A179651 Difference between consecutive practical numbers.

1, 2, 2, 2, 4, 4, 2, 2, 4, 4, 2, 2, 4, 4, 2, 6, 6, 2, 4, 4, 2, 6, 6, 2, 4, 4, 2, 6, 4, 4, 4, 4, 8, 6, 2, 4, 8, 4, 6, 6, 4, 2, 6, 8, 4, 12, 4, 2, 2, 4, 4, 2, 6, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 12, 4, 4, 4, 6, 2, 4, 4, 8, 6, 6, 4, 2, 2, 4, 8, 4, 6, 6, 4, 2, 6, 4, 8, 4, 4, 10, 2, 4, 6, 2, 4, 4, 8, 6, 2, 4, 12, 8, 8, 2, 6, 4, 2, 2

Offset

1,2

Comments

Because the density of practical numbers is comparable to that of primes, it is natural to inquire whether certain results about prime numbers and their gaps carry over to practical numbers and their gaps. For example, it is known that lim inf a(n) = 2, which is comparable to the twin prime conjecture; and since the density of the practical numbers is zero, it follows that a(n) is unbounded. - Hal M. Switkay, Jan 21 2023

Links

Hal M. Switkay, Table of n, a(n) for n = 1..9999

Formula

a(n) = A005153(n+1) - A005153(n).

Example

For n=3, this is 6-4=2.
For n=5, this is 12-8=4.

Mathematica

PracticalQ[n_] := Module[{f, p, e, prod = 1, ok = True}, If[n < 1 || (n > 1 && OddQ[n]), False, If[n == 1, True, f = FactorInteger[n]; {p, e} = Transpose[f]; Do[ If[ p[[i]] > 1 + DivisorSigma[1, prod], ok = False; Break[]]; prod = prod*p[[i]]^e[[i]], {i, Length[p]}]; ok]]]; s = Select[ Range@ 479, PracticalQ]; Rest@s - Most@s (* Robert G. Wilson v, Jul 23 2010 *)

Crossrefs

Cf. A005153.

Sequence in context: A367120 A064135 A332476 * A139560 A192095 A363710

Adjacent sequences: A179648 A179649 A179650 * A179652 A179653 A179654

Keyword

easy,nonn

Author

Jason G. Wurtzel, Jul 22 2010

Extensions

a(20) onwards from Robert G. Wilson v, Jul 23 2010

Status

approved