Additive functions at consecutive integers (Q2439825)

Let \(\mathcal{A}\) and \(\mathcal{A}^*\) denote the class of all real valued additive and completely additive functions, respectively. For \(z\in \mathbb{R}\) let \(\| z\| =\min_{k\in \mathbb{Z}}| z-k| \). Quoting a still open conjecture of \textit{I. Kátai} [Stud. Sci. Math. Hung. 16, 289--295 (1981; Zbl 0479.10003)], the following main result is proved. Theorem. Let \(k\in \mathbb{N}\) be fixed. Then there exists a suitable positive real number \(\eta\) for which, if \(f_j\in \mathcal{A}\) (\(0\leq j\leq k\)) and \(\| f_j(p)\| \leq \eta\) for every prime \(p\) (\(0\leq j\leq k\)), then \[ \liminf_{x\to \infty} \frac1{x}\sum_{n\leq x} \| f_0(n)+\dots +f_k(n+k)+\Gamma\| = 0 \] implies that for every prime \(p>k+1\) and every \(\alpha \in \mathbb{N}\) one has \[ f_0(p^{\alpha})\equiv \dots \equiv f_k(p^{\alpha})\equiv 0 \pmod{1}, \] furthermore \(f_j(p^{\beta})\equiv f_j(p^{\beta+1})\pmod{1}\) if \(p^{\beta}> k+1\) (\(0\leq j\leq k\)). Consequently, if \(f_j\in \mathcal{A}^*\) (\(0\leq j\leq k\)), then \(\Gamma\equiv 0\pmod{1}\) and \(f_0(n)\equiv\dots\equiv f_k(n)\equiv 0 \pmod{1}\) (\(n\in \mathbb{N}\)).