On a theorem of Davenport and Heilbronn (Q769893)

The authors give an elaborate proof using almost the whole arsenal of analytical techniques of the following theorem: For any real numbers \(\lambda_1, \dots, \lambda_5\) not all of the same sign and all of absolute value 1 at least, there exist integers \(x_1, \dots, x_5\) such that \[ |\lambda_1 x_1^2 + \ldots + \lambda_5 x_5^2| < 1 \tag{1} \] and \[ 0< | \lambda_1| x_1^2 + \ldots + | \lambda_5| x_5^2 < C_\delta |\lambda_1\cdots \lambda_5|^{1+\delta} \tag{2} \] where \(C_\delta\) depends only on \(\delta > 0\). Without the bound (2), this is a result of \textit{H. Davenport} and \textit{H. Heilbronn} [J. Lond. Math. Soc. 21, 185--193 (1946; Zbl 0060.11914)]. The bound is needed for the authors' treatment of indefinite quadratic forms in many variables [Mathematika 5, 8--12 (1958; Zbl 0084.27201)].