English

Heights on the finite projective line

Number Theory 2016-12-30 v1 Combinatorics

Abstract

Define the height function h(a) = min{k+(ka\mod p): k=1,2,...,p-1} for a = 0,1,...,p-1. It is proved that the height has peaks at p, (p+1)/2, and (p+c)/3, that these peaks occur at a= [p/3], (p-3)/2, (p-1)/2, [2p/3], p-3,p-2, and p-1, and that h(a) \leq p/3 for all other values of a.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.math/0703646,
  title  = {Heights on the finite projective line},
  author = {Melvyn B. Nathanson},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:math/0703646},
  year   = {2016}
}

Comments

10 pages, 1 figure

R2 v1 2026-07-22T17:53:02.847Z