cp's OEIS Frontend

Erdős conjectured that n^2 - 1 = k! has a solution if and only if n is 5, 11 or 71 (when k is 4, 5 or 7).

Second-order linear recurrences y(m) = 2y(m-1) + a(n)*y(m-2), y(0) = y(1) = 1, have closed form solutions involving only powers of integers. - Len Smiley, Dec 08 2001

Number of edges in the join of two cycle graphs, both of order n, C_n * C_n. - Roberto E. Martinez II, Jan 07 2002

Let k be a positive integer, M_n be the n X n matrix m_(i,j) = k^abs(i-j) then det(M_n) = (-1)^(n-1)*a(k-1)^(n-1). - Benoit Cloitre, May 28 2002

Also numbers k such that 4*k + 4 is a square. - Cino Hilliard, Dec 18 2003

For each term k, the function sqrt(x^2 + 1), starting with 1, produces an integer after k iterations. - Gerald McGarvey, Aug 19 2004

a(n) mod 3 = 0 if and only if n mod 3 > 0: a(A008585(n)) = 2; a(A001651(n)) = 0; a(n) mod 3 = 2*(1-A079978(n)). - Reinhard Zumkeller, Oct 16 2006

a(n) is the number of divisors of a(n+1) that are not greater than n. - Reinhard Zumkeller, Apr 09 2007

Nonnegative X values of solutions to the equation X^3 + X^2 = Y^2. To find Y values: b(n) = n(n+1)(n+2). - Mohamed Bouhamida, Nov 06 2007

Sequence allows us to find X values of the equation: X + (X + 1)^2 + (X + 2)^3 = Y^2. To prove that X = n^2 + 2n: Y^2 = X + (X + 1)^2 + (X + 2)^3 = X^3 + 7*X^2 + 15X + 9 = (X + 1)(X^2 + 6X + 9) = (X + 1)*(X + 3)^2 it means: (X + 1) must be a perfect square, so X = k^2 - 1 with k>=1. we can put: k = n + 1, which gives: X = n^2 + 2n and Y = (n + 1)(n^2 + 2n + 3). - Mohamed Bouhamida, Nov 12 2007

From R. K. Guy, Feb 01 2008: (Start)

Toads and Frogs puzzle:

This is also the number of moves that it takes n frogs to swap places with n toads on a strip of 2n + 1 squares (or positions, or lily pads) where a move is a single slide or jump, illustrated for n = 2, a(n) = 8 by

T T - F F

T - T F F

T F T - F

T F T F -

T F - F T

- F T F T

F - T F T

F F T - T

F F - T T

I was alerted to this by the Holton article, but on consulting Singmaster's sources, I find that the puzzle goes back at least to 1867.

Probably the first to publish the number of moves for n of each animal was Edouard Lucas in 1883. (End)

a(n+1) = terms of rank 0, 1, 3, 6, 10 = A000217 of A120072 (3, 8, 5, 15). - Paul Curtz, Oct 28 2008

Row 3 of array A163280, n >= 1. - Omar E. Pol, Aug 08 2009

Final digit belongs to a periodic sequence: 0, 3, 8, 5, 4, 5, 8, 3, 0, 9. - Mohamed Bouhamida, Sep 04 2009 [Comment edited by N. J. A. Sloane, Sep 24 2009]

Let f(x) be a polynomial in x. Then f(x + n*f(x)) is congruent to 0 (mod f(x)); here n belongs to N. There is nothing interesting in the quotients f(x + n*f(x))/f(x) when x belongs to Z. However, when x is irrational these quotients consist of two parts, a) rational integers and b) integer multiples of x. The present sequence represents the non-integer part when the polynomial is x^2 + x + 1 and x = sqrt(2), f(x+n*f(x))/f(x) = A056108(n) + a(n)*sqrt(2). - A.K. Devaraj, Sep 18 2009

For n >= 1, a(n) is the number for which 1/a(n) = 0.0101... (A000035) in base (n+1). - Rick L. Shepherd, Sep 27 2009

For n > 0, continued fraction [n, 1, n] = (n+1)/a(n); e.g., [6, 1, 6] = 7/48. - Gary W. Adamson, Jul 15 2010

