On the denominators of harmonic numbers. II. (Q669237): Difference between revisions

The \textit{harmonic number} \(H_n\) is defined as \(\sum_{i=1}^n \frac{1}{i}\) and the \textit{alternating harmonic number} \(A_n\) is defined as \(\sum_{i=1}^n (-1)^{i+1}\frac{1}{i}\). Write \(H_n=\frac{u_n}{v_n}\) with \(\gcd(u_n,v_n)=1\), \(v_n>0\); and \(A_n=\frac{a_n}{b_n}\) with \(\gcd(a_n,b_n)=1\), \(b_n>0\). The unexpected result of the paper is that the sequence of \(n\) numbers with \(v_n=v_{n+1}\) has density one as there are positive constants \(c_1,c_2\), such that for all \(x>1\) \[ x-c_1\frac{x}{\log x} \leq |\{n\leq x: v_n=v_{n+1}\}| \leq x-c_2\frac{x}{\log x}. \] Mutatis mutandis, the same result holds for the sequence of \(n\) numbers with \(b_n=b_{n+1}\). The corollaries include that the set of positive integers \(n\) with \(u_n < u_{n+1}\) has density one; and that the set of positive integers \(n\) with \(a_n < a_{n+1}\) and the set of positive integers \(n\) with \(a_n > a_{n+1}\) both have density \(\frac{1}{2}\). For Part I see C. R., Math., Acad. Sci. Paris 356, No. 2, 129-132 (2018; Zbl 1439.11078).