026-06-28T18:18:57.476Z