Mean value theorems for binary Egyptian fractions (Q548053)

Let \(a>2\) be a fixed integer. Define \[ R(n;a)=\mathrm{card}\left\{(x,y)\in \mathbb{N}^2: {a\over n}={1\over x}+{1\over y}\right\}, \] \[ S(N;a)=\sum_{{n\leq N}\atop{(n,a)=1}} R(n;a), \quad T(N;a)=\sum_{n\leq N}R(n;a), \quad U(N)=\sum_{a}S(N;a). \] The authors prove two theorems. The content of the first one is an asymptotic formula for \(S(N;a)\) (rather complicated to be exposed in this review) in which, except for \(N\) and \(a\), the primes dividing \(a\) are also involved. The second theorem says that \[ U(N)={1\over 4}CN(\log N)^3 +O(N(\log N)^2), \] where \(C=\prod_p(1-3p^{-2}+2p^{-3})\). We quote from the introduction of the paper: ``The main novelty of the paper is the employment, for the first time in this area, of complex analytic techniques from multiplicative number theory.'' Further, ``\dots the underlying problem has some affinity with the generalized divisor problem in the case \(d_3(n)\) and it is conceivable that, by pursuing methods related to that problem, an error bound of the form \(O(N^{\theta})\) can be obtained with \({1\over 3}<\theta<{1\over 2}\).''