Golomb sequence
In mathematics, the Golomb sequence, named after Solomon W. Golomb (but also called Silverman's sequence), is a monotonically increasing integer sequence where an is the number of times that n occurs in the sequence, starting with a1 = 1, and with the property that for n > 1 each an is the smallest positive integer which makes it possible to satisfy the condition. For example, a1 = 1 says that 1 only occurs once in the sequence, so a2 cannot be 1 too, but it can be 2, and therefore must be 2. The first few values are
:1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12 {{OEIS|id=A001462}}.
Examples
a1 = 1
Therefore, 1 occurs exactly one time in this sequence.
a2 > 1
a2 = 2
2 occurs exactly 2 times in this sequence.
a3 = 2
3 occurs exactly 2 times in this sequence.
a4 = a5 = 3
4 occurs exactly 3 times in this sequence.
5 occurs exactly 3 times in this sequence.
a6 = a7 = a8 = 4
a9 = a10 = a11 = 5
etc.
Recurrence
Colin Mallows has given an explicit recurrence relation . An asymptotic expression for an is
:
where is the golden ratio (approximately equal to 1.618034).
References
- {{cite book | last1=Everest | first1=Graham | last2=van der Poorten | first2=Alf | last3=Shparlinski | first3=Igor | last4=Ward | first4=Thomas | title=Recurrence sequences | series=Mathematical Surveys and Monographs | volume=104 | location=Providence, RI | publisher=American Mathematical Society | year=2003 | isbn=0-8218-3387-1 | zbl=1033.11006 | pages=10,256 }}
- {{cite book |last=Guy | first=Richard K. | authorlink=Richard K. Guy | title=Unsolved problems in number theory | publisher=Springer-Verlag |edition=3rd | year=2004 |isbn=0-387-20860-7 | zbl=1058.11001 | at=Section E25 }}
External links
- [https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/golomb-sequence/ Python code for Golomb Sequence]