Generalizing Ruth-Aaron Numbers

TL;DR

This paper extends the study of Ruth-Aaron numbers by considering prime factors raised to powers and allowing small differences between consecutive values, providing bounds on their distribution and density.

Contribution

It generalizes previous results on Ruth-Aaron numbers by analyzing the case with prime powers and near-equality, establishing asymptotic bounds and density results.

Findings

Number of Ruth-Aaron numbers with prime powers up to x is bounded by a specific asymptotic formula.

Density of numbers with small differences in the Ruth-Aaron function remains zero.

Provides insights into the infinitude and distribution of generalized Ruth-Aaron numbers.

Abstract

Let $f(n)$ be the sum of the prime divisors of $n$, counted with multiplicity; thus $f(2020)$ $= f(2^2 \cdot 5 \cdot 101) = 110$. Ruth-Aaron numbers, or integers $n$ with $f(n)=f(n+1)$, have been an interest of many number theorists since the famous 1974 baseball game gave them the elegant name after two baseball stars. Many of their properties were first discussed by Erd\"os and Pomerance in 1978. In this paper, we generalize their results in two directions: by raising prime factors to a power and allowing a small difference between $f(n)$ and $f(n+1)$. We prove that the number of integers up to $x$ with $f_r(n)=f_r(n+1)$ is $O\left(\frac{x(\log\log x)^3\log\log\log x}{(\log x)^2}\right)$, where $f_r(n)$ is the Ruth-Aaron function replacing each prime factor with its $r-$th power. We also prove that the density of $n$ remains $0$ if $|f_r(n)-f_r(n+1)|\leq k(x)$, where $k(x)$ is a function of $x$ with relatively low rate of growth. Moreover, we further the discussion of the infinitude of Ruth-Aaron numbers and provide a few possible directions for future study.