# Coloring the $n$-smooth numbers with $n$ colors

## TL;DR

This paper investigates the problem of coloring positive integers with n colors such that multiples of any number are differently colored, exploring algebraic structures, existence conditions, and classifying solutions for small n.

## Contribution

It establishes conditions for the existence of n-satisfactory colorings using abelian group operations and classifies all such colorings for small n, revealing the structure and density of solutions.

## Key findings

- Existence of n-satisfactory colorings linked to abelian group structures.
- Complete classification of n-satisfactory colorings for n ≤ 5.
- Identification of the density of primes related to strong representatives.

## Abstract

For which values of $n$ can we color the positive integers with precisely $n$ colors in such a way that for any $a$, the numbers $a,2a,\dots,na$ all get different colors? Pach posed the question around 2008-9. Particular cases appeared in K\"oMaL in April 2010, and the general version appeared in May 2010 on MathOverflow, posted by P\'alv\"olgyi. The question remains open. We discuss the known partial results and investigate a series of related matters attempting to understand the structure of these $n$-satisfactory colorings. Specifically, we show that there is an $n$-satisfactory coloring whenever there is an abelian group operation $\oplus$ on the set $\{1,2,\dots,n\}$ compatible with multiplication in the sense that whenever $i$, $j$ and $ij$ are in $\{1,\dots,n\}$, then $ij=i\oplus j$. This includes in particular the cases where $n+1$ is prime, or $2n+1$ is prime, or $n=p^2-p$ for some prime $p$, or there is a $k$ such that $q=nk+1$ is prime and $1^k,\dots,n^k$ are all distinct modulo $q$ (in which case we call $q$ a strong representative of order $n$). The colorings obtained by this process we call multiplicative. We also show that nonmultiplicative colorings exist for some values of $n$. There is an $n$-satisfactory coloring of $\mathbb Z^+$ if and only if there is such a coloring of the set $K_n$ of $n$-smooth numbers. We identify all $n$-satisfactory colorings for $n\le 5$ and all multiplicative colorings for $n\le 8$, and show that there are as many nonmultiplicative colorings of $K_n$ as there are real numbers for $n=6$ and 8. We show that if $n$ admits a strong representative $q$ then the set of such $q$ has positive natural density in the set of all primes. We show that the question of whether there is an $n$-satisfactory coloring is equivalent to a problem about tilings, and use this to give a geometric characterization of multiplicative colorings.