\(k\)-Fibonacci numbers which are Padovan or Perrin numbers (Q6107495)

Let \( \{P_m\}_{m\ge 0} \) be the sequence of Padovan numbers defined by the linear recurrence: \( P_0=P_1=P_2=1 \), and \( P_{m+3}=P_{m+1}+P_m \) for all \( m\ge 0 \). Also, let \( \{E_m\}_{m\ge 0} \) be the sequence of Perrin numbers defined by the linear recurrence: \( E_0=3,~E_1=0,~E_2=2 \), and \( E_{m+3}=E_{m+1}+E_m \) for all \( m\ge 0 \). Furthermore, let \( k\ge 2 \) be an integer, the \( k \)-generalized Fibonacci sequence \( \{F_n^{(k)}\}_{n\ge 2-k} \) is defined by the \( k \)-term linear recurrence \begin{align*} F_n^{(k)}=F_{n-1}^{(k)}+F_{n-2}^{(k)}+ \cdots +F_{n-k}^{(k)}, \quad \text{for all}~ n\ge 2-k, \end{align*} with the initial conditions \( F_{-(k-2)}^{(k)} =F_{-(k-3)}^{(k)}=\cdots=F_{0}^{(k)}=0 \) and \( F_{1}^{(k)}=1 \). When \( k=2 \), this sequence coincides with the classical Fibonacci sequence. In the paper under review, the authors find all the \( k \)-generalized Fibonacci numbers which are Padovan numbers or Perrin numbers. That is, they completely solve the Diophantine equations: \[ F_n^{(k)}=P_m,\tag{1} \] and \[ F_n^{(k)}=E_m,\tag{2} \] in positive integers \( (m, n,k)\), with \( k\ge 3 \) and \( k\ge 2 \), respectively. Their main results are the following. Theorem 1. All the solutions of the Diophantine equation (1) in positive integers \( (m,n,k) \) with \( k\ge 3 \) are given by \begin{align*} F_1^{(k)}=F_2^{(k)}=P_0=P_1=P_2, \quad F_3^{(k)}=P_3=P_4, \quad F_4^{(k)}=P_6, \quad \text{and} \quad F_5^{(3)}=P_8 \end{align*} except in the case \( k\ge 5 \) which additionally gives \( F_6^{(k)}=P_{11} \). Thus, \( (P_n)\cap (F_n^{(3)})=\{1,2,4,7\} \), \( (P_n)\cap (F_n^{(4)})=\{1,2,4\} \) and \( (P_n)\cap (F_n^{(k)})=\{1,2,4,16\} \) if \( k\ge 5 \). Theorem 2. All the solutions of the Diophantine equation (2) in positive integers \( (m,n,k) \) with \( k\ge 3 \) are given by \begin{align*} F_3^{(k)}=E_2=E_4, \quad F_4^{(2)}=E_0=E_3, \quad F_5^{(2)}=E_5=E_6, \quad F_5^{(3)}=E_7 \quad \text{and} \quad F_7^{(4)}=E_{12} \end{align*} Thus, \( (E_n)\cap (F_n^{(2)})=\{2,3,5\} \), \( (E_n)\cap (F_n^{(3)})=\{2,7\} \), \( (E_n)\cap (F_n^{(4)})=\{2,29\} \) and \( (E_n)\cap (F_n^{(k)})=\{2\} \) if \( k\ge 5 \). The proofs of Theorem 1 and Theorem 2 follow from a clever combination of techniques in Diophantine number theory, Baker's theory for nonzero lower bounds for linear forms in logarithms of algebraic numbers, as well as a reduction algorithm based on the theory of continued fractions due to Baker and Davenport. All numerical computations are done with the help of simple computer programs in \texttt{Mathematica}.