Analogues of the Ramanujan-Mordell theorem (Q321807): Difference between revisions

Let $r(2k;n)$ denote the number of representations of a positive integer $n$ as a sum of $2k$ squares. Then \[ \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} r(2k;n)q^n=z^k, \] where \[ z=z(\tau)=\sum_{m=-\infty}^ {\infty}\sum_{n=-\infty}^ {\infty} q^{m^2+n^2}, \] $\tau$ is a complex number with positive imaginary part, and $q=e^{2\pi i \tau}$. The function $z^k$ is a modular form which can be written as \[ z^k=E_k^*(\tau) + C_k(\tau), \] where $E_k^*(\tau)$ is an Eisenstein series and $C_k(\tau)$ is a cusp form. S. Ramanujan stated without proof explicit formulas, involving Dedekind's eta function, Bernoulli numbers and Euler numbers, for $E_k^*(\tau)$ and $C_k(\tau)$, thereby deducing the values of the coefficients $r(2k;n)$. Ramanujan's results were subsequently proven by \textit{L. J. Mordell} [Q. J. Pure Appl. Math. 48, 93--104 (1917; JFM 46.0263.01)]. The goal of the present paper is to prove analogues of the Ramanujan-Mordell Theorem in which the quadratic form $m^2+n^2$ is replaced by the quadratic form $m^2+pn^2$ or by the quadratic polynomial \[ \frac{m(m+1)}{2}+p\frac{n(n+1)}{2}, \] where $p\in \{3,7,11,23\}$.