Skip to main content
Log in

On the number of divisors which are values of a polynomial

  • Published:
The Ramanujan Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Let τ(n) be the number of positive divisors of an integer n, and for a polynomial P(X)∈ℤ[X], let

$$\tau_{P}(n)=\left\vert{\left\{{P(m)>0:\ m\in\mathbb{Z},P(m)\mid n}\right\}}\right\vert.$$

R. de la Bretèche studied the maximum values of τ P (n) in intervals. Here the following is proved: if P(X)∈ℤ[X] is not of the form a(X+b)k with a,b∈ℚ, and k∈ℕ then

$$\tau_{P}(n)\ll(\log n)\tau(n)^{3/5}.$$

This improves partially on La Bretèche’s results.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Balog, A., Erdős, P., Tenenbaum, G.: On arithmetic functions involving consecutive divisors. In: Berndt, B., Diamond, H., Halberstam, H., Hildebrand, A. (eds.) Analytic Number Theory, Urbana, 1990. Progress in Mathematics, vol. 85, pp. 77–90. Birkhäuser, Boston (1989)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bugeaud, Y., Dujella, A.: On a problem of Diophantus for higher powers. Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 135, 1–10 (2003)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  3. Bugeaud, Y., Gyarmati, K.: On generalizations of a problem of Diophantus. Ill. J. Math. 48, 1105–1115 (2004)

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  4. Cohen, G., Litsyn, S., Zémor, G.: Binary B 2-sequences: a new upper bound. J. Comb. Theory Ser. A 94(1), 152–155 (2001)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  5. de la Bretèche, R.: Sur une classe de fonctions arithmétiques liées aux diviseurs d’un entier. Indag. Math. New Ser. 11, 437–452 (2000)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  6. de la Bretèche, R.: Nombre de valeurs polynomials qui divisent un entier. Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 131, 193–209 (2001)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  7. Dujella, A.: On Diophantine quintuples. Acta Arith. 81, 69–79 (1997)

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  8. Dujella, A.: An absolute bound for the size of Diophantine m-tuples. J. Number Theory 89, 126–150 (2001)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  9. Erdős, P.: Some of my new and almost new problems and results in combinatorial number theory. In: Number Theory, Eger, 1996, pp. 169–179. De Gruyter, Berlin (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Erdős, P., Hall, R.R.: On some unconventional problems on the divisors of integers. J. Aust. Math. Soc. Ser. A 25, 479–485 (1978)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Erdős, P., Tenenbaum, G.: Sur les fonctions arithmétiques liées aux diviseurs consécutifs. J. Number Theory 31, 285–311 (1989)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  12. Evertse, J.H.: On equations in S-units and the Thue–Mahler equation. Invent. Math. 75, 561–584 (1984)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  13. Gyarmati, K.: A polynomial extension of a problem of Diophantus. Publ. Math. Debrecen 66(3/4), 389–405 (2005)

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  14. Gyarmati, K.: On a problem of Diophantus. Acta Arith. 97(1), 53–65 (2001)

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  15. Lindström, B.: On B 2-sequences of vectors. J. Number Theory 4, 261–265 (1972)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  16. Maier, H., Tenenbaum, G.: On the set of divisors of an integer. Invent. Math. 76, 121–128 (1984)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  17. Tenenbaum, G.: Une inégalité de Hilbert pour les diviseurs. Indag. Math. New Ser. 2(1), 105–114 (1991)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  18. Wigert, S.: Sur l’ordre de grandeur du nombre de diviseurs d’un entier. Arkiv Math. 3, 1–9 (1906/1907)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Katalin Gyarmati.

Additional information

Research partially supported by Hungarian National Foundation for Scientific Research, Grants T043631, T043623 and T049693.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gyarmati, K. On the number of divisors which are values of a polynomial. Ramanujan J 17, 387–403 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11139-006-9010-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11139-006-9010-8

Keywords

Mathematics Subject Classification (2000)

Navigation