Sums of four polygonal numbers with coefficients

TL;DR

This paper investigates representations of large integers as sums of four polygonal numbers with specific coefficients, confirming a conjecture by Z.-W. Sun and identifying conditions for universal representation.

Contribution

It establishes new conditions under which sums of four polygonal numbers with coefficients can represent all sufficiently large integers, including confirming Sun's conjecture.

Findings

Confirmed Sun's conjecture for order 6 polygonal numbers.

Identified conditions for coefficients (a,b) to ensure universal representation.

Proved that certain linear combinations of polygonal numbers can represent all large integers.

Abstract

Let $m\ge3$ be an integer. The polygonal numbers of order $m+2$ are given by $p_{m+2}(n)=m\binom n2+n$ $(n=0,1,2,\ldots)$. A famous claim of Fermat proved by Cauchy asserts that each nonnegative integer is the sum of $m+2$ polygonal numbers of order $m+2$. For $(a,b)=(1,1),(2,2),(1,3),(2,4)$, we study whether any sufficiently large integer can be expressed as $$p_{m+2}(x_1) + p_{m+2}(x_2) + ap_{m+2}(x_3) + bp_{m+2}(x_4)$$ with $x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4$ nonnegative integers. We show that the answer is positive if $(a,b)\in\{(1,3),(2,4)\}$, or $(a,b)=(1,1)\ \&\ 4\mid m$, or $(a,b)=(2,2)\ \&\ m\not\equiv 2\pmod 4$. In particular, we confirm a conjecture of Z.-W. Sun which states that any natural number can be written as $p_6(x_1) + p_6(x_2) + 2p_6(x_3) + 4p_6(x_4)$ with $x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4$ nonnegative integers.