A333211 Variation of Van Eck's sequence A181391: a(n+1) = the minimum positive offset m from a(n) such that a(n-m-1)*a(n-m) = a(n-1)*a(n); a(n+1)=0 if no such m exists. Start with a(1) = a(2) = 0.

0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 2, 1, 0, 2, 1, 3, 0, 3, 1, 3, 1, 1, 13, 0, 6, 1, 0, 2, 1, 14, 0, 3, 1, 12, 0, 3, 1, 4, 0, 3, 1, 4, 4, 0, 4, 1, 4, 1, 1, 27, 0, 6, 1, 27, 4, 0, 4, 1, 10, 0, 3, 1, 21, 0, 3, 1, 4, 9, 0, 4, 1, 4, 1, 1, 25, 0, 6, 1, 25, 4, 0, 4, 1, 10, 25

Offset: 1

Author

Scott R. Shannon, Mar 11 2020

Keywords

• nonn

Comments

After 100 million terms the smallest number not appearing is 179549, while the smallest product of adjacent terms not appearing is 2969.

Examples

			a(3) = 0 as a(1)*a(2) = 0*0 = 0, which has not previously appeared as the product of two adjacent terms.
a(4) = 1 as a(2)*a(3) = 0*0 = 0, which equals the product a(1)*a(2), one term back from a(3).
a(5) = 1 as a(3)*a(4) = 0*1 = 0, which equals the product a(2)*a(3), one term back from a(3).
a(6) = 0 as a(4)*a(5) = 1*1 = 1, which has not previously appeared as the product of two adjacent terms.
a(19) = 13 as a(17)*a(18) = 1*1 = 1, which equals the product a(4)*a(5), thirteen terms back from a(18).
		

Links

• Scott R. Shannon, Table of n, a(n) for n = 1..10000.
• Brady Haran and N. J. A. Sloane, Don't Know (the Van Eck Sequence), Numberphile video (2019).

Crossrefs

Cf. A181391, A171898, A308721, A333210.