Starting (3, 8, 15, ...) = binomial transform of [3, 5, 2, 0, 0, 0, ...]; e.g., a(3) = 15 = (1*3 + 2*5 +1*2) = (3 + 10 + 2). - Gary W. Adamson, Jul 30 2010

a(n) is essentially the case 0 of the polygonal numbers. The polygonal numbers are defined as P_k(n) = Sum_{i=1..n} ((k-2)*i-(k-3)). Thus P_0(n) = 2*n-n^2 and a(n) = -P_0(n+2). See also A067998 and for the case k=1 A080956. - Peter Luschny, Jul 08 2011

a(n) is the maximal determinant of a 2 X 2 matrix with integer elements from {1, ..., n+1}, so the maximum determinant of a 2x2 matrix with integer elements from {1, ..., 5} = 5^2 - 1 = a(4) = 24. - Aldo González Lorenzo, Oct 12 2011

Using four consecutive triangular numbers t1, t2, t3 and t4, plot the points (0, 0), (t1, t2), and (t3, t4) to create a triangle. Twice the area of this triangle are the numbers in this sequence beginning with n = 1 to give 8. - J. M. Bergot, May 03 2012

Given a particle with spin S = n/2 (always a half-integer value), the quantum-mechanical expectation value of the square of the magnitude of its spin vector evaluates to = S(S+1) = n(n+2)/4, i.e., one quarter of a(n) with n = 2S. This plays an important role in the theory of magnetism and magnetic resonance. - Stanislav Sykora, May 26 2012

Twice the harmonic mean [H(x, y) = (2*x*y)/(x + y)] of consecutive triangular numbers A000217(n) and A000217(n+1). - Raphie Frank, Sep 28 2012

Number m such that floor(sqrt(m)) = floor(m/floor(sqrt(m))) - 2 for m > 0. - Takumi Sato, Oct 10 2012

The solutions of equation 1/(i - sqrt(j)) = i + sqrt(j), when i = (n+1), j = a(n). For n = 1, 2 + sqrt(3) = 3.732050.. = A019973. For n = 2, 3 + sqrt(8) = 5.828427... = A156035. - Kival Ngaokrajang, Sep 07 2013

The integers in the closed form solution of a(n) = 2*a(n-1) + a(m-2)*a(n-2), n >= 2, a(0) = 0, a(1) = 1 mentioned by Len Smiley, Dec 08 2001, are m and -m + 2 where m >= 3 is a positive integer. - Felix P. Muga II, Mar 18 2014

Let m >= 3 be a positive integer. If a(n) = 2*a(n-1) + a(m-2) * a(n-2), n >= 2, a(0) = 0, a(1) = 1, then lim_{n->oo} a(n+1)/a(n) = m. - Felix P. Muga II, Mar 18 2014

For n >= 4 the Szeged index of the wheel graph W_n (with n + 1 vertices). In the Sarma et al. reference, Theorem 2.7 is incorrect. - Emeric Deutsch, Aug 07 2014

If P_{k}(n) is the n-th k-gonal number, then a(n) = t*P_{s}(n+2) - s*P_{t}(n+2) for s=t+1. - Bruno Berselli, Sep 04 2014

For n >= 1, a(n) is the dimension of the simple Lie algebra A_n. - Wolfdieter Lang, Oct 21 2015

Finding all positive integers (n, k) such that n^2 - 1 = k! is known as Brocard's problem, (see A085692). - David Covert, Jan 15 2016

For n > 0, a(n) mod (n+1) = a(n) / (n+1) = n. - Torlach Rush, Apr 04 2016

Conjecture: When using the Sieve of Eratosthenes and sieving (n+1..a(n)), with divisors (1..n) and n>0, there will be no more than a(n-1) composite numbers. - Fred Daniel Kline, Apr 08 2016

a(n) mod 8 is periodic with period 4 repeating (0,3,0,7), that is a(n) mod 8 = 5/2 - (5/2) cos(n*Pi) - sin(n*Pi/2) + sin(3*n*Pi/2). - Andres Cicuttin, Jun 02 2016

Also for n > 0, a(n) is the number of times that n-1 occurs among the first (n+1)! terms of A055881. - R. J. Cano, Dec 21 2016

