English

On Using (Z^2, +) Homomorphisms to Generate Pairs of Coprime Integers

Number Theory 2008-02-18 v2

Abstract

We use the group (Z2,+)(\Z^2,+) and two associated homomorphisms, τ0,τ1\tau_0, \tau_1, to generate all distinct, non-zero pairs of coprime, positive integers which we describe within the context of a binary tree which we denote TT. While this idea is related to the Stern-Brocot tree and the map of relatively prime pairs, the parents of an integer pair these trees do not necessarily correspond to the parents of the same integer pair in TT. Our main result is a proof that for xi{0,1}x_i \in \{0,1\}, the sum of the pair τx1τx2...τxn[1,2]\tau_{x_1}\tau_{x_2}... \tau_{x_n} [1,2] is equal to the sum of the pair τxnτxn1...τx1[1,2]\tau_{x_n}\tau_{x_{n-1}} ... \tau_{x_1} [1,2]. Further, we give a conjecture as to the well-ordering of the sums of these integers.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0802.0547,
  title  = {On Using (Z^2, +) Homomorphisms to Generate Pairs of Coprime Integers},
  author = {Brian A. Benson},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0802.0547},
  year   = {2008}
}

Comments

11 pages, no figures. A serious error in terminology has been corrected. The maps \tau_0 and \tau_1 are homomorphisms but NOT automorphisms as they are referred to in v1