On congruence properties of the partition function (Q1578335): Difference between revisions

Let \(p(n)\) denote the number of unrestricted partitions of the non-negative integer \(n\). \textit{M. V. Subbarao} [Am. Math. Mon. 73, 851-854 (1966; Zbl 0173.01803)] conjectured that, for any arithmetic progression \(r\pmod t\), there are infinitely many integers \(M\equiv r\pmod t\) for which \(p(M)\) is odd, and there are infinitely many integers \(N\equiv r\pmod t\) for which \(p(N)\) is even. Using modular forms, \textit{K. Ono} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 472, 1-15 (1996; Zbl 0835.11038)] proved the even case of Subbarao's conjecture, but in the odd case he needed the existence of one such \(M\). In the paper under review the author proves that, for all primes \(q> 3\), in any progression \(kq\pmod {q^n}\), where \(0\leq k\leq q^{n-1}-1\) and \(n\) is any positive integer, there are infinitely many \(M\equiv kq \pmod {q^n}\) where \(p(M)\) is odd. An analogous result is proved with \(\not\equiv 0\pmod q\) instead of ``odd''. The author uses the results of \textit{K. Ono} [Math. Ann. 312, 251-260 (1998; Zbl 0914.11054)].