The second diagonal of composites (the only prime is number 3) from the right on the Klauber triangle (see Kival Ngaokrajang link), which is formed by taking the positive integers and taking the first 1, the next 3, the following 5, and so on, each centered below the last. - Charles Kusniec, Jul 03 2017

Also the number of independent vertex sets in the n-barbell graph. - Eric W. Weisstein, Aug 16 2017

Interleaving of A000466 and A033996. - Bruce J. Nicholson, Nov 08 2019

a(n) is the number of degrees of freedom in a triangular cell for a Raviart-Thomas or Nédélec first kind finite element space of order n. - Matthew Scroggs, Apr 22 2020

From Muge Olucoglu, Jan 19 2021: (Start)

For n > 1, a(n-2) is the maximum number of elements in the second stage of the Quine-McCluskey algorithm whose minterms are not covered by the functions of n bits. At n=3, we have a(3-2) = a(1) = 1*(1+2) = 3 and f(A,B,C) = sigma(0,1,2,5,6,7).

.

0 1 2 5 6 7

+---------------

*(0,1)| X X

(0,2)| X X

(1,5)| X X

*(2,6)| X X

*(5,7)| X X

(6,7)| X X

.

*: represents the elements that are covered. (End)

1/a(n) is the ratio of the sum of the first k odd numbers and the sum of the next n*k odd numbers. - Melvin Peralta, Jul 15 2021

For n >= 1, the continued fraction expansion of sqrt(a(n)) is [n; {1, 2n}]. - Magus K. Chu, Sep 09 2022

Number of diagonals parallel to an edge in a regular (2*n+4)-gon (cf. A367204). - Paolo Xausa, Nov 21 2023

For n >= 1, also the number of minimum cyclic edge cuts in the (n+2)-trapezohedron graph. - Eric W. Weisstein, Nov 21 2024

For n >= 1, a(n) is the sum of the interior angles of a polygon with n+2 sides, in radians, multiplied by (n+2)/Pi. - Stuart E Anderson, Aug 06 2025

Consider all Pythagorean triples (X,Y,Z=Y+1) ordered by increasing Z; sequence gives Y values. X values are 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, ... (A005408), Z values are A001844.

In the triple (X, Y, Z) we have X^2=Y+Z. Actually, the triple is given by {x, (x^2 -+ 1)/2}, where x runs over the odd numbers (A005408) and x^2 over the odd squares (A016754). - Lekraj Beedassy, Jun 11 2004

a(n) is the number of edges in n X n square grid with all horizontal and vertical segments filled in. - Asher Auel, Jan 12 2000 [Corrected by Felix Huber, Apr 09 2024]

a(n) is the only number satisfying an inequality related to zeta(2) and zeta(3): Sum_{i>a(n)+1} 1/i^2 < Sum_{i>n} 1/i^3 < Sum_{i>a(n)} 1/i^2. - Benoit Cloitre, Nov 02 2001

Number of right triangles made from vertices of a regular n-gon when n is even. - Sen-Peng Eu, Apr 05 2001

Number of ways to change two non-identical letters in the word aabbccdd..., where there are n type of letters. - Zerinvary Lajos, Feb 15 2005

a(n) is the number of (n-1)-dimensional sides of an (n+1)-dimensional hypercube (e.g., squares have 4 corners, cubes have 12 edges, etc.). - Freek van Walderveen (freek_is(AT)vanwal.nl), Nov 11 2005

From Nikolaos Diamantis (nikos7am(AT)yahoo.com), May 23 2006: (Start)

Consider a triangle, a pentagon, a heptagon, ..., a k-gon where k is odd. We label a triangle with n=1, a pentagon with n=2, ..., a k-gon with n = floor(k/2). Imagine a player standing at each vertex of the k-gon.

Initially there are 2 frisbees, one held by each of two neighboring players. Every time they throw the frisbee to one of their two nearest neighbors with equal probability. Then a(n) gives the average number of steps needed so that the frisbees meet.

