Lagrange’s theorem for binary squares

P. Madhusudan, Dirk Nowotka, Aayush Rajasekaran, Jeffrey Shallit

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

We show how to prove theorems in additive number theory using a decision procedure based on finite automata. Among other things, we obtain the following analogue of Lagrange’s theorem: every natural number > 686 is the sum of at most 4 natural numbers whose canonical base-2 representation is a binary square, that is, a string of the form xx for some block of bits x. Here the number 4 is optimal. While we cannot embed this theorem itself in a decidable theory, we show that stronger lemmas that imply the theorem can be embedded in decidable theories, and show how automated methods can be used to search for these stronger lemmas.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication43rd International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science, MFCS 2018
EditorsIgor Potapov, James Worrell, Paul Spirakis
PublisherSchloss Dagstuhl- Leibniz-Zentrum fur Informatik GmbH, Dagstuhl Publishing
ISBN (Print)9783959770866
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1 2018
Event43rd International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science, MFCS 2018 - Liverpool, United Kingdom
Duration: Aug 27 2018Aug 31 2018

Publication series

NameLeibniz International Proceedings in Informatics, LIPIcs
Volume117
ISSN (Print)1868-8969

Other

Other43rd International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science, MFCS 2018
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityLiverpool
Period8/27/188/31/18

Keywords

  • Additive number theory
  • Binary square
  • Decidable theory
  • Decision procedure
  • Finite automaton
  • Theorem-proving

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Software

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