On a partition function which assumes all integral values (Q1187815): Difference between revisions

Let \(S(n)\) be the number of partitions of \(n\) into distinct parts with even rank minus the number with odd rank. \textit{G. E. Andrews}, \textit{F. J. Dyson}, and \textit{D. Hickerson} [Invent. Math. 91, 391-407 (1988; Zbl 0642.10012)] studied \(S(n)\) using the arithmetic of the field \(\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt 6)\), and proved that \(S(n)\) takes on every integral value infinitely often. Now let \(H(n)\) be the number of partitions of \(n\) into parts repeated exactly 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, or 10 times with the parts repeated exactly 1, 4, 6, or 9 times being even in number minus the number of partitions of \(n\) into parts repeated exactly 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, or 10 times with the parts repeated exactly 1, 4, 6, or 9 times being odd in number. The arithmetic of the field \(\mathbb{Q}(i)\) is used to show that the set of \(n\) for which \(H(n)\neq 0\) has density 0, but that \(H(n)\) takes on every integer value infinitely often.