The elementary symmetric functions of reciprocals of elements of arithmetic progressions (Q485032): Difference between revisions

Let \(S_{a,b}(n,k)\) denote the \(k\)-th elementary symmetric function of \(1/b\), \(1/(a+b)\), \dots, \(1/(an-a+b)\) where \(a,b,k\) are positive integers and \(1\leq k\leq n\). Then the authors prove that \(S_{a,b}(n,k)\) is not an integer except that either \(b=n=k=1\), or \(a=b=1\), \(n=3\) and \(k=2\), in which case \(S_{a,b}(n,k)\) is an integer. This answers an open problem raised by \textit{Y.-G. Chen} and \textit{M. Tang} [Am. Math. Mon. 119, No. 10, 862--867 (2012; Zbl 1275.11049)] which generalizes a well-known result of \textit{P. Erdős} and \textit{I. Niven} [Bull. Am. Math. Soc. 52, 248--251 (1946; Zbl 0061.06502)]. The key tool is an effective result of \textit{P. Dusart} [C. R. Math. Acad. Sci., Soc. R. Can., 21, No. 2, 53--59 (1999; Zbl 0935.11002)] on the distribution of primes saying that for any real number \(x\geq3275\), there is a prime number \(p\) such that \(x< p\leq x(1+1/(2\log^2x))\).