OFFSET
1,6
COMMENTS
Conjecture: (i) a(n) > 0 for all n > 4.
(ii) If n > 3, then phi(k^2)*phi(n-k) - 1 and phi(k^2)*phi(n-k) + 1 are both prime for some 0 < k < n, and also phi(j)^2*phi(n-j) - 1 and phi(j)^2*phi(n-j) + 1 are both prime for some 0 < j < n.
(iii) If n > 9 is not equal to 14, then |phi(k) - phi(n-k)|/2 is prime for some 0 < k < n, and also |phi(j) - phi(n-j)| - 1 and |phi(j) - phi(n-j)| + 1 are both prime for some 0 < j < n.
(iv) If n > 5, then sigma(k)*phi(n-k) + 1 is a square for some 0 < k < n, where sigma(k) is the sum of all positive divisors of k.
Note that part (i) of the conjecture implies that there are infinitely many Sophie Germain primes. We have verified part (i) for n up to 3*10^6.
LINKS
Zhi-Wei Sun, Table of n, a(n) for n = 1..10000
EXAMPLE
a(5) = 1 since phi(2^2)*phi(3) - 1 = 3 is a Sophie Germain prime.
a(10) = 1 since phi(1^2)*phi(9) - 1 = 5 is a Sophie Germain prime.
a(12) = 1 since phi(6^2)*phi(6) - 1 = 23 is a Sophie Germain prime.
a(30) = 1 since phi(2^2)*phi(28) - 1 = 23 is a Sophie Germain prime.
a(60) = 1 since phi(4^2)*phi(56) - 1 = 191 is a Sophie Germain prime.
a(75) = 1 since phi(14^2)*phi(61) - 1 = 5039 is a Sophie Germain prime.
a(95) = 1 since phi(30^2)*phi(65) - 1 = 11519 is a Sophie Germain prime.
a(106) = 1 since phi(22^2)*phi(84) - 1 = 5279 is a Sophie Germain prime.
a(110) = 1 since phi(9^2)*phi(101) - 1 = 5399 is a Sophie Germain prime.
a(156) = 1 since phi(27^2)*phi(129) - 1 = 40823 is a Sophie Germain prime.
MATHEMATICA
SG[n_]:=PrimeQ[n]&&PrimeQ[2n+1]
a[n_]:=Sum[If[SG[EulerPhi[k^2]*EulerPhi[n-k]-1], 1, 0], {k, 1, n/2}]
Table[a[n], {n, 1, 100}]
CROSSREFS
KEYWORD
nonn
AUTHOR
Zhi-Wei Sun, Dec 22 2013
STATUS
approved