English

Prime numbers and dynamics of the polynomial $x^2-1$

Number Theory 2025-11-12 v2 Dynamical Systems

Abstract

Let nZ2n \in \mathbb{Z}_{\geqslant 2}. By P(n)P(n) we denote the set of all prime divisors of the integers in the sequence n,n21,(n21)21,n, n^2-1, (n^2-1)^2-1, \dots. We ask whether the set P(n)P(n) determines nn uniquely under the assumption that nm21n \neq m^2-1 for mZ2m \in \mathbb{Z}_{\geqslant 2}. This problem originates in the structure theory of infinite-dimensional Lie algebras. We show that the sets P(n)P(n) generate infinitely many equivalence classes of positive integers under the equivalence relation n1n2    P(n1)=P(n2)n_1 \sim n_2 \iff P(n_1) = P(n_2). We also prove that the sets P(n)P(n) separate all positive integers up to 2292^{29}, and we provide some heuristics on why the answer to our question should be positive.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2502.11929,
  title  = {Prime numbers and dynamics of the polynomial $x^2-1$},
  author = {Ivan Penkov and Michael Stoll},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2502.11929},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

10 pages. v2: take into account suggestions by the referee. Accepted by J Exp. Math