English

Integer values of $\tan(\arctan 1+\arctan 2+\cdots+\arctan n)$ are rare

Number Theory 2026-07-07 v1 Combinatorics

Abstract

For n1n\ge1, we let xn:=tan(k=1narctank).x_n:=\tan\bigl(\sum_{k=1}^{n}\arctan k\bigr). In 2008, Amdeberhan, Medina, and Moll conjectured that xn∉Zx_n\not \in \mathbb{Z} for every n5n\ge5. This was known for a set of positive integers of density 1208170.1469\tfrac{120}{817}\approx0.1469. We prove that an integer value xn=mx_n=m satisfies me(1/2+o(1))nlogn|m|\ge e^{(1/2+o(1))\,n\log n}, which we use to deduce that #{1nN:xnZ}=O(logN).\#\{\,1\leq n\le N:x_n\in\mathbb{Z}\,\}=O(\log N). In particular, the conjecture holds for a density-one set of nn. The results in this note were formalized in Lean/Mathlib and produced autonomously by AxiomProver from natural-language statements.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2607.05739,
  title  = {Integer values of $\tan(\arctan 1+\arctan 2+\cdots+\arctan n)$ are rare},
  author = {Ken Ono},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2607.05739},
  year   = {2026}
}

Comments

9 pages. Proof uses only classical estimates (Stirling, Mertens, Chebyshev). Lean/Mathlib formalization at github.com/AxiomMath/TanArctan