I verified this by simulating the processes with a computer program. For example, a(2) = 12 because in a pentagon that's the expected number of trials we need to perform. That is an exercise in Concrete Mathematics and it can be done using generating functions. (End)

A diagonal of A059056. - Zerinvary Lajos, Jun 18 2007

If X_1,...,X_n is a partition of a 2n-set X into 2-blocks then a(n-1) is equal to the number of 2-subsets of X containing none of X_i, (i=1,...,n). - Milan Janjic, Jul 16 2007

X values of solutions to the equation 2*X^3 + X^2 = Y^2. To find Y values: b(n) = 2n(n+1)(2n+1). - Mohamed Bouhamida, Nov 06 2007

Number of (n+1)-permutations of 3 objects u,v,w, with repetition allowed, containing n-1 u's. Example: a(1)=4 because we have vv, vw, wv and ww; a(2)=12 because we can place u in each of the previous four 2-permutations either in front, or in the middle, or at the end. - Zerinvary Lajos, Dec 27 2007

Sequence found by reading the line from 0, in the direction 0, 4, ... and the same line from 0, in the direction 0, 12, ..., in the square spiral whose vertices are the triangular numbers A000217. - Omar E. Pol, May 03 2008

a(n) is also the least weight of self-conjugate partitions having n different even parts. - Augustine O. Munagi, Dec 18 2008

From Peter Luschny, Jul 12 2009: (Start)

The general formula for alternating sums of powers of even integers is in terms of the Swiss-Knife polynomials P(n,x) A153641 (P(n,1)-(-1)^k P(n,2k+1))/2. Here n=2, thus

a(k) = |(P(2,1) - (-1)^k*P(2,2k+1))/2|. (End)

The sum of squares of n+1 consecutive numbers between a(n)-n and a(n) inclusive equals the sum of squares of n consecutive numbers following a(n). For example, for n = 2, a(2) = 12, and the corresponding equation is 10^2 + 11^2 + 12^2 = 13^2 + 14^2. - Tanya Khovanova, Jul 20 2009

Number of roots in the root system of type D_{n+1} (for n>2). - Tom Edgar, Nov 05 2013

Draw n ellipses in the plane (n>0), any 2 meeting in 4 points; sequence gives number of intersections of these ellipses (cf. A051890, A001844); a(n) = A051890(n+1) - 2 = A001844(n) - 1. - Jaroslav Krizek, Dec 27 2013

a(n) appears also as the second member of the quartet [p0(n), a(n), p2(n), p3(n)] of the square of [n, n+1, n+2, n+3] in the Clifford algebra Cl_2 for n >= 0. p0(n) = -A147973(n+3), p2(n) = A054000(n+1) and p3(n) = A139570(n). See a comment on A147973, also with a reference. - Wolfdieter Lang, Oct 15 2014

a(n) appears also as the third and fourth member of the quartet [p0(n), p0(n), a(n), a(n)] of the square of [n, n, n+1, n+1] in the Clifford algebra Cl_2 for n >= 0. p0(n) = A001105(n). - Wolfdieter Lang, Oct 16 2014

Consider two equal rectangles composed of unit squares. Then surround the 1st rectangle with 1-unit-wide layers to build larger rectangles, and surround the 2nd rectangle just to hide the previous layers. If r(n) and h(n) are the number of unit squares needed for n layers in the 1st case and the 2nd case, then for all rectangles, we have a(n) = r(n) - h(n) for n>=1. - Michel Marcus, Sep 28 2015

When greater than 4, a(n) is the perimeter of a Pythagorean triangle with an even short leg 2*n. - Agola Kisira Odero, Apr 26 2016

Also the number of minimum connected dominating sets in the (n+1)-cocktail party graph. - Eric W. Weisstein, Jun 29 2017

a(n+1) is the harmonic mean of A000384(n+2) and A014105(n+1). - Bob Andriesse, Apr 27 2019

Consider a circular cake from which wedges of equal center angle c are cut out in clockwise succession and turned around so that the bottom comes to the top. This goes on until the cake shows its initial surface again. An interesting case occurs if 360°/c is not an integer. Then, with n = floor(360°/c), the number of wedges which have to be cut out and turned equals a(n). (For the number of cutting line segments see A005408.) - According to Peter Winkler's book "Mathematical Mind-Benders", which presents the problem and its solution (see Winkler, pp. 111, 115) the problem seems to be of French origin but little is known about its history. - Manfred Boergens, Apr 05 2022

a(n-3) is the maximum irregularity over all maximal 2-degenerate graphs with n vertices. The extremal graphs are 2-stars (K_2 joined to n-2 independent vertices). (The irregularity of a graph is the sum of the differences between the degrees over all edges of the graph.) - Allan Bickle, May 29 2023

