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A234309
a(n) = |{2 < k <= n/2: 2^{phi(k)} + 2^{phi(n-k)} - 1 is prime}|, where phi(.) is Euler's totient function.
15
0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 6, 5, 6, 5, 7, 7, 6, 7, 7, 8, 7, 7, 6, 6, 7, 9, 9, 6, 9, 12, 8, 6, 9, 9, 9, 8, 10, 8, 9, 6, 9, 8, 8, 10, 6, 8, 11, 8, 11, 8, 7, 10, 8, 7, 8, 7, 9, 9, 11, 11, 8, 8, 9, 10, 12, 7, 12, 10, 8, 5, 7, 9, 14, 9, 9, 9, 8, 7
OFFSET
1,8
COMMENTS
Conjecture: (i) a(n) > 0 for all n > 5.
(ii) For any integer n > 1, 2^k +2^{phi(n-k)} - 1 is prime for some 0 < k < n, and 2^{sigma(j)} + 2^{phi(n-j)} - 1 is prime for some 0 < j < n, where sigma(j) is the sum of all positive divisors of j.
As phi(k) is even for any k > 2, part (i) of the conjecture implies that there are infinitely many primes of the form 4^a + 4^b - 1 with a and b positive integers (cf. A234310). Note that any Mersenne prime greater than 3 has the form 2^{2a+1} - 1 = 4^a + 4^a - 1.
EXAMPLE
a(6) = 1 since 2^{phi(3)} + 2^{phi(3)} - 1 = 2^2 + 2^2 - 1 = 7 is prime.
a(7) = 1 since 2^{phi(3)} + 2^{phi(4)} - 1 = 2^2 + 2^2 - 1 = 7 is prime.
a(8) = 2 since 2^{phi(3)} + 2^{phi(5)} - 1 = 2^2 + 2^4 - 1 = 19 and 2^{phi(4)} + 2^{phi(4)} - 1 = 2^2 + 2^2 - 1 = 7 are both prime.
MATHEMATICA
a[n_]:=Sum[If[PrimeQ[2^(EulerPhi[k])+2^(EulerPhi[n-k])-1], 1, 0], {k, 3, n/2}]
Table[a[n], {n, 1, 100}]
KEYWORD
nonn
AUTHOR
Zhi-Wei Sun, Dec 23 2013
STATUS
approved