On a combinatorial method for counting smooth numbers in sets of integers (Q2466036)

The author develops an elementary method to count smooth numbers in certain sets. In particular he proves that for sufficiently dense sets of integers \(A\) and \(B\) the sumset \(A+B\) contains the expected number of smooth numbers. More precisely: Let \(0<\varepsilon < \varepsilon_0\) and \(c\geq 1-\varepsilon^{2250}\). Let \(N\) be sufficiently large. Then there exists a set (a so called local global set) \(A\subset[1,N]\) with the properties: 1) If \( q_1, q_2\in A\) are distinct, then \([q_1,q_2]>N\). 2) \(| \{n \leq N: q\mid n\) for some \(q \in A\) with \(q\leq N^c\}| \geq (1-\varepsilon)N\). As an application the author shows: Let \(0< \theta \leq 1\), and \(0< \gamma < \gamma_0\). Let \(A,B\subset [1,N]\) and \(| A|, | B | > \frac{8}{\gamma} N^{1-(\gamma/8)^{2250}}\), then for sufficiently large \(N\): \[ \left| | \{a \in A, b \in B: P(a+b) \leq (2 N)^{\theta}\}|-\rho(\tfrac{1}{\theta})| A | | B | \right| < \gamma | A | | B |. \] Here \(P(n)\) denotes the largest prime factor of \(n\) and \(\rho\) denotes the Dickman function. The local global sets may also prove useful in other applications. Here he combines these with the large sieve. The paper is very well written and explains the ideas carefully.