OFFSET
1,2
COMMENTS
This is a fourth-order linear divisibility sequence, that is, the sequence satisfies a linear recurrence of order 4 and if n | m then a(n) | a(m). This is a consequence of the following more general result: The polynomials P(n,x,y) := (x^n + y^n)*(x^(3*n) - y^(3*n)) form a fourth-order linear divisibility sequence in the polynomial ring Z[x,y]. See the Bala link.
Hence, for a fixed integers M and N, the normalized sequence (M^n + N^n)*(M^(3*n) - N^(3*n))/ ( (M + N)*(M^3 - N^3) ) for n = 1,2,3,... is a linear divisibility sequence of order 4. It has the rational o.g.f. x*(1 - 2*M*N*(M^2 - M*N + N^2)*x + (M*N)^4*x^2)/( (1 - M^4*x)*(1 - M^3*N*x)*(1 - M*N^3*x)*(1 - N^4*x) ). This is the case M = 2, N = 1. For other cases see A238539(M = 2, N = -1), A238540(M = 3, N = 1) and A238541(M = 3, N = 2). See also A238536, A238537 and A215466.
Note, these sequences do not belong to the family of linear divisibility sequences of the fourth order studied by Williams and Guy, which have o.g.f.s of the form x*(1 - q*x^2)/Q(x), Q(x) a quartic polynomial and q an integer parameter.
LINKS
Michael De Vlieger, Table of n, a(n) for n = 1..831
E. L. Roettger and H. C. Williams, Appearance of Primes in Fourth-Order Odd Divisibility Sequences, J. Int. Seq., Vol. 24 (2021), Article 21.7.5.
Wikipedia, Divisibility sequence
Wikipedia, Lucas Sequence
H. C. Williams and R. K. Guy, Some fourth-order linear divisibility sequences, Intl. J. Number Theory 7 (5) (2011) 1255-1277.
H. C. Williams and R. K. Guy, Some Monoapparitic Fourth Order Linear Divisibility Sequences Integers, Volume 12A (2012) The John Selfridge Memorial Volume
Index entries for linear recurrences with constant coefficients, signature (27,-202,432,-256).
FORMULA
MAPLE
seq(1/21*(2^n + 1)*(2^(3*n) - 1), n = 1..20);
MATHEMATICA
LinearRecurrence[{27, -202, 432, -256}, {1, 15, 219, 3315}, 20] (* Harvey P. Dale, Jul 04 2019 *)
CROSSREFS
KEYWORD
nonn,easy
AUTHOR
Peter Bala, Feb 28 2014
STATUS
approved