Number of ways of placing a domino on a (n+1)X(n+1) board of squares. - R. J. Mathar, Apr 24 2024

The sequence terms are the exponents in the expansion of (1/(1 + x)) * Sum_{n >= 0} x^n * Product_{k = 1..n} (1 - x^(2*k-1))/(1 + x^(2*k+1)) = 1 - x^4 + x^12 - x^24 + x^40 - x^60 + - ... (Andrews and Berndt, Entry 9.3.3, p. 229). Cf. A153140. - Peter Bala, Feb 15 2025

Number of edges in an (n+1)-dimensional orthoplex. 2D orthoplexes (diamonds) have 4 edges, 3D orthoplexes (octahedrons) have 12 edges, 4D orthoplexes (16-cell) have 24 edges, and so on. - Aaron Franke, Mar 23 2025

a(n) is the number of edges in (n+1) X (n+1) square grid with all horizontal, vertical and diagonal segments filled in. - Asher Auel, Jan 12 2000

In other words, the edge count of the (n+1) X (n+1) king graph. - Eric W. Weisstein, Jun 20 2017

Write 0,1,2,... in clockwise spiral; sequence gives numbers on one of 4 diagonals. (See Example section.)

The identity (4*n+1)^2 - (4*n^2+2*n)*(2)^2 = 1 can be written as A016813(n)^2 - a(n)*2^2 = 1. - Vincenzo Librandi, Jul 20 2010 - Nov 25 2012

Starting with "6" = binomial transform of [6, 14, 8, 0, 0, 0, ...]. - Gary W. Adamson, Aug 27 2010

The hyper-Wiener index of the crown graph G(n) (n>=3). The crown graph G(n) is the graph with vertex set {x(1), x(2), ..., x(n), y(1), y(2), ..., y(n)} and edge set {(x(i), y(j)): 1 <= i,j <= n, i != j} (= the complete bipartite graph K(n,n) with horizontal edges removed). The Hosoya-Wiener polynomial of G(n) is n(n-1)(t+t^2)+nt^3. - Emeric Deutsch, Aug 29 2013

Sum of the numbers from n to 3n. - Wesley Ivan Hurt, Oct 27 2014

If X is an n-set and Y a fixed (n-3)-subset of X then a(n-3) is equal to the number of 2-subsets of X intersecting Y. - Milan Janjic, Aug 15 2007

Bisection of A165157. - Jaroslav Krizek, Sep 05 2009

a(n) is the number of (w,x,y) having all terms in {0,...,n} and w=x+y-1. - Clark Kimberling, Jun 02 2012

Numbers m >= 0 such that 8m+25 is a square. - Bruce J. Nicholson, Jul 26 2017

a(n-1) = 3*(n-1) + (n-1)*(n-2)/2 is the number of connected, loopless, non-oriented, multi-edge vertex-labeled graphs with n edges and 3 vertices. Labeled multigraph analog of A253186. There are 3*(n-1) graphs with the 3 vertices on a chain (3 ways to label the middle graph, n-1 ways to pack edges on one of connections) and binomial(n-1,2) triangular graphs (one way to label the graphs, pack 1 or 2 or ...n-2 on the 1-2 edge, ...). - R. J. Mathar, Aug 10 2017

a(n) is also the number of vertices of the quiver for PGL_{n+1} (see Shen). - Stefano Spezia, Mar 24 2020

Starting from a(2) = 7, this is the 4th column of the array: natural numbers written by antidiagonals downwards. See the illustration by Kival Ngaokrajang and the cross-references. - Andrey Zabolotskiy, Dec 21 2021

Numbers h such that 3*(3 + h) is a perfect square. - Alexander D. Healy, Tj Tullo, Avery Pickford, Sep 20 2004

Equivalently, numbers k such that k/3+1 is a square. - Bruno Berselli, Apr 10 2018

