ON THE ODD SIEVE SEQUENCE

Yao Weili
Research Center for Basic Science, Xian Jiaotong University, Xian, Shaanxi, P.R.China

Abstract

The odd sieve sequence is the sequence, which is composed of all odd numbers that are not equal to the difference of two primes. In this paper, we use analytic method to study the mean value properties of this sequence, and give two interesting asymptotic formulae. The odd sieve sequence; Mean value; Asymptotic formula.

Keywords:

S1.Introduction
The odd sieve sequence is the sequence, which is composed of all odd numbers that are not equal to the difference of two primes. For example: 7, 11, 19, 23, 25, . In problem 94 of [1], Professor F.Smarandache asked us to study this sequence. About this problem, it seems that none had studied it before. Let A denotes the set of the odd sieve numbers. In this paper, we use analytic method to study the mean value properties of this sequence, and give two interesting asymptotic formulae. That is, we shall prove the following: Theorem 1. For any positive number x > 1, we have the asymptotic formula x2 x2 x2 +O n= . 4 2 ln x ln2 x nx
nA

Theorem 2. formula

For any positive number x > 1, we have the asymptotic

nx nA

1 1 x 1 1 , = ln ln ln(x + 2) + A + B + O n 2 2 2 ln x

where A, B are computable constants, is the Eulers constant.

2.

Proof of Theorems

In this section, we shall complete the proof of Theorems. Firstly we prove Theorem 1, let 1, n is a prime, a(n) = 0, otherwise,

138
and note that (x) =
nx

SCIENTIA MAGNA VOL.1, NO.1 x x +O . ln x ln2 x

a(n) =

Therefore if we take f (n) = n in Abels identity, we can get the estimate p = (x + 2) (x + 2) 2 (2)
px+2 x+2 2

(t)f (t)dt
x+2 2

= =

(x + 2)2 +O ln(x + 2) (x + 2)2 +O 2 ln(x + 2)

(x + 2)2 ln2 (x + 2)

t t +O ln t ln2 t

dt

(x + 2)2 . ln2 (x + 2)

Then from the denition of the odd sieve sequence and the Eulers summation formula, we have n =
nx nA

(2n 1)
2n1x p2x

(p 2)

= = =

(x + 1)(x + 3) + O(x) p+2 1 4 px+2 px+2 (x + 2)2 (x + 1)(x + 3) +O 4 2 ln(x + 2) x2 x2 +O 4 2 ln x x2 . ln2 x (x + 2)2 ln2 (x + 2)

This completes the proof of Theorem 1. Now we prove Theorem 2. From the Eulers summation formula, we have 1 1 = ln x + + O , n x nx where is the Eulers constant. Since (1)

1 2n(2n 1) nx

1 , (n 1)2 n=1

we have 1 = O(1). 2n(2n 1) nx Note 1 1 , = ln ln x + A + O p ln x nx (3) (2)

On the odd sieve sequence

139

where A is a constant. From the denition of odd sieve and formulae (1), (2) and (3), we can obtain 1 1 1 = n 2n1x 2n 1 p2x p 1 1 + 2n 2n(2n 1) 1 1 + n px+2 p 1 p2 3px+2 1 2 1 + 2n(2n 1) 3px+2 p(p 2) 2

nx nA

=
n x+1 2

= =

1 2

n x+1 2

n x+1 2

1 x 1 1 ln ln ln(x + 2) + A + B + O , 2 2 2 ln x

where B is a computable constant. This completes the proof of Theorem 2.

References
[1] F. Smarandache, Only Problems, Not Solutions, Xiquan Publishing House, Chicago, 1993. [2] Tom M. Apostol, Introduction to Analytic Number Theory, New York, 1976.