Algorithms for complementary sequences (Q6872146)

It is considered that finding the \(n\)-th positive square number is easy, but how do we find the complementary sequence, i.e., the \(n\)-th positive non-square number? The main aim of this paper is to study how to compute the \(n\)-th integer that does (or does not) satisfy a certain condition. The approach of the authors is that, considering it as a fixed point problem, associate it with the iterative method of Lambek and Moser. Then, a bisection approach to this problem is considered and analyzed. Furthermore, new formulas for several complementary sequences, including the non-\(k\)-gonal numbers, non-\(k\)-gonal-pyramidal numbers, non-\(k\)-simplex numbers, non-sum-of-\(k\)-th-powers, non-\(k\)-th-powers, and non-Jacobsthal numbers are derived.\N\NThe article is structured as follows.\N\N\begin{itemize}\N\item The first section is ``\underline{Introduction}'', where the motivation of the paper and the definitions of the needed terms are stated.\N\N\item The second section is ``\underline{Finding \(f_{P}(n)\) as the solution to a fixed point problem}'', where finding \(f_{P}(n)\) as the solution to fixed point problem are researched. New formulas for several complementary sequences, including the non-\(k\)-gonal numbers, non-\(k\)-gonal-pyramidal numbers, non-\(k\)-simplex numbers, non-sum-of-\(k\)-th-powers, non-\(k\) -th-powers, and non-Jacobsthal numbers are derived in Section 2. Three algorithms are given.\N\N\item The third section is ``\underline{The \(n\)-th term of the union or difference of two sequences}'', where the \(n\)-th term of the union or difference of two sequences is researched.\N\N\item The fourth section is ``\underline{Sequences of repeated terms}'', where the novel formulas for sequences of repeated integers is provided.\N\N\item The fifth section is ``\underline{Some other explicitly computable counting functions}'', where several explicitly computable counting functions are provided.\N\N\item The sixth section is ``\underline{Conclusions}'', where the results derived in the paper are analyzed.\N\end{itemize}\N\NThe contribution of the paper is to provide more efficient examination for studying complementary sequences using the algorithms, including a fixed point problem.