OFFSET
1,1
COMMENTS
More formally: a(n) = Min_{b>1} f_b(n), where f_b(n) = least k > n with the same sum of digits as n in base b.
We have the following properties:
- f_b(b) = b^2 for any b > 1,
- f_b(b^k) = b^(k+1) for any b > 1 and k >= 0,
- f_b(n) = b + n - 1 for any b > 1 and n < b,
- f_b(n) - n >= b - 1 for any b > 1 and n > 0.
For any n > 0, n < a(n) <= 2*n.
Conjecturally, a(n) ~ n.
The derived sequence e(n) = a(n) - n is unbounded: for any n > 0:
- for any b such that 1 < b <= n, let x_b = the least power of b such that f_b(i*x_b) - i*x_b >= n for any i > 0,
- let X = Lcm_{b=2..n} x_b,
- then f_b(X) - X >= n for any b such that 1 < b <= n,
- also, f_b(X) - X >= b - 1 >= n for any b > n,
- hence a(X) - X = e(X) >= n, QED.
LINKS
Rémy Sigrist, Table of n, a(n) for n = 1..10000
Rémy Sigrist, PARI program for A287076
EXAMPLE
The following table shows f_b(8) for all bases b > 1:
b f_b(8) 8 in base b f_b(8) in base b
-- ------ ----------- ----------------
2 16 "1000" "10000"
3 14 "22" "112"
4 17 "20" "101"
5 12 "13" "22"
6 13 "12" "21"
7 14 "11" "20"
8 64 "10" "100"
b>8 b+7 "8" "17"
Hence, a(8) = f_5(8) = 12.
CROSSREFS
KEYWORD
nonn,base
AUTHOR
Rémy Sigrist, May 19 2017
STATUS
approved