A330808 Minimum number of unit fractions that must be added to 1/n to reach 1.
0, 1, 2, 2, 3, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 5, 3, 4, 3, 4, 4, 5, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 4, 5, 4, 4, 5, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 4, 5, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 4, 4, 5, 4, 5, 5, 4, 5, 4, 5, 5, 5, 4, 5, 5, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 5, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 5, 5, 5, 4, 5, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 5, 5, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6
Offset: 1
Keywords
Examples
For n=1, 1/n = 1/1 = 1, which is already at 1, so no additional unit fractions are needed, thus a(1)=0. For n=2, 1/n = 1/2; adding the single unit fraction 1/2 gives 1/2 + 1/2 = 1, so a(2)=1. There is no integer k such that 1/3 + 1/k = 1 (solving for k would give k = 3/2), so a(3) > 1. However, 1/3 + 1/2 + 1/6 = 1, so a(3)=2. There is no integer k such that 1/5 + 1/k = 1, nor are there any two (not necessarily distinct) integers k1,k2 such that 1/5 + 1/k1 + 1/k2 = 1; however, 1/5 + 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/20 = 1, so a(5)=3. There is no integer k such that 1/11 + 1/k = 1, no pair of integers k1,k2 such that 1/11 + 1/k1 + 1/k2 = 1, and no set of three integers k1,k2,k3 such that 1/11 + 1/k1 + 1/k2 + 1/k3 = 1, but 1/11 + 1/2 + 1/3 + 1/14 + 1/231 = 1, so a(11)=4.
Formula
a(n) = A097847(n, n-1).
Comments