English

Values of Ducci Periods for Sequences on $\mathbb{Z}_m^n$

Number Theory 2025-02-06 v1 Group Theory

Abstract

Let D:ZmnZmnD: \mathbb{Z}_m^n \to \mathbb{Z}_m^n be defined so that D(x1,x2,...,xn)=(x1+x2  mod  m,x2+x3  mod  m,...,xn+x1  mod  m).D(x_1, x_2, ..., x_n)=(x_1+x_2 \; \text{mod} \; m, x_2+x_3 \; \text{mod} \; m, ..., x_n+x_1 \; \text{mod} \; m). We call DD the Ducci function and the sequence {Dα(u)}α=0\{D^{\alpha}(\mathbf{u})\}_{\alpha=0}^{\infty} the Ducci sequence of u\mathbf{u} for uZmn\mathbf{u} \in \mathbb{Z}_m^n. Every Ducci sequence enters a cycle, so we can let Per(u)\text{Per}(\mathbf{u}) be the number of tuples in the Ducci cycle of u\mathbf{u}, or the period of u\mathbf{u}. In this paper, we will look at what different possible values of Per(u)\text{Per}(\mathbf{u}) we can have and some conditions that if u\mathbf{u} meets at least one of them, u\mathbf{u} will generate a period smaller than the maximum period.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2502.03348,
  title  = {Values of Ducci Periods for Sequences on $\mathbb{Z}_m^n$},
  author = {Mark L. Lewis and Shannon M. Tefft},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2502.03348},
  year   = {2025}
}