A sieve result for Farey fractions (Q1567720): Difference between revisions

Let \(\lambda_1,\lambda_2\), \(0 \leq\lambda_1 <\lambda_2\), be two real valued functions of \(x>0\) and let \({\mathcal F}_x= \{{m\over n}:(n,m)=1,n\leq x\}\) be the set of Farey fractions of level \(\leq x\) lying in the interval \((\lambda_1,\lambda_2)\). Applying a sieve technique the author proves an asymptotic formula for the number of fractions \({m\over n}\in{\mathcal F}_x\) such that \((m,Q_0Q_1)= (n,Q_0Q_2)=1\), where \(Q_0,Q_1\) and \(Q_2\) are pairwise coprime positive integers which may depend on \(x\). Assuming that the number of distinct prime factors of the product \(Q_0Q_1Q_2\) is bounded, the formula is non-trivial when \(x(\lambda_1- \lambda_2)\to \infty\). Two applications of the above result are discussed. One of them is an extension of a theorem by \textit{P. Donnelly} and \textit{G. Grimmett} [J. Lond. Math. Soc. (2) 47, 395-404 (1993; Zbl 0839.11039)].