OFFSET
1,2
COMMENTS
Equals the number of different coefficient values in the expansion of Product_{i=1..n} (1 + q^1 + ... + q^i). Proof by Lawrence Sze: The Gaussian polynomial Prod_{k=1..n} Sum_{j=0..k} q^j is the q-version of n! and strictly unimodal with constant term 1. It has degree Sum_{k=1..n} k = n(n+1)/2, and thus n(n+1)/2+1 nonzero terms.
a(n) is equivalently the number of different absolute values obtained when summing the first n integers with all possible 2^n sign combinations. - Olivier Gérard, Mar 22 2010
Numbers in ascending order on the central axes (starting with 1) of Ulam's Spiral. - Bob Selcoe, Sep 25 2015
For n > 1, also the arboricity of the halved cube graph (Q_(n+1))/2. - Eric W. Weisstein, Jan 30 2026
LINKS
Eric Weisstein's World of Mathematics, Arboricity.
Eric Weisstein's World of Mathematics, Halved Cube Graph.
Index entries for linear recurrences with constant coefficients, signature (3,-4,4,-3,1).
FORMULA
a(n) = floor(binomial(n+1, 2)/2) + 1 = A011848(n+1) + 1.
G.f.: x*(x^4-2*x^3+2*x^2-x+1)/((1+x^2)*(1-x)^3).
a(n) = (n*(n+1)+i^(n*(n+1))+3)/4, where i=sqrt(-1). - Bruno Berselli, Jul 25 2012
a(n) = a(n-1) + A004524(n+1). - Bob Selcoe, Sep 25 2015
a(n) = 3*a(n-1)-4*a(n-2)+4*a(n-3)-3*a(n-4)+a(n-5) for n>5. - Wesley Ivan Hurt, Sep 25 2015
a(n) = ceiling( (n^2+n+1)/4 ). - Bob Selcoe, Sep 26 2015
EXAMPLE
Possible absolute values of sums of consecutive integers with any sign combination for n = 4 and n=5 are {0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10} and {1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15} respectively. - Olivier Gérard, Mar 22 2010
MAPLE
MATHEMATICA
Table[Floor[((n (n + 1) + 2)/2 + 1)/2], {n, 20}] (* Vladimir Joseph Stephan Orlovsky, Apr 26 2010 *)
LinearRecurrence[{3, -4, 4, -3, 1}, {1, 2, 4, 6, 8}, 70] (* Vincenzo Librandi, Sep 26 2015 *)
PROG
(Maxima) makelist((n*(n+1)+%i^(n*(n+1))+3)/4, n, 1, 57); /* Bruno Berselli, Jul 25 2012 */
(PARI) a(n) = ceil((n^2+n+2)/4);
vector(80, n, a(n)) \\ Altug Alkan, Sep 25 2015
(Magma) [Ceiling((n^2+n+2)/4) : n in [1..80]]; // Wesley Ivan Hurt, Sep 25 2015
(Magma) I:=[1, 2, 4, 6, 8]; [n le 5 select I[n] else 3*Self(n-1)-4*Self(n-2)+4*Self(n-3)-3*Self(n-4)+Self(n-5): n in [1..60]]; // Vincenzo Librandi, Sep 26 2015
CROSSREFS
KEYWORD
nonn,easy
AUTHOR
EXTENSIONS
Edited by Ralf Stephan, Nov 15 2004
STATUS
approved
