A069581 Triangle T(m,n) giving number of unit fractions (with odd denominators) needed to represent m/n, rational (n odd), using the greedy algorithm.

2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4, 2, 1, 2, 3, 2, 3, 4, 6, 3, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 5, 6, 2, 3, 10, 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 6, 9, 6, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 4, 3, 4, 2, 5, 4, 5, 2, 3, 4, 7, 6, 5, 4, 5, 10, 5, 6, 6, 3, 2, 5, 4, 3, 4, 5, 4, 7, 6, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 6, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 2, 3, 4, 5, 2, 3, 4, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 5, 4

Offset: 3

Author

Adam Kertesz, Apr 24 2002

Keywords

• nonn
• tabf

Comments

If m/n, a rational number (n odd) is expressed as sum (1/xi), where the xi are successively chosen to be the least possible odd integers which leave a nonnegative remainder, is the sum always finite? My conjecture: odd m needs odd, even m needs even unit fractions. In the triangle: rows are the (odd) denominators, columns are 1

Examples

			T(2/7) = 4 because 2/7 = 1/5 + 1/13 + 1/115 + 1/10465.
2/3; 2/5 3/5 4/5; 2/7 3/7 4/7 5/7 6/7; 2/9 3/9 4/9 5/9 6/9 7/9 8/9
Triangle begins:
2;
2, 3, 4;
4, 3, 4, 3, 4;
2, 1, 2, 3, 2, 3, 4;
...
		

References

• R. K. Guy: Unsolved Problems in Number Theory, Second edition, Springer- Verlag, 1994, D11.

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