-a(n+3) = 2*n^2 - 4, n >= 0, [-4,-2, 4, 14, ...] appears as the first member of the quartet for the square of [n, n+1, n+2, n+3], for n >= 0, in the Clifford algebra Cl_2. The other members are given in A046092(n), A054000(n+1) and A139570(n). The basis of Cl_2 is <1, s1, s2, s12> with s1.s1 = s2.s2 = 1, s12.s12 = -1, s1.s2 = -s2.s1 = s12. See e.g., pp. 5-6, eqs. (2.4)-(2.13) of the S. Gull et al. reference. - Wolfdieter Lang, Oct 15 2014

Related to the previous comment: if one uses the exterior (Grassmann) product with s1.s1 = s2.s2 = s12.s12 = 0 and s1.s2 = -s2.s1 = s12, then the four components of the square of [n, n+1, n+2, n+3] are [A000290(n), A046092(n), A054000(n+1), A139570(n)], n >= 0. - Wolfdieter Lang, Nov 13 2014

2 - a(n)/2 is a square. - Bruno Berselli, Apr 10 2018

This is one of many interesting sequences and arrays that stem from the natural number array A000027, of which a northwest corner is as follows:

1....2.....4.....7...11...16...22...29...

3....5.....8....12...17...23...30...38...

6....9....13....18...24...31...39...48...

10...14...19....25...32...40...49...59...

15...20...26....33...41...50...60...71...

21...27...34....42...51...61...72...84...

28...35...43....52...62...73...85...98...

Blocking out all terms below the main diagonal leaves columns whose sums comprise A185787. Deleting the main diagonal and then summing give A185787. Analogous treatments to the left of the main diagonal give A100182 and A101165. Further sequences obtained directly from this array are easily obtained using the following formula for the array: T(n,k)=n+(n+k-2)(n+k-1)/2.

Examples:

row 1: A000124

row 2: A022856

row 3: A016028

row 4: A145018

row 5: A077169

col 1: A000217

col 2: A000096

col 3: A034856

col 4: A055998

col 5: A046691

col 6: A052905

col 7: A055999

diag. (1,5,...) ...... A001844

diag. (2,8,...) ...... A001105

diag. (4,12,...)...... A046092

diag. (7,17,...)...... A056220

diag. (11,23,...) .... A132209

diag. (16,30,...) .... A054000

diag. (22,38,...) .... A090288

diag. (3,9,...) ...... A058331

diag. (6,14,...) ..... A051890

diag. (10,20,...) .... A005893

diag. (15,27,...) .... A097080

diag. (21,35,...) .... A093328

antidiagonal sums: (1,5,15,34,...)=A006003=partial sums of A002817.

Let S(n,k) denote the n-th partial sum of column k. Then

S(n,k)=n*(n^2+3k*n+3*k^2-6*k+5)/6.

S(n,1)=n(n+1)(n+2)/6

S(n,2)=n(n+1)(n+5)/6

S(n,3)=n(n+2)(n+7)/6

S(n,4)=n(n^2+12n+29)/6

S(n,5)=n(n+5)(n+10)/6

S(n,6)=n(n+7)(n+11)/6

S(n,7)=n(n+10)(n+11)/6

Weight array of T: A144112

Accumulation array of T: A185506

Second rectangular sum array of T: A185507

Third rectangular sum array of T: A185508

Fourth rectangular sum array of T: A185509

Integers k such that 3*k + 6 is a perfect square. - Gary Detlefs, Feb 22 2010

Binomial transform of (1, 9, 6, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, ...). - Philippe Deléham, Mar 16 2014

Numbers n such that 2*n + 9 is a square. - Vincenzo Librandi, Nov 24 2010

a(n) appears also as the fourth member of the quartet [p0(n), p1(n), p2(n), a(n)] of the square of [n, n+1, n+2, n+3] in the Clifford algebra Cl_2 for n >= 0. p0(n) = -A147973(n+3), p1(n) = A046092(n), and p2(n) = A054000(n+1). See a comment on A147973, also with a reference. - Wolfdieter Lang, Oct 15 2014

X values of solutions to the equation 9*X^3 + X^2 = Y^2.

The set of all m such that 9*m + 1 is a perfect square. - Gary Detlefs, Feb 22 2010

The concatenation of any term with 11..11 (1 repeated an even number of times, see A099814) belongs to the list. Example: 87 is a term, so also 8711, 871111, 87111111, 871111111111, ... are terms of this sequence. - Bruno Berselli, May 15 2017