Fermat's polygonal number theorem for repeated generalized polygonal numbers (Q2212664)

For a positive integer \(m\), a generalized \(m\)-gonal number is an integer of the form \[P_m(x)= \frac{(m-2)x^2-(m-4)x}{2}\] where \(x\in\mathbb Z\). Let \(\ell_m\) denote the smallest positive integer such that every positive integer can be expressed as a sum of \(\ell_m\) generalized \(m\)-gonal numbers. As a consequence of the polygonal number theorem, which was conjectured by Fermat in 1638 and subsequently proven by Cauchy in 1813, it is known that \(\ell_m\leq m\). On the other hand, \textit{R. K. Guy} [Am. Math. Mon. 101, 169--172 (1994; Zbl 0805.11014)] observed that \(\ell_m \geq m-4\) when \(m\geq 8\). In the present paper, the authors determine the exact value of \(\ell_m\) for all positive integers \(m\) except 7 and 9. In particular, they prove that \(\ell_m=m-4\) for all \(m\geq 10\). More generally, the authors study sums of generalized \(m\)-gonal numbers in which some of the summands are repeated, or, equivalently, expressions of the type \[\sum_{j=1}^{\ell}a_jP_m(x_j),\] with \(a_1,\ldots,a_{\ell}\in \mathbb N\). They consider in detail the case when \(a_1=\ldots=a_{r-1}=1\) and \(a_r=\ldots=a_{\ell}=r\) for some integer \(r\geq 2\). A key ingredient in the proofs is the Lemma 2.2 which states that, for \(m\geq 3\), every nonnegative integer divisible by \((m-2)\) can be expressed as a sum of five generalized \(m\)-gonal numbers. The proof of that lemma rests on the fact that the quaternary quadratic form \(\sum_{1\leq i \leq j \leq 4}x_ix_j\) is universal.