On the number of Diophantine \(m\)-tuples (Q2426706): Difference between revisions

A set \(D\) of \(m\) positive integers is called a Diophantine \(m\)-tuple if for each pair \((a,b)\in D^2\) we have \(ab+1\) is a perfect square. The author considers the following counting function: \[ D_m(N)=\sharp \{D \subseteq\{1,2,\ldots,N\}\, : D \;\text{is a Diophantine \(m\)-tuple}\}. \] By elementary methods the author proves \(D_2(N)=\frac{6}{\pi^2} N\log N+O(N)\). The asymptotic expansions for \(D_3(N)\) and \(D_4(N)\) are obtained as follows. Every Diophantine pair \(\{a,b\}\) with \(ab+1=r^2\) can be extended to a Diophantine triple \(\{a,b,a+b+2r\}\) and every Diophantine triple \(\{a,b,c\}\) with \(ab+1=r^2\), \(ac+1=s^2\) and \(bc+1=t^2\) can be extended to a Diophantine quadruple \(\{a,b,c,a+b+c+2abc+2rst\}\). These Diophantine triples and quadruples are called regular. By showing that there are only few irregular Diophantine triples and quadruples the author shows \(D_3(N)=\frac 3{\pi^2}N\log N+O(N)\) and \(0.1608 \sqrt[3]{N} \log N<D_4(N)<0.5354\sqrt[3]{N} \log N\). Due to a recent result on the finitenes of Diophantine quintuples [\textit{A. Dujella}, J. Reine Angew. Math. 566, 183--214 (2004; Zbl 1037.11019)] he finds \(D_5(N)<10^{1930}\).