A further note on the generalized Josephus problem (Q2479943)
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English | A further note on the generalized Josephus problem |
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A further note on the generalized Josephus problem (English)
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3 April 2008
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Given \(n\) objects numbered from 1 to \(n\), and another integer \(m\geq 1\), called the reduction coefficient, the \(n\) objects arranged in a circle, and starting with the object numbered 1, and counting each object in turn around the circle, every \(m\)th object is eliminated until all of them are removed. By \(a_m(k,n)\) \((1\leq k\leq n)\) is denoted the \(k\)th Josephus number, that is, the object number to be removed in the \(k\)th step of elimination. For the case \(k=n\) is written \(a_m(n,n)= d_m(n)\). Then is \(d_m(1)=1\) and \[ d_m(n+1)\equiv m+d_m(n) \pmod {n+1}. \] The main result of this paper is the following theorem: For all values of the reduction coefficient \(m\), except possibly for a set of integers \(m\) of density 0, there exist unboundedly many \(n\in\mathbb{N}\) with \(d_m(n)=1\).
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Josephus number
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