Infinitely many composite NSW numbers: an inductive proof (Q2567532)

The NSW numbers (named in honor of \textit{M. Newman, D. Shanks} and \textit{H. C. Williams} [Acta Arith. 38, 129--140 (1980; Zbl 0365.20025)]) were studied approximately 20 years ago in connection with the order of certain simple groups. These are the numbers \(f_n\) which satisfy the recurrence (1) \(f_{n+1} = 6f_n-f_{n-1}\) with initial conditions \(f_1 = 1\) and \(f_2 = 7\). The goal of this paper is to provide a purely inductive proof of the main theorem of the author and \textit{H. C. Williams}'s paper [Fibonacci Q. 40, No. 3, 253--254 (2002; Zbl 1090.11500)]. Theorem. For all \(m\geq 1\) and all \(n\geq 0\), \(f_m\mid f_{(2m-1)n+m}\).