Odd values of the partition function (Q1357750)

Let \(p(n)\) denote the number of partitions of a 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. This is verified for certain small values of \(t\) by O. Kolberg, M. Newman, M. V. Subbarao and M. D. Hirschhorn [see \textit{M. D. Hirschhorn}, J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 62, 128-138 (1993; Zbl 0774.11060)]. Using modular forms, the author [Elec. Res. Announc. Am. Math. Soc. 1, 35-42 (1995; Zbl 0847.05004); J. Reine Angew. Math. 472, 1-15 (1996; Zbl 0835.11038)] has shown that in any arithmetic progression \(r\pmod t\) there are infinitely many \(N\equiv r\pmod t\), for which \(p(N)\) is even, and there are infinitely many \(M\equiv r\pmod t\) for which \(p(M)\) is odd, provided there is at least one such \(M\). In the paper under review the author constructs finite sets of integers \(M_i\) for which \(p(M_i)\) is odd for an odd number of \(i\). Theorem 2: If \(n=3m^2+2m\) or \(3m^2-2m\) and \(\omega_3(k)= (3k^2+ 3k)/2\), then an odd number of \(p(n)\), \(p(n-\omega_3(1))\), \(p(n-\omega_3(2))\), \(p(n-\omega_3(3)))\), \dots are odd. With a suitable function \(\omega_4(k)\), Theorem 3 implies a similar result for every integer \(n\) for which \(8n+5\) is prime.