The largest prime factor of Landau's function (Q662898)

From MaRDI portal
scientific article
Language Label Description Also known as
English
The largest prime factor of Landau's function
scientific article

    Statements

    The largest prime factor of Landau's function (English)
    0 references
    13 February 2012
    0 references
    Let \(g(n)\) denote the maximal order of an element in the symmetric group \(S_n\) on \(n\) letters. \textit{E. Landau} [Arch. Math. Phys. (3) 5, 92--103 (1903; JFM 34.0233.02)] proved that \(\log g(n)\sim\sqrt{n\log n}\) as \(n\to\infty\). Let \(P^+(g(n))\) denote the largest prime divisor of \(g(n)\). \textit{J.-L. Nicolas} [Acta Arith. 14, 315--332 (1968; Zbl 0179.34804)] proved that \(P^+(g(n))\sim\log g(n)\sim\sqrt{n\log n}\) as \(n\to\infty\). In the paper under review, the authors obtain the following estimates for \[ H(n)= P^+(g(n))/\sqrt{n\log n}. \] For \(n\geq 4\), \(H(n)\leq H(215)= 1.26542463,\dots\) with equality only for \(n= 215\) (Th. 5.1). For \(n\geq 2\), \(H(n)\leq 1+{\log\log n+10.8\over 2\log n}\) (Th. 8.1). For \(n\geq 133\), \(H(n)\geq 1+{\log\log n-2.27\over 2\log n}\); further for \(N\geq 1755\), \(H(n)\geq 1\) (Th. 9.1). The authors also give bounds for \(P^+(g(n))- \sqrt{Li^{-1}(n)}\) (Ths. 7.1 and 9.2). The proof of Theorem 10.1 shows that \[ P^+(g(n))- \log g(n)= \Omega_{\pm}(n^{1/4}(\log n)^{1/4}\log\log\log n). \]
    0 references
    0 references
    0 references
    0 references
    0 references
    0 references
    0 references
    maximal order
    0 references
    symmetric group
    0 references
    distribution of primes
    0 references
    Landau's function
    0 references
    0 references
    0 references
    0 references