Inverse Problems for Representation Functions in Additive Number Theory

This is a survey of open problems in different parts of combinatorial and additive number theory. The paper is based on lectures at the Centre de Recerca Matematica in Barcelona on January 23 and January 25, 2008.

The inverse problem for representation functions takes as input a triple (X,f,L), where X is a countable semigroup, f : X --> N_0 \cup {\infty} a function, L : a_1 x_1 + ... + a_h x_h an X-linear form and asks for a subset A \subseteq X such that there are f(x) solutions (counted appropriately) to L(x_1,...,x_h) = x for every x \in X, or a proof that no such subset exists. This paper represents the first systematic study of this problem for arbitrary linear forms when X = Z...

Let A be a set of integers. For every integer n, let r_{A,2}(n) denote the number of representations of n in the form n = a_1 + a_2, where a_1 and a_2 are in A and a_1 \leq a_2. The function r_{A,2}: Z \to N_0 \cup {\infty} is the representation function of order 2 for A. The set A is called an asymptotic basis of order 2 if r_{A,2}^{-1}(0) is finite, that is, if every integer with at most a finite number of exceptions can be represented as the sum of two not necessarily dist...

This is a survey of old and new problems and results in additive number theory.

For a set of nonnegative integers $A$, denote by $R_{A}(n)$ the number of unordered representations of the integer $n$ as the sum of two different terms from $A$. In this paper we partially describe the structure of the sets, which have coinciding representation functions.

Let $A$ be an infinite set of natural numbers. For $n\in \mathbb{N}$, let $r(A, n)$ denote the number of solutions of the equation $n=a+b$ with $a, b\in A, a\le b$. Let $|A(x)|$ be the number of integers in $A$ which are less than or equal to $x$. In this paper, we prove that, if $r(A, n)\not= 1$ for all sufficiently large integers $n$, then $|A(x)|> \frac 12 (\log x/\log\log x)^2$ for all sufficiently large $x$.

The main purpose of this survey is to introduce an inexperienced reader to additive prime number theory and some related branches of analytic number theory. We state the main problems in the field, sketch their history and the basic machinery used to study them, and try to give a representative sample of the directions of current research.

Let A be a set of integers. For every integer n, let r_{A,h}(n) denote the number of representations of n in the form n = a_1 + a_2 + ... + a_h, where a_1, a_2,...,a_h are in A and a_1 \leq a_2 \leq ... \leq a_h. The function r_{A,h}: Z \to N_0 \cup \infty is the representation function of order h for A. The set A is called an asymptotic basis of order h if r_{A,h}^{-1}(0) is finite, that is, if every integer with at most a finite number of exceptions can be represented as th...

Problems in additive number theory related to sum and difference sets, more general binary linear forms, and representation functions of additive bases for the integers and nonnegative integers.

This text contains over three hundred specific open questions on various topics in additive combinatorics, each placed in context by reviewing all relevant results. While the primary purpose is to provide an ample supply of problems for student research, it is hopefully also useful for a wider audience. It is the author's intention to keep the material current, thus all feedback and updates are greatly appreciated.