Divisibility sequence

Short description: Type of integer sequence

In mathematics, a divisibility sequence is an integer sequence $(a_n)$ indexed by positive integers n such that

$\text{if }m\mid n\text{ then }{a}_m\mid a_n$

for all m and n. That is, whenever one index is a multiple of another one, then the corresponding term also is a multiple of the other term. The concept can be generalized to sequences with values in any ring where the concept of divisibility is defined.

A strong divisibility sequence is an integer sequence $(a_n)$ such that for all positive integers m and n,

$\gcd (a_m,a_n)=a_{\gcd (m,n)},$

where gcd is the greatest common divisor function.

Every strong divisibility sequence is a divisibility sequence: $\gcd (m,n)=m$ if and only if $m\mid n$. Therefore, by the strong divisibility property, $\gcd (a_m,a_n)=a_m$ and therefore $a_m\mid a_n$.

Examples

Any Lucas sequence of the first kind U_n(P, Q) is a divisibility sequence. Moreover, it is a strong divisibility sequence when gcd(P, Q) = 1. Specific examples include:

• Any constant sequence $a_n=k$ is a strong divisibility sequence, which is kU_n(1, 0) for n ≥ 1.
• Every sequence of the form $a_n=kn$, for some nonzero integer k, is a divisibility sequence. It is equal to kU_n(2, 1).
• The Fibonacci numbers F_n form a strong divisibility sequence, which is U_n(1, −1).
• The Mersenne numbers $a_n=2^n-1$ form a strong divisibility sequence, which is U_n(3, 2).
• The repunit numbers R(b)n for n = 1, 2, ... in any base b form a strong divisibility sequence, which is U_n(b + 1, b).
• Any sequence of the form $a_n=A^n-B^n$ for integers $A>B>0$ is a divisibility sequence, which is (A − B)U_n(A + B, AB). If $A$ and $B$ are coprime then this is a strong divisibility sequence.

Elliptic divisibility sequences are another class of divisibility sequences.

References

• Everest, Graham; van der Poorten, Alf; Shparlinski, Igor; Ward, Thomas (2003). Recurrence Sequences. American Mathematical Society. ISBN 978-0-8218-3387-2. 
• Hall, Marshall (1936). "Divisibility sequences of third order". Am. J. Math. 58 (3): 577–584. doi:10.2307/2370976. 
• Ward, Morgan (1939). "A note on divisibility sequences". Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 45 (4): 334–336. doi:10.1090/s0002-9904-1939-06980-2. http://projecteuclid.org/euclid.bams/1183501776. 
• Hoggatt, Jr., V. E.; Long, C. T. (1973). "Divisibility properties of generalized Fibonacci polynomials". Fibonacci Quarterly: 113. http://www.fq.math.ca/Scanned/12-2/hoggatt1.pdf. 
• Bézivin, J.-P.; Pethö, A.; van der Porten, A. J. (1990). "A full characterization of divisibility sequences". Am. J. Math. 112 (6): 985–1001. doi:10.2307/2374733. 
• P. Ingram; J. H. Silverman (2012), "Primitive divisors in elliptic divisibility sequences", in Dorian Goldfeld; Jay Jorgenson; Peter Jones et al., Number Theory, Analysis and Geometry. In Memory of Serge Lang, Springer, pp. 243–271, ISBN 978-1-4614-1259-5