A shifted sum for the congruent number problem
An integer is called \textit{congruent} if it is the area of some right triangle with rational side lengths. Determining which integers are congruent is called the \textit{congruent number problem}. Simple scaling arguments show that the congruent number problem will be solved once it is known which squarefree numbers appear as the squarefree part of the area of a primitive (i.e., all side lengths pairwise coprime) right triangle with integral sides. Let \(\mathcal{H}_t\) denote the set of hypotenuses of dissimilar primitive right triangles with squarefree part of their area equal to \(t\). In the present paper, the articles show that the sum \(C_t = \sum_{h \in \mathcal{H}_t} 1/h\) appears as the leading coefficient in the asymptotic formula for a certain shifted sum of square-detecting arithmetic functions. In particular: Let \(\tau(n) = 1\) if \(n\) is a square and \(0\) otherwise. For a squarefree number \(t\), let \(r_t\) denote the rank of the elliptic curve \(E_t : y^2 = x^3 - t^2x\) over \(\mathbb{Q}\). For \(X > 1\), define \[ S_t(X) = \sum_{m = 1}^X \sum_{n = 1}^X \tau(m+n)\tau(m-n)\tau(m)\tau(tn). \] The main theorem of the paper is the following asymptotic formula: \[ S_t(X) = C_tX^{1/2} + O_t((\log X)^{r_t/2}). \] The proof, which is highly readable and well-structured, begins by establishing the connection between primitive Pythagorean triples and arithmetic progressions of squares. This connnection provides the relationship between the sum \(S_t(X)\) and hypotenuses. To control the error term in the asymptotic formula above, the authors employ seminal work of Néron on counting rational points of bounded height on an elliptic curve.
This page was built for publication: A shifted sum for the congruent number problem
Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q